Golden Visa: Israel and Turkey vote on Greek Golden Visa

Israelis are making an invasion of Greece through the "golden visa" program. Since 2019, a large influx of Israeli capital has begun in the Greek real estate market, with this becoming more evident in recent years.

Investors continue to show strong interest in acquiring real estate in our country, confirming Greece as a top destination for those seeking a combination of investment security and a passport to the European market.

The Golden Visa

According to the latest available data from the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum, 7,156 new initial investor permits have been granted during the 10th month, an increase of 109% compared to the 3,414 that were granted during the same period of the previous year.

In total, from the start of the program until October this year, a total of 25,573 permits and renewals had been approved (after the end of the first five years), while another 12,910 initial permits and renewals are pending, which will bring the total number to 39,009, not counting the investors' family members.

Investors (initial permanent investor permits) from Israel now number 567, constituting 3% of the total. Israelis are in first place among foreigners buying real estate in Thessaloniki.

Investors from China continue to hold first place in residence permits granted through the "golden visa" program, with 9,198 permits.

Investors from Lebanon have received 947 licenses, while 750 licenses have been issued from the United Kingdom.

Investors from Israel turned to the Greek real estate market to protect their assets against geopolitical instability and the war in Gaza, but also because of the already strong presence of their compatriots in Greece.

What do… Israelis vote for

Particularly strong dynamics are recorded by real estate buyers from Israel, with Athens and Thessaloniki being the main poles of attraction.

According to a survey by the RE/MAX Hellas real estate agency network for 2025, Israelis play a leading role among foreign investors in the two major urban centers, confirming a trend that strengthened after the start of the war in Gaza.

Based on the results of the survey, in Attica, Israelis constitute the majority of foreign buyers, followed by Turks and Lebanese. In the rest of Greece, Germans represent the largest percentage of foreign buyers, with Bulgarians and French also having a strong presence, while Israelis and Turks follow.

Israelis are in first place among foreigners buying properties in Thessaloniki.

These figures demonstrate that Greece continues to function as a stable pole of attraction both for markets in search of a safe haven for capital, and for investors seeking access to the European market.

Source: https://www.ot.gr/2025/12/21/oikonomia/akinita/xrysi-viza-israil-kai-tourkia-psifizoun-elliniki-golden-visa-pinakes/