Greece Digital Nomad Rules: What Changed in 2026

Greece’s digital nomad residence route changed in February 2026, removing the special option for eligible remote workers to apply after arriving on a short-stay visa or visa-free entry. The €3,500 monthly resources requirement, however, is not new.

The distinction matters for anyone planning a move: the change concerns the route into residence, rather than a newly introduced income threshold. Greek City Times has verified the February legislation but has not identified a separate November change introducing the measures now circulating online.

What changed on 6 February 2026?

Law 5275/2026, published in Government Gazette A’ 17 on 6 February 2026, repealed paragraph 7 of Article 12 of the Migration Code through its Article 13. Article 69 says the law takes effect upon publication unless an individual provision states otherwise.

The repealed provision had allowed qualifying digital nomads and their families who entered Greece with a short-stay visa or under visa-exempt arrangements to apply for the relevant residence permit during their authorised stay. That exception is no longer available.

For a prospective applicant relying on that former tourist-entry route, the practical sequence is now to obtain the appropriate national Type D digital nomad visa through the competent Greek consulate, enter Greece on that visa and apply for the residence permit before it expires. Tourist entry alone is not a substitute for this procedure.

This does not mean that every person already legally resident in Greece must leave. Separate rules govern changes of category for holders of existing residence titles. Anyone in that position, or with an application already lodged, should obtain advice specific to their status.

The €3,500 requirement is longstanding

Article 68 of the 2023 Migration Code already set the main applicant’s sufficient-resources requirement at €3,500 a month. It also provided for a national digital nomad visa lasting up to 12 months and a subsequent two-year residence permit. Those are not new November 2026 benefits or restrictions.

The required resources increase by 20% for a spouse or partner and by 15% for each child. Where the resources come from salaried work, services or project work, the law specifies income after the required taxes in the country where the work is performed.

On that basis, the monthly amounts are €3,500 for the main applicant, €4,200 with a spouse or partner, and €4,725 with a spouse or partner and one child. Each family increment is calculated from the €3,500 base.

Who is the route designed for?

Article 68 covers eligible third-country nationals who work remotely using information and communications technology for employers or clients outside Greece. Applicants must provide evidence of their employment, client contracts or business activity and undertake not to work for an employer established in Greece.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens have separate free-movement rights and do not need this visa route. The Greek Foreign Ministry’s digital nomad page directs readers to Work From Greece, which also explains the distinction between remote work for overseas businesses and work for a Greek company.

Visa and residence permit are different stages

Under Article 68(4), an eligible visa holder may apply for a two-year residence permit while the required conditions continue to be met. The application must be made before the national visa expires, to the Aliens and Migration Directorate of the Decentralised Administration for the applicant’s place of residence.

The permit is not automatic, and the national visa is not permanent residence. Applicants should ask the competent Greek consulate for its current document checklist and confirm their individual circumstances before making relocation plans.

The digital nomad route is also different from Greece’s Tech Visa and Talent Visa, which serve other employment and job-search purposes.

This explainer distinguishes the verified February 2026 legal change from longstanding requirements. It is general information, not individual immigration or tax advice.

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