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Comparison · GREECE ↔ ITALY
Head-to-head dossier
Greece vs ItalyGolden Visa, side by side — 2026
🇬🇷Greece Golden Visa
Greece
Real estate residency for those who actually want sun.
From
€250,000
Time
2–6 months
Citizenship
7 years
Stay
0 days required
🇮🇹Italy Investor Visa
Italy
Underrated alternative with the €100k flat-tax sweetener.
From
€250,000
Time
3–4 months
Citizenship
10 years
Stay
Flexible (no fixed minimum)
The short verdict
Greece. Greece edges Italy on the headline metrics most applicants weight first (entry price, speed, path to citizenship and physical presence).
The full picture is below — by the numbers, then category by category.
By the numbers
Headline metrics
| Metric | 🇬🇷 Greece | 🇮🇹 Italy |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Active | Active |
| Headline minimum | €250,000 | €250,000 |
| Processing time | 2–6 months | 3–4 months |
| Path to citizenship | 7 years | 10 years |
| Physical presence | 0 days required | Flexible (no fixed minimum) |
| Tax overlay | Non-dom flat tax €100k/year | €200k/year flat tax for new residents (since Aug 2024) |
| Best for | Investors who want a Mediterranean base, a tangible asset, and a Schengen card without relocation pressure. | Founders backing Italian innovation, or HNWIs attracted by the new-resident flat-tax regime. |
Category by category
- 01
Entry price
TieBoth programs start at the same headline minimum (€250,000).
- 02
Faster to a card
Edge: GreeceGreece: 2–6 months. Italy: 3–4 months.
- 03
Faster path to citizenship
Edge: GreeceGreece: 7 years. Italy: 10 years.
Who each one is for
🇬🇷 Greece — best for
Investors who want a Mediterranean base, a tangible asset, and a Schengen card without relocation pressure.
- +Zero physical presence required
- +Fastest EU Golden Visa to process
- +Real estate route still fully open
- +Schengen access from day one
🇮🇹 Italy — best for
Founders backing Italian innovation, or HNWIs attracted by the new-resident flat-tax regime.
- +No funds transferred until visa is approved
- +Family included on a single application
- +Schengen access, low real-presence requirements
- +Renewable in 3-year increments
The honest tradeoffs
🇬🇷 Greece — working against you
- − Tier 1 zones jumped from €500k to €800k in Sept 2024
- − Citizenship requires 7 years + Greek language B1
- − Property cannot be short-term let (Airbnb) since 2024
🇮🇹 Italy — working against you
- − Citizenship reform in 2025 tightened jus sanguinis but residency timeline unchanged at 10 years
- − New-resident flat tax doubled from €100k to €200k in August 2024
- − Italian language B1 required for citizenship
Read the full dossier