Greece Tech Visa

A third-country national hired for at least 12 months by a company on the National Startup Registry (Elevate Greece), at 1.6 times the Greek average gross annual salary and with a degree or high professional skills, receives a 12-month national visa that gives the right to work for that employer without a separate residence permit. ^{1 2}

What you must show

• Income · Gross annual salary under the employment contract must be at least 1.6 times the average gross annual salary in Greece. ^{1 2}

Requirements

• The applicant is a third-country national. ^{1 2}
• The employer is a company registered in, and still active on, the National Startup Registry (Elevate Greece). ^{1 2}
• The applicant has a tertiary degree or high professional skills. ^{1 2}
• Gross annual salary of at least 1.6 times the Greek average gross annual salary. ^{1 2}
• A certificate from the National Startup Registry that the employer is registered and active. ^{1 2}
• An employment contract of at least 12 months. ^{1 2}
• Proof of the degree or of the high professional skills. ^{1 2}
• Apply for the national visa at the Greek consulate; the job quota procedure of arts. 26 and 27 does not apply. ^{1 2}
• The visa gives the right to work for the named employer from arrival, with no residence permit needed. ^{1 2}
• The employer cannot be changed during the visa; if the job ends, the holder must leave unless the employer breached the contract. ^{1 2}
• Before the visa expires, a holder still working for the same employer at the same salary level can apply for an EU Blue Card (type E.1). ^{1 2}

Stay

• National visa valid 12 months; the holder can apply for an EU Blue Card (type E.1) before it expires if still employed by the same startup.
• Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
• Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
• Not renewable according to our source.
• National visa (Z.13A) up to 12 months: Employment with the registered startup
• EU Blue Card (E.1) up to 36 months: Applied before the visa expires, same employer, salary condition still met

Nationality

Third-country nationals (citizens of non-EU states). Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.

Work

Work for the named National Startup Registry employer only; no change of employer during the visa.

Family

Family members receive 12-month national visas as family members of a Z.13A holder.

Checked 2026-10-11

Official sources

1. Law 5275/2026 (Government Gazette A 17/06.02.2026): legal migration policies, amendments to the Migration Code · Taxheaven legal text repository (Law 5275/2026) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-02-06
2. Law 5275/2026, art. 23, adding art. 79A (Tech Visa, type Z.13A) to the Migration Code · Taxheaven legal text repository (Law 5275/2026) · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2026-02-06