The date that still divides British people in Greece is 1 January 2021. Those who were living here before it kept their rights. Those who are moving to Greece from the UK today start from the rules for any non-EU citizen. That line decides your first year, and you cannot sort out most of it once you have landed. This article follows the UK government's guidance and the Greek official registers.
Do you need a visa for moving to Greece from the UK?
Yes. Since Brexit, British citizens are third-country nationals. GOV.UK says to apply for a visa before arriving, typically a type D national visa, and to apply for a temporary residence permit after arriving. You cannot apply for residency until you are in Greece. Time spent on a residence permit or a long-stay visa does not count towards your 90 days visa-free in the Schengen area.
Which visa depends on your plan. The main routes for people who are not buying a property are:
- Work, with a job offer: you need a visa and a permit that allow work.
- Remote work for a company abroad: the Greek digital nomad visa, covered in remote work in Greece. The EU immigration portal quotes a requirement of €3,500 a month in income.
- Retirement or living on your own resources: the migration code contains a permit for financially independent persons, with stable and sufficient income. We have not been able to confirm the current amount on an official page, so ask your nearest Greek consulate before applying.
- Investment: the Golden Visa, which is a niche route with its own conditions.
What must you do after moving to Greece from the UK?
Register your address in person with your regional Hellenic Police branch within 90 days of arrival, and apply for the temporary residence permit. Then get your tax number (see the AFM guide, where the passport is mandatory and the residence permit is added if you are a tax resident). You may apply for permanent residence after five years on a temporary permit, and permanent permits are renewed every ten years.
Always carry your passport and residence document when you cross a Schengen border.
What if you already lived in Greece before 2021?
You hold rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. The proof is the biometric residence document (Engrafo Diamonis 18(4)), which you renew every five or ten years depending on the permit you registered for. If you have no document, apply in person to the Hellenic Police. If you are refused, you have 20 days to appeal. The Aliens Division has up to 30 days to decide.
How does healthcare work for UK citizens?
For a visit, the UK GHIC card covers medically necessary state-provided care during a temporary stay in the EEA. To live in Greece and use EOPYY, the public health insurer, GOV.UK says you need a Greek residence permit. A British pensioner may be covered by an S1 form issued by the UK. If the NHS funds your care through an S1, tell the NHS Overseas Healthcare Team when you return to the UK. The practical steps, from AMKA to family doctor, are in healthcare in Greece for expats.
Can you drive on your UK licence?
For up to six months, according to GOV.UK. Once you have been resident for six months or more, GOV.UK says you should exchange it for a Greek licence, and you cannot replace or renew a UK licence while you live in Greece. GOV.UK adds that applying for a Greek licence requires a theory test and a practical driving test. The Greek register of procedures (MITOS) has a separate procedure for converting a UK licence, which it limits to people who have their habitual residence in Greece and are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement. If you arrived later, or you are not sure which route applies to you, ask the regional transport department before the six months run out.
Can you work in Greece as a Briton?
You may need a work permit or visa, unless you have lived in Greece legally since before 1 January 2021. Job applications may require a UK police certificate and a Greek criminal record certificate. Your qualifications may need recognition through DOATAP, the Greek recognition centre; the British Embassy cannot confirm the validity of UK qualifications. For the statutory minimum wage and how pay is spread over the year, see the cost of living in Greece, and note that free-movement rights apply to EU citizens only.
What about tax and the 7% pensioner scheme?
Tax residence follows the same test for everyone: a main home, habitual stay or centre of vital interests in Greece, or more than 183 days in any 12 months. For the special regimes for new residents, the Greek authorities require an agreement on administrative cooperation in tax matters. The UK and Greece are both parties to the OECD multilateral convention on mutual administrative assistance in tax matters, so the condition appears to be met, but the tax authority confirms it in its decision, and British applicants also need a Greek residence permit.
What are the common mistakes?
- Arriving without a visa and hoping to sort it out. You cannot apply for residency until you are in Greece, but you need the right visa beforehand.
- Letting the 90 days of address registration slip.
- Counting residence time as Schengen days. It does not count in the 90 visa-free days.
- Assuming EU forms still work. Forms U1 and U2 do not apply in the same way. Ask the Greek employment service.
- Buying in a border zone. Non-EU buyers may need authorisation. See buying property in Greece.
What does moving to Greece from the UK cost in official fees?
The pages we read give a few figures. The EU immigration portal quotes a €75 consular fee for national visas in general, a €90 fee for family members on the digital nomad route and an e-fee of €16 for the printed residence permit. The real cost is time: you cannot apply for the residence permit before you arrive, and the visa has to be arranged beforehand at a Greek consulate in the UK. Check the consulate that covers your address for its appointment system and its exact list.
Should you rent or buy first when moving to Greece from the UK?
Rent first. A residence permit is tied to your situation, and a purchase does not give you residence by itself unless you go through the investment programme, which has its own thresholds. Non-EU buyers should also check the border-zone rule with a notary before paying a deposit; see buying property in Greece. A first year on a lease costs less than a mistake on a purchase, and renting in Greece has the same rules for everyone.
What documents should a Briton keep ready?
A valid passport with enough validity left for the visa, a UK police certificate and a Greek criminal record certificate if you will apply for jobs, translated and apostilled copies of birth and marriage certificates, proof of income, proof of insurance, and your NHS paperwork if you are claiming an S1. Keep your pension statements together. If you are a pensioner, ask the UK authorities about an S1 before you move; the practical steps are in healthcare in Greece for expats.