Visa Options for UK Citizens Moving to Greece (2026)
Post-Brexit, UK citizens can visit Greece visa-free for up to 90 days, but to live there you need a national (Type D) visa, applied for at the Greek Consulate in London before you move, and then a residence permit after you arrive. For Britons relocating, three routes do almost all the work: the FIP (Financially Independent Person) visa for retirees and the financially independent, the Digital Nomad visa for remote workers, and the Golden Visa for property investors. The FIP and Digital Nomad share the same income bar — €3,500/month (about £3,000) — which is high relative to Greece's low living costs, so the money test, not the cost of living, is usually the deciding factor.
- Digital Nomad: no more in-country applications. Under Law 5275/2026 (effective 5 February 2026), you can no longer switch to the digital-nomad residence permit from inside Greece as a tourist — you must apply for the national (Type D) visa at the Greek Consulate in London before entering.
- FIP permit now lasts 3 years (up from 2) on first issue, then renews — fewer renewal trips for retirees.
- Golden Visa thresholds (Law 5100/2024) are fully in force: €800,000 in prime areas (Athens/Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, big islands), €400,000 elsewhere, or €250,000 only for a listed-building restoration or a commercial-to-residential conversion — each a single property of at least 120 m².
- The 7% flat tax for foreign retirees remains open — a flat 7% on all foreign income for 15 years, and it applies to UK pensions (see Taxes).
- EES is live and ETIAS is expected in late 2026 — new EU border-registration and pre-travel authorization for visa-free UK tourist trips (not for residents with a permit).
| Visa Route | Best For | Key Requirement (2026) | Can You Work in Greece? | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIP (Financially Independent Person) Retirees | Retirees & those living on passive income | €3,500/mo passive income (≈£3,000) or ≈€126,000 deposit for 3 yrs; +20% spouse, +15%/child | No | 3 yrs, renewable |
| Digital Nomad Remote workers | Remote employees & freelancers (foreign clients) | €3,500/mo net from sources outside Greece | Remote only — not for Greek employers | Up to 2 yrs |
| Golden Visa Investors | Property investors wanting EU residency | Real estate €800k (prime) / €400k (elsewhere) / €250k (conversion); single unit ≥120 m² | No work needed — no minimum stay | 5 yrs, renewable |
Requirements verified July 2026 against Greek consular guidance, the Ministry of Migration & Asylum (migration.gov.gr), and Laws 5100/2024 (Golden Visa) and 5275/2026 (digital nomad). Sterling equivalents use about £1 ≈ €1.17 (July 2026): €3,500 ≈ £3,000. Income thresholds and fees change — confirm the current figures for your route before applying.
For all three routes you apply for the national (Type D) visa at the Greek Consulate in London (or the Embassy), before relocating. The 2026 reform closed the old workaround of entering as a tourist and switching to a residence permit on the digital-nomad route from inside Greece. Once in Greece on the national visa you then file for the residence-permit card. Confirm the document list and current thresholds with the consulate, since Greece is unifying and digitizing these procedures during 2026.
1. FIP (Financially Independent Person) Visa: The Retiree Route
The FIP visa — sometimes called the financially-independent or “passive income” visa — is the standard route for British retirees. It is for people who can support themselves from income earned outside Greece, without taking a local job.
- Income: stable passive income of at least €3,500/month (about £3,000) — UK State Pension, private or workplace pension, rental income, dividends, or other investment income. Add 20% for a spouse and 15% per child. As an alternative you can show a deposit of about €126,000 covering three years.
- Validity: issued for 3 years and renewable.
- Residency path: the years count toward permanent residency at 5 years and citizenship at 7 years.
- Cannot work in Greece: the FIP forbids local employment — it is purely for the self-supporting. Remote workers should use the Digital Nomad visa instead.
Use the checker above to confirm your income clears the €3,500 bar, then book your national-visa appointment at the Greek Consulate in London. For the full requirements, the €126,000 deposit route, costs, tax, and step-by-step application, read our dedicated Greece FIP visa guide.
2. Digital Nomad Visa: For Remote Workers
Greece's Digital Nomad visa suits remote employees, freelancers, and online entrepreneurs whose income comes from outside Greece.
