10 Greece Digital Nomad Tips You Should Know Before Applying
Deciding to apply for Greece’s digital nomad visa is a huge step in your move to work remotely and live abroad. However, this process can often be complicated and tumultuous, so we’ve put together some firsthand Greece digital nomad visa tips that you should know before submitting your application.
Applying for any digital nomad visa can be overwhelming. There is a lot of bureaucracy to navigate, timelines to plan and predict, and, of course, paperwork to gather.
Before starting the process, it’s important to educate yourself as much as possible (using reliable and verified resources) to know what to expect while applying and relocating abroad.
While Nomads Embassy has partnered with hand-selected local immigration lawyers to assist our members with their Greece digital nomad visa applications with our Done-for-You Digital Nomad Visa Service, we decided to share some of the most important Greece digital nomad visa tips to know before applying.
What is the Greece Digital Nomad Visa?
Greece launched its digital nomad visa in 2021, allowing remote workers and their immediate family members to live in the country for two years.
With a renewable residence permit, digital nomads can live in Greece for five consecutive years before applying for permanent residency.
This visa allows remote workers to live anywhere in Greece, including its idyllic islands, such as Crete, and its bustling capital city of Athens.
Greece Digital Nomad Visa Requirements
To be eligible for Greece’s digital nomad visa, applicants must meet the following criteria:
If you meet these requirements, you will definitely find these Greece digital nomad visa tips helpful as you take your next steps.
Greece Digital Nomad Visa Tips for Your Application
Before applying for this visa, it’s important to educate yourself about the process and implications of moving abroad. Below are some of our most crucial Greece digital nomad visa tips to know before submitting your application.
1. Verify Your Eligibility
The number one mistake most visa applicants make is not verifying their eligibility for the visa.
This is the most common reason for visa rejection!
Before you even consider applying for Greece’s digital nomad visa, make sure you meet the eligibility requirements and are a likely candidate for the visa.
You can do this for free with Nomads Embassy’s digital nomad visa eligibility assessment.
You can also do this with an immigration lawyer during a consultation, who can review your documents and further investigate your eligibility.
2. Decide Where to Apply (Abroad or in Greece)
There are two ways that you can apply for Greece’s digital nomad visa.
- Apply from your country of residence abroad
- Directly in Greece as a tourist
There are some important factors to understand here, though.
Applying from Abroad
When you apply for the Greece digital nomad visa from abroad, you must visit a Greek embassy or consulate in your country of residence to submit your application and documents.
The consulate will process your application within 10 business days.
Once approved, you will receive your digital nomad visa, which will be valid for 12 months.
If you wish to stay in Greece longer than one year, then after entering the country with your visa, you may apply for a two-year renewable residence permit.
Applying in Greece as a Tourist
For select nationalities who can enter Greece without an entry visa, such as US, UK, Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand passport holders, there is an option to apply in Greece as a tourist.
This method completely skips the visa application process, avoiding appointments at a consulate.
However, it’s important to understand that you will be applying directly for the two-year residence permit under the digital nomad visa law and requirements.
There is a 1,000€ fee for this residence permit.
3. Determine How Long You Wish to Stay
Now that we know the different methods of applying, they will factor into how long you wish to stay in Greece.
If you wish to stay for a year or less, then you must apply for the Greece digital nomad visa from abroad.
If you wish to stay for more than one year, then you may either apply from abroad or directly in Greece.
Understanding your long-term travel and relocation plans will help you determine which method of application to proceed with.
Don’t worry if you apply for the visa and decide you want to stay in Greece longer than a year, though. You can always apply for a residence permit to extend your stay during that year your visa is valid.
4. Prepare the Correct Documents
The document gathering and preparation stage often takes the longest during the visa application process. Just getting a criminal background check can take a couple of months!
It’s important that your documents are complete, have an apostille where necessary, and be translated if needed.
One of the benefits of working with an immigration lawyer is that they will ensure your documents are correct and 100% compliant with Greece’s regulations.
For fast-track apostille services for US-originated documents, check out our partner Apostille USA.
5. Book Accommodations for At Least Three Months
If you walk away with any Greece digital nomad visa tips, let it be this one.
One of the requirements when applying for the Greece digital nomad visa is to present an address of accommodations where you will stay in the country.
This must be done before your visa is approved.
We recommend booking a refundable accommodation for at least three months when applying for Greece’s digital nomad visa.
6. Keep a Flexible Timeline
Another important one of our important Greece digital nomad visa tips is to keep a flexible timeline.
Bureaucracy is unpredictable and often slow. Delays are to be expected in certain parts of this process.
If you are in a rush to obtain a visa or become a resident of another country, it’s not a great situation to put yourself in. Anything can happen!
As of June 2024, we are seeing the processing time for residence permits in Greece to be up to one year. While you can stay in the country during this time, it can cause further frustration and inhibit travel plans.
So, if you plan to apply for Greece’s digital nomad visa, make sure your timeline is flexible.
7. Get a Certified Medical Examination
As part of the application process, you must obtain a certified medical examination. Your doctor must complete specific medical forms for your visa application as well.
8. Plan to Stay in Greece for a Minimum of 180 Days
If you apply for the two-year residence permit, you are obligated to be physically present in Greece for at least 180 days of the year to retain your residency.
Another one of our great Greece digital nomad visa tips to know is that if you plan to gallivant around the world while holding a Greek residency permit, this may not be the best option for you.
9. Find the Right International Health Insurance Policy
When applying for Greece’s digital nomad visa, you must submit proof that you have an international health insurance policy with coverage in Greece.
Nomads Embassy has partnered with Genki and Safetywing to provide our members with comprehensive and affordable medical coverage around the world.
10. Use Credible Sources for Information
There is a lot of misinformation about digital nomad visas online. That’s one of the reasons Nomads Embassy was born.
We started this blog to ensure verified and reliable information was shared and published about digital nomad visas.
So, when applying for Greece’s digital nomad visa – or any digital nomad visa for that matter – make sure that you are using credible and verified sources.
Don’t rely on Reddit threads, Facebook groups, or websites with clickbait headlines for factual information. Instead, refer to the official Greece Ministry of Foreign Affairs website or consult with immigration lawyers for the most accurate and up-to-date information about the Greece digital nomad visa.
Should You Use an Immigration Lawyer to Apply for the Greece Digital Nomad Visa?
While it is not required to use an immigration lawyer to apply for the Greece digital nomad visa, it is extremely helpful, especially when you go through Nomads Embassy.
We have found verified English-speaking hand-selected local immigration lawyers who have excellent track records in obtaining Greece digital nomad visas for clients.
When you work with our immigration lawyer, you can submit your application knowing that it is 100% compliant with the government’s regulations and that you have a legal professional by your side to follow the application from start to finish.
It’s possible to do this on your own, but it’s much easier and less stressful with a lawyer assisting you.
Get Personalized Legal Assistance for Your Relocation to Greece
While these tips for your Greece digital nomad visa application are helpful, the best thing you can do is work with an immigration lawyer. They will save you time, headaches, and money while ensuring that you submit a compliant application.
At Nomads Embassy, we created a Done-for-You Digital Nomad Visa Service for Greece with our hand-selected immigration lawyers, which includes everything you need to apply for the visa.
To get started, request our free eligibility check by completing the form in this article.
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