Italy and Greece are often mentioned together when people begin to explore residency through investment. Both sit at the heart of Europe, both offer a high quality of life, and both appeal to families looking for long-term stability.
The two programs, however, take very different approaches. One is tied mainly to property. The other directs capital into real businesses and projects with clear governance. This distinction shapes the entire decision.
The guide below is written for readers who may be learning about these programs for the first time. All information reflects the rules currently in place for 2025. As with any immigration matter, families should confirm details with qualified advisers before acting.
Greece vs Italian Golden Visa at a glance
| Feature | Greece Golden Visa 2025 | Italian Investor Visa 2025 |
| Basis of qualification | Primarily real estate purchase | Investment in Italian companies, startups, bonds or approved public-interest projects |
| Main threshold | 800,000 EUR in prime areas; 400,000 EUR in other regions for a single residential property of at least 120 m² | 500,000 EUR in an Italian company |
| Lower entry point | 250,000 EUR for narrow categories such as listed buildings or specific conversions | 250,000 EUR for an innovative Italian startup |
| Stay requirement | None for permit renewal | None for the investor residence permit during initial years |
| Family inclusion | Spouse or partner, children, and parents of both spouses | Spouse, children, and dependent parents through family reunification |
| Schengen travel | Yes | Yes |
| Citizenship timeline | Seven years of real residence with integration | Ten years of real residence |
| Tax considerations | Property-related taxes if property is owned; tax residence only if family relocates | Optional flat tax for new tax residents on foreign income; relocation required |
| Policy direction | Program shaped by housing policy and ongoing adjustments to thresholds | Stable rules since launch, with changes only where required by EU guidance |
Why the comparison matters
People often begin with the same questions.
Can my family join me?
Do I need to move?
How predictable are the rules?
How is my capital treated?
Both countries offer residency. The reasoning behind each program, however, is different. Recognising this early helps investors choose a route that aligns with their intentions rather than simply meeting a minimum.
Investment requirements
Greece: residency tied to property
Greece’s program centres on property acquisition. The current structure sets the following thresholds:
- 800,000 EUR in high-demand areas such as Athens, Thessaloniki and key islands
- 400,000 EUR in other regions for a single residential property of at least 120 square metres
- Selected exceptions at 250,000 EUR for listed buildings or specific redevelopment projects
These changes have taken place over several years as Greece adjusts housing rules.
For many investors, the model feels familiar. You buy a property and maintain ownership.
Property, however, brings ongoing responsibilities. Upkeep, taxation and rental considerations all form part of the decision. The value of the permit is therefore linked to an asset class that moves with local housing conditions.
Italy: residency tied to regulated investment
Italy takes a different route. The Investor Visa is based on capital directed into the country’s productive economy. The legally defined categories include:
- 500,000 EUR in an Italian company
- 250,000 EUR in an innovative Italian startup
- 2 million EUR in government bonds
- 1 million EUR in a public-interest contribution
Many international families choose the 500,000 EUR or 250,000 EUR categories, as they offer exposure to real companies with audited reporting.
This approach separates the investment from lifestyle decisions. Investors are allocating capital to enterprises rather than taking on the duties of property ownership.
Stay requirements
Greece
Greece has no minimum stay requirement for permit renewal. A family may hold residency without spending time in the country unless they aim for citizenship later.
Italy
Italy also does not impose a minimum stay requirement for the investor residence permit during the early years.
Residence becomes relevant only if a family chooses to pursue long-term residence or citizenship later.
Family inclusion
Greece
Greece allows the investor’s spouse or partner, children, and the parents of both spouses to receive residence cards.
These cards follow the same validity period as the main investor’s.
Italy
Italy allows spouses, children and dependent parents to join through family reunification once the investor’s permit is issued.
Family members receive Italian residence cards with access to healthcare and education.
Stability of the programs
Greece
Greece has adjusted its Golden Visa several times, particularly when housing concerns arise. Thresholds have increased, and the government continues to refine which regions and property types qualify.
These changes do not reflect weakness in the program. They simply show that property-based residency must move with domestic housing priorities.
Italy
Italy’s rules have remained steady since the program began in 2017.
Thresholds are written directly into law and have not shifted. Small adjustments have taken place only where required by European guidelines, such as restrictions applied to specific nationalities.
For investors who value predictability, this consistency matters.
Schengen mobility
Both programs provide full access to the Schengen area for the duration of the residence permit.
This is often one of the strongest reasons families explore European residency at all.
Tax considerations
Greece
Property owners are subject to Greek property taxes.
General tax residence applies only when a family spends significant time in the country or shifts its centre of life there.
If relocation occurs, Greece has regimes that may be suitable for certain individuals, but these must be evaluated case by case.
Italy
Italy offers an optional flat tax for new tax residents on foreign-sourced income.
This does not attach to the Investor Visa automatically. Families choose it only if and when they relocate.
For investors with international income, the clarity of this regime is often a significant point of interest.
Paths to citizenship
Greece
Greek citizenship is available after seven years of actual residence with integration, language capability and tax residence.
Golden Visa holders who do not relocate are not moving toward citizenship.
Italy
Italy requires ten years of continuous residence for non-EU nationals.
The Investor Visa can be the entry point into Italy, but the citizenship process follows a long-established legal route with clear criteria.
Who each program suits
Greece may fit someone who:
- Wants to own a property in Greece for personal use
- Prefers to combine residency with a real estate purchase
- Is comfortable with the obligations of property ownership
- Does not require a stable threshold over the long term
Italy may fit someone who:
- Prefers a regulated investment rather than property maintenance
- Values clear governance and stable rules
- Sees Italy as part of a long-term family plan
- Wants an investment that stands on its own merit regardless of residency
A growing number of international families choose Italy because the investment is not tied to housing policy.
They want exposure to Italian companies with long-standing business strength, and they view the Golden Visa as a secondary benefit rather than the main purpose.
Greece vs Italian Golden Visa: the clearer view
Greece offers a familiar path built around real estate.
Italy offers a route that sits inside the country’s economic structure and avoids property-related pressures.
Both provide residency. Both allow families to take part. Both offer mobility.
Only Italy gives investors a way to deploy capital into businesses with transparent reporting while keeping lifestyle decisions separate from the asset itself.
Closing reflection
A residency choice shapes far more than travel rights. It often becomes part of a family’s long-term direction.
Greece is well suited to those who genuinely want property in the country.
Italy appeals to those who think about capital, governance and long-term European presence in the same breath.
At Ariete we see the Golden Visa as one element of a wider Italian strategy.
The investment must have substance.
The residency simply reflects the country’s openness to those who choose to participate in its future.