- Income: at least €3,500/month net from foreign employers or clients (+20% spouse, +15%/child).
- Duration: a national visa for up to 12 months, convertible to a 2-year residence permit.
- 2026 change: since 5 February 2026 (Law 5275/2026) you must apply at the Greek Consulate in London before entering Greece — the old in-country switch is gone.
- Limitations: you may not work for Greek companies, and the route is aimed at remote work rather than a fast citizenship track.
3. Golden Visa: Residency by Investment
If you would rather invest than show monthly income, the Golden Visa grants EU residency through real estate — with no minimum-stay requirement, which makes it popular with investors who keep a base in the UK:
- Real estate: €800,000 in prime locations (Athens/Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, and islands over 3,100 residents), €400,000 elsewhere, or €250,000 only for restoring a listed building or converting commercial space to residential — each in a single property of at least 120 m² (Law 5100/2024).
- Validity: a 5-year renewable residence permit for you and your family, renewable as long as you keep the investment.
- Residency path: Golden Visa years can count toward citizenship at 7 years, but only if you actually live in Greece for the required time — the permit itself has no stay requirement.
Retiring on a pension or investments → FIP. Working remotely for foreign clients → Digital Nomad. Want EU residency without living there full-time, and have the capital → Golden Visa. All three can lead to permanent residency and an EU passport if you put in the years. Build your personalized document list with our visa checklist generator.
Cost of Living in Greece for UK Nationals (2026)
Greece is one of the most affordable countries in the eurozone — everyday costs run well below the UK, which is what makes the €3,500 income bar so comfortable once you are there. Athens is the jobs-and-culture hub for expats; Thessaloniki in the north is cheaper; and the islands range from budget-friendly to very pricey in summer hotspots like Mykonos and Santorini. A single person lives well on about £1,300–1,900/month including rent and a couple on about £1,900–2,700. Figures below compare Athens and Thessaloniki with London (in GBP; you actually pay in euros).
| Expense (monthly) | London | Athens | Thessaloniki |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR flat — central area | £2,200+ | £480–700 | £350–520 |
| 1BR flat — outside centre | £1,600+ | £350–480 | £260–400 |
| Groceries (1 person) | £300 | £210–300 | £200–280 |
| Meal, mid-range restaurant | £18–30 | £11–17 | £10–15 |
| Utilities + internet | £230 | £140–210 | £130–190 |
| Private health insurance (50s) | n/a (NHS) | £60–155 | £60–155 |
| Comfortable single budget | £3,300+ | ~£1,300–1,900 | ~£1,150–1,650 |
Estimates for July 2026 in pounds (you pay in euros). Greek energy bills run high for Europe, so budget more in winter. Summer rents on the popular islands cost far more than the city figures above. Compare your UK city with a Greek one on our cost of living calculator.
Beyond cheap rent, day-to-day life is inexpensive: fresh produce from the laiki (street market), €3–4 souvlaki, cheap domestic ferries and buses, and low-cost doctor visits. A retiree on the UK State Pension (which is uprated here, not frozen) plus a modest private pension can live comfortably in Athens or a smaller city like Patras or Ioannina, and pay just 7% Greek tax on that income under the pensioner regime. The things to budget extra for are winter heating, imported UK goods, and — if you retire before State Pension age — a good private health policy.
Banking in Greece as a UK National
Greece uses the euro, so the pound-to-euro rate matters — and it moves, so conversion cost adds up. The big Greek banks (National Bank of Greece, Piraeus, Alpha Bank, Eurobank) are reliable, but opening an account as a newcomer is document-heavy, and some UK banks restrict accounts once you have a foreign address.
Before a Greek bank account, get your AFM (Greek tax identification number) from the local tax office (DOY) — it is the key that unlocks banking, a lease, utilities, and your residence permit. Banks will also want your passport, proof of a Greek address, and your residence-permit paperwork. Expect to apply in person.
Recommended Sequence
- Before departure — open Wise (or a similar service) to convert pounds to euros at the real rate and fund your first rent or deposit.
