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Greece Looking to Speed Up Procedures to Attract ‘Digital Nomads’

Greece is speeding up procedures for the launch of a special visa that will attract digital nomads, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis recently announced.

Aiming to tap into the potential of the global trend, the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Migration are in the final stage of drafting a legislation framework for the launch of a special visa category and relevant residence permits, which will allow digital nomads from other countries to relocate to Greece.

During a recent online meeting with Migration and Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi, Varvitsiotis said that Greece’s aim was to create the conditions for the accommodation of high-income remote workers , as well as promote Greece’s tax and and insurance incentives, and the country’s comparative advantages.

Migration and Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi. Photo source: @nmitarakis

According to Varvitsiotis, the coordination of the relevant ministries is considered necessary for state authorities to be able to provide this service to digital nomads.

“Through simple digital procedures, we wish for Greece to attract people who choose to stay and work in our country as digital nomads,” he said.

Varvitsiotis proposed the implementation of an integrated model for all the new visa procedures and refereed to the successful examples of the business visa and the student visa.

In addition to the entry procedures, the new model will provide digital nomads with information on all the possible issues that may occur during their stay in Greece related to insurance, healthcare, taxes, infrastructure and others.

Photo source: @MVarvitsiotis

The online meeting was also attended by Financial Advisor to the Prime Minister Alexis Patelis, the Secretary General for Tourism Policy and Development Viki Loizou, Attica Governor Giorgos Patoulis, Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE) President Dimitris Papastergiou, and Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) Governor Giorgos Pitsilis among others.

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  1. ike Reply

    No solid news on it for months. Greece needs to up its game a bit. There are currently about 20 countries offering these nomad visas. Competition will go to whomever sets their policies first.

    Croatia, Serbia, Georgia, Maldive, Iceland and Bermuda already have online forms, prices and procedures. All those just in the last 6 months.

  2. ike Reply

    Yes, it would be nice to get some concrete information or timelines on this. I’ve been seeing vague news stories like this for 5 months now, but with no specifics.

    Just copy the Croatian or Estonian or Georgian program and implement it.

  3. Aleksandar Reply

    Yo Dave, I’m positive islands cannot process visa applications as that can only be done by the government. Maybe that was some program for digital nomads that already have permission to live in Greece (EU citizens).

  4. Ralf Becker Reply

    what about the possibility for these digital nomads in greece to get vaccinated against Covid19? No AMA no vaccination as it seems!

    • Clément Reply

      Once you are in Greece, you’ll get a tax number (AFM) necessary for many formalities, including an AMKA (social security) number. So far according to all the news I’ve read, you can apply with your AMKA number for free vaccination as all Greek citizens, if your age group is eligible. Greece is expecting to open vaccination to general public at the end of May.

      • Lori Allen Reply

        We have applied for the temporary AMKA weeks ago, and still not a single update. No one at any KEP office knows anything about when foreigners will be able to get their vaccine. Has anyone here had an alternative experience to this increasingly frustrating one?

  5. Dave Hilditch Reply

    When can we actually apply for these digital nomad visas? They were announced back in November, then some news again in February – I’ve heard rumours that a couple of islands have processed applications already.

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