Greek visa resources
Eligibility for a Greece national long-stay visa
Greece grants national (Type D) long-stay entry to third-country nationals who qualify under a specific purpose-based category such as work, study, family or financial independence.
Important
A Greek national visa (Type D) is the authorisation issued by a Greek diplomatic mission or consular post for the entry and stay of a third-country national on Greek territory for a period exceeding 90 days and up to 365 days. It is distinct from the short-stay Schengen visa and is the entry document that lets you then apply for a residence permit inside Greece.
Eligibility is always tied to a qualifying purpose. Greece's residence framework (administered by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum) groups third-country nationals into defined categories, and your national visa and later residence permit must match one of them. You must also generally hold a valid passport, be able to show sufficient financial means, hold health insurance and, for most in-country steps, obtain a Greek tax number (AFM).
Main long-stay categories
Greece's Ministry of Migration and Asylum sets out the residence-permit categories a long-stay applicant can fall under:
- Employment and professional reasons (dependent employment, special-purpose staff, EU Blue Card for highly qualified employment, intra-corporate transfers, investment activity)
- Study, voluntary work, research and professional training (studies, student mobility, researchers, scholarships)
- Family reunification (family members of third-country nationals, of Greek citizens, or of EU citizens)
- Humanitarian, exceptional and other reasons (including financially independent persons and the investor permanent residence / Golden Visa route)
- Long-term residence (long-term resident and second-generation permits)
General conditions applicants must meet
- A valid passport covering the intended stay
- Evidence of sufficient financial resources for the stay
- Full health insurance valid in Greece
- Documents proving the specific purpose (e.g. work contract, university acceptance, marriage certificate)
- No grounds that would make entry or stay inadmissible
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.