- Keep your UK accounts open for your pension, UK cards, and HMRC. Tell your bank and pension provider you are moving; some restrict accounts with a foreign address, and ISA providers in particular may close or freeze accounts for non-residents.
- On arrival — get your AFM, then open a Greek euro account for local bills, rent, and your residence-permit file.
- Manage the FX — move money when the rate is favourable rather than all at once, and use a low-cost transfer service to avoid bank conversion mark-ups.
The UK and Greece both take part in the OECD Common Reporting Standard (CRS), so your Greek bank details are shared with HMRC and your UK account details with the Greek authorities. Declare foreign accounts and income correctly on both sides. Keep clean records of your move — the date you become non-UK-resident and Greek tax-resident drives which country taxes what.
UK Taxes, Pensions & Greece's Special Regimes
Greece taxes its residents on worldwide income — you become a tax resident after 183 days — on a progressive scale from 9% up to 44%. That sounds steep, but Greece has built some of Europe's most generous incentives to attract newcomers, and most British retirees and remote workers qualify for one of them. On the UK side, once you are genuinely non-resident you generally leave UK income tax behind — except for UK-source income such as government pensions and UK rental profits.
If you move your tax residence to Greece and were not a Greek tax resident for 5 of the last 6 years, you can elect a flat 7% tax on all of your foreign-source income — UK State and private pensions, dividends, rents, the lot — for 15 years. You must come from a country with a tax-cooperation agreement, and the UK qualifies. Apply to the tax authority (AADE) by 31 March. For a retiree on a UK pension, this is often dramatically lower than UK or standard Greek rates.
Under the old UK–Greece double-tax treaty (1953), pensions paid for government service — civil service, armed forces, many NHS and local-authority schemes — are taxed only in the UK, regardless of where you live. Your State Pension and ordinary private/workplace pensions can be taxed in Greece (at 7% if you elect the regime). The 1953 treaty is unusually old and its “subject-to-tax” wording is quirky — get advice on exactly how it interacts with the 7% regime before you elect it.
- Ask HMRC for an NT (No Tax) code once you are Greek tax-resident, so your UK private pension is paid gross and you settle it under the 7% Greek regime instead of having UK tax deducted at source.
- Your ISA loses its shelter. Greece does not recognise the ISA wrapper, so ISA income becomes taxable once you are Greek-resident (at 7% under the regime, otherwise 9–44%). Many people restructure ISAs and general investment accounts before day 183.
UK Tax & Pension Angles When You Move to Greece
| Item | What happens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| UK State Pension | Uprated — rises every year | Greece is in the EEA, so the triple lock applies under the Withdrawal Agreement / EU-UK deal — unlike “frozen” countries (Australia, Canada, NZ, Thailand). Taxable in Greece (7% if elected). |
| UK government / civil-service pension | Taxed in the UK only | 1953 treaty: government-service pensions stay UK-taxable wherever you live. |
| Private / workplace pension | Can be Greek-taxed | Elect the 7% regime and it is taxed at 7% for 15 years. Get an NT tax code from HMRC so it is paid gross. |
| ISA | Loses UK tax-free status | Not recognised in Greece; income taxed at 7% (regime) or 9–44%. Consider restructuring before you move. |
| Double-tax relief | UK–Greece DTC 1953 + credits | The treaty prevents double taxation; the 7% Greek tax is credited/relieved so you are not taxed twice. |
| NI Class 3 | Voluntary top-ups continue | You can keep paying voluntary National Insurance to boost your future UK State Pension while abroad. |
Informational only — cross-border tax is complex, the 1953 treaty is old, and the special regimes have strict election deadlines. Confirm your situation with a UK–Greece cross-border tax adviser before you trigger Greek tax residency at day 183.
Healthcare in Greece for UK Nationals (the S1 route)
Greece's public system (ESY) is solid and inexpensive, and private hospitals in Athens and Thessaloniki are excellent and far cheaper than UK private care. For Britons, the key question is whether you can join the public system — and that turns on whether you draw the UK State Pension.
If you receive the UK State Pension, request an S1 form from NHS Overseas Healthcare Services. Once in Greece you get an AMKA (social-security number) and register the S1 with EOPYY — then you access Greek public healthcare on the same basis as a Greek national, with the UK reimbursing Greece. This is a real advantage Americans and other non-EU retirees don't get.
If you retire before UK State Pension age and are not working in Greece, you are not entitled to an S1, so you rely on private health insurance — just like American retirees. Every long-stay visa application requires a private policy with at least €30,000 of cover plus repatriation in any case. Plan to hold private cover until you reach State Pension age and can switch to the S1 route.
How It Works in Practice
- Private insurance is cheap by UK standards — full local policies often run €50–150/month (about £45–130) depending on age and cover; international policies cost more but travel with you.
- S1 → public ESY — for State Pensioners (and some other exportable-benefit holders); broad cover, with waits for non-urgent care, exactly like a local.
- Your GHIC/EHIC is for visits only — it covers necessary care on trips, not once you are resident; it is not a substitute for the S1 or private cover.
- NHS access ends when you stop being ordinarily resident in the UK — you cannot fly back for routine NHS treatment once you have moved.
Finding Housing in Greece as a UK National
Good news for buyers: Greece places no general restriction on foreigners owning property — Britons can rent or buy on the same terms as locals (a few border/island military zones need a permit). Most newcomers rent for 6–12 months first to choose an area, then buy if they stay.
- Athens — neighbourhoods like Kolonaki, Glyfada (the southern coast), Koukaki, and Marousi; the most jobs, flights, and English-speaking services.
- Thessaloniki — Greece's lively, cheaper northern city, popular with students and remote workers.
- The islands — Crete (Chania), Corfu, Rhodes, and Paros for a slower pace; long a favourite with British expats, though seasonal, and Mykonos/Santorini are expensive.
- Smaller cities — Patras, Ioannina, Kalamata for a cheaper, quieter life.
Renting & Buying: What to Expect
- Renting: leases usually run 1–3 years; expect 1–2 months' deposit. Listings are on Spitogatos.gr, Spiti24.gr, and XE.gr — many landlords prefer in-person viewings, so a short-term rental on arrival helps.
- Buying: no general foreigner restriction; you'll need an AFM, a Greek lawyer, and a notary. Total purchase costs run about 8–12% (transfer tax 3.09%, notary, lawyer, agent).
- Golden Visa effect: investor demand has pushed Athens and island prices up — a €250k–400k purchase that once cleared the Golden Visa now often does not in prime zones (see Visa Options).
- Move funds the right way: bring purchase money through traceable bank transfers and keep the paperwork — useful for any future Golden Visa claim and for repatriating proceeds later.
Greek property can carry complications — unclear inheritance shares, unpermitted additions, or forestry/archaeological restrictions. Never buy without an independent Greek real-estate lawyer running a title search at the land registry (Ktimatologio) and confirming the property is free of debts and planning issues, especially for older or rural homes.
Your Greece Relocation Timeline
From planning to arrival usually takes 3–6 months. The longest pole is your ACRO police certificate and apostille; the national (Type D) visa itself is applied for at the Greek Consulate in London and typically issued in about 10 days. Set your target arrival month to see when to start each key step.
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1Month −5: Choose Your Route & Check EligibilityMonth −5
Decide between the FIP (passive income), Digital Nomad (remote income), or Golden Visa (property) route. Use the checker above to confirm you clear the €3,500/mo bar, and note that only the FIP forbids local work while only the Golden Visa needs no income.
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2Month −4: UK & Greek Tax PlanningMonth −4
Map your taxes early. You become a Greek tax resident after 183 days, so decide whether to elect the 7% flat tax and note the 31 March AADE deadline. Check which pensions stay UK-taxable (government/civil-service), request an NT tax code, and review your ISA with a UK–Greece adviser.
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3Month −4: ACRO Police Certificate & ApostilleMonth −4
Order your ACRO Police Certificate, have it apostilled by the FCDO Legalisation Office, and translated into Greek. This is required for the visa and is usually the longest-lead document — start it first.
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4Month −3: Gather & Translate Income DocumentsMonth −3
Obtain your income proof (e.g. a State Pension forecast and private/workplace pension or investment statements showing €3,500+/mo) plus bank statements. Have UK documents apostilled by the FCDO and officially translated into Greek by a certified translator.
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5Month −2: Health Cover — Private Policy & S1Month −2
Take out a private policy with at least €30,000 of cover plus repatriation for the visa. If you draw the UK State Pension, also request your S1 from NHS Overseas Healthcare Services so you can use Greek public care once resident.
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6Month −2: Apply at the Greek Consulate in LondonMonth −2
Book and attend your national (Type D) visa appointment at the Greek Consulate in London. Since the 2026 reform you must apply from the UK. Submit documents and pay the fee; the national visa is usually issued in about 10 days.
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7Month −1: Housing, Flights & PetsMonth −1
Line up initial housing (rent first to choose an area), book flights, and arrange shipping. Bringing a pet? You need an ISO microchip, a rabies shot, and a UK Animal Health Certificate issued within 10 days of travel — GB pet passports no longer work.
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8Month 0: Arrive in GreeceMonth 0
Enter Greece on your national (Type D) visa. You now have a window to file for your residence-permit card — start gathering the local paperwork immediately.
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9Month +1: Residence Permit, AFM, AMKA & BankingMonth +1
Get your AFM (tax number), file your residence-permit application (you receive a “blue receipt” while the biometric card is produced), open a Greek bank account, and — if you have an S1 — register it with AMKA and EOPYY.
Documents Needed for a Greece Visa
The exact list depends on your route, but these 8 items cover a standard FIP (Financially Independent Person) application from a UK citizen. Tick items off as you gather them — your progress is saved in your browser.
Personal Documents
Financial Proof
Health & Translation
Requirements verified July 2026 against Greek consular guidance and migration.gov.gr. Always confirm the exact document list for your route and the Greek Consulate in London before applying.
After You Arrive: First Steps in Greece
Your national visa gets you in; the first weeks are about your tax number, residence permit, banking, and healthcare so you can settle quickly.
Your national (Type D) visa lets you enter and start the process; you then submit your residence-permit application to the local immigration office. You receive a “blue receipt” (bebaiosi) that proves your legal stay while the biometric residence card is produced. Get your AFM (tax number) first — almost everything else (bank, lease, utilities) depends on it.
First Month — Step by Step
- Get your AFM (tax identification number) at the local tax office (DOY) — this is your priority; it unlocks everything else.
- File your residence-permit application and keep the blue receipt safe as proof of legal stay.
- Open a Greek bank account with your AFM, passport, and proof of address.
- Sort your healthcare — if you have an S1 (State Pensioners), get your AMKA and register the S1 with EOPYY; otherwise keep your private policy active.
- Sort out driving (see below) once you have been resident a few months, and register your address.
Greece drives on the right (the opposite of the UK). Good news: the UK is on Greece's direct-exchange list, so you can swap your UK licence for a Greek one with no theory or road test. You can drive on your UK licence for the first 6 months of residence; after that you submit your licence, an official translation, and a medical and eye examination to your regional Transport Directorate or a KEP office. The fee is about €108–€198 and the licence is issued in roughly 45 days. You cannot hold both licences at once.
Residency & Citizenship Path
| Stage | Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent residency | 5 years of legal residence | Long-term EU resident status after 5 continuous years on a qualifying permit (FIP, Golden Visa, etc.). |
| Citizenship | 7 years of residence | By naturalisation, with a B1 Greek language exam and a citizenship/integration test (history, geography, institutions). Roughly 183 days a year in Greece. |
| Dual citizenship | Permitted | Greece allows dual nationality, and so does the UK — a Greek (EU) passport without giving up your British one. EU citizenship restores the right to live and work anywhere in the EU. |
Don't let a residence permit lapse through long absences — permanent residency can be lost after roughly two continuous years outside the EU, and citizenship requires genuine, counted time in Greece. For Britons this route is now the way back to EU free movement, so protect it. Golden Visa holders especially should note that the easy permit does not create the residence needed for citizenship unless they actually live there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Britons are now third-country nationals, so you apply for a national (Type D) visa at the Greek Consulate or Embassy in London before you go. The main routes are the FIP (Financially Independent Person) visa for retirees and those living on passive income, the Digital Nomad visa for remote workers, or the Golden Visa for property investors. There is no free movement anymore, but the routes are straightforward and lead to permanent residency and an EU passport over time.
The FIP visa requires €3,500 a month of passive income (pension, rental, dividends, or investment income) — about £3,000 — plus 20% more for a spouse and 15% per child, or a lump-sum deposit of around €126,000 held for three years. Older guides sometimes say €2,000 a month; that figure is out of date — the threshold rose to €3,500 in 2024. Living costs are much lower than the income bar suggests: a single person lives comfortably in Athens on about £1,300–1,900 a month.
Yes. Greece is in the European Economic Area, so your UK State Pension is uprated every year (the triple lock) under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement — unlike frozen-pension countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand or Thailand, where the payment is locked at the level you first drew it. This makes Greece one of the more pension-friendly places for British retirees.
If you qualify, Greece's 7% flat tax applies to all of your foreign income, including UK State and private pensions, for 15 years — you apply to the Greek tax authority (AADE) by 31 March. The big exception is UK government, civil-service and armed-forces pensions, which stay taxable in the UK only under the 1953 UK–Greece tax treaty. The treaty stops you being taxed twice, and you can ask HMRC for a No Tax (NT) code so your private pension is paid gross. The 1953 treaty is old and unusual, so take advice on how it interacts with the 7% regime before you move.
If you receive the UK State Pension, you can request an S1 form from NHS Overseas Healthcare Services, get a Greek social-security number (AMKA), and register the S1 with EOPYY — then you use Greek public healthcare like a local, with the UK footing the bill. If you retire before UK State Pension age and are not working in Greece, you get no S1 and rely on private insurance. Every long-stay visa requires a private policy of at least €30,000 anyway, and private cover in Greece is cheap — roughly €50–150 a month.
Yes, with no test. The UK is on Greece's reciprocity list, so you exchange your licence after passing a medical and eye examination — there is no theory or road test. You can drive on your UK licence for the first six months of residence, then submit it with a translation and the medical certificates to your regional Transport Directorate or a KEP office; the fee is about €108–198 and the new licence takes roughly 45 days. Remember Greece drives on the right, and you cannot hold both licences at once.
Yes. Your pet needs an ISO-standard microchip, a rabies vaccination (wait 21 days after a first jab), and a UK Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official vet within 10 days of travel. There is no rabies blood (titer) test and no quarantine, because the UK is an EU Part 2 listed country. Note that GB pet passports are no longer valid post-Brexit — you need a fresh AHC for each trip, and the certificate is valid for four months of onward EU travel.
Britons use an ACRO Police Certificate from the ACRO Criminal Records Office (not the American FBI check). You then have it apostilled by the FCDO Legalisation Office and officially translated into Greek. This authenticated police certificate is required for the national visa and is usually the longest-lead document, so order it first.
Your ISA loses its UK tax-free status once you become a Greek tax resident, because Greece taxes your worldwide income and does not recognise the ISA wrapper. Under the 7% flat regime, ISA income is taxed at 7%; otherwise it falls under the normal 9% to 44% Greek rates. Many people restructure their ISAs and general investment accounts before they trigger Greek tax residency (after 183 days) — take advice from a UK–Greece cross-border adviser first.
You can apply for a Greek national visa yourself, but the apostilles, certified Greek translations, and — above all — the choice of tax regime reward expert help. Consider a Greek immigration lawyer for the filing, and a UK–Greece cross-border tax adviser to weigh the 7% flat tax, the 1953-treaty pension rules, and your ISA before you trigger tax residency.
Find an immigration adviser →Also Considering…
Official sources & references
- Visasmfa.gr — Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs — national long-stay (Type D) visas
- Residencemigration.gov.gr — Ministry of Migration & Asylum — residence permits & Golden Visa
- Taxaade.gr — AADE (Independent Authority for Public Revenue) — tax residence & the 7% regime
- Healthgov.uk — UK government — healthcare in Greece & the S1 form
- Pensiongov.uk — UK government — State Pension abroad (uprated in the EEA)