Golden Visa statistics are useful only when the categories are read correctly. Application totals, permits issued, renewals, refusals and pending files describe different parts of the administrative process. They should not be combined into a single “success rate” or used as a promise about the timing or outcome of an individual application.
What the September 2026 official report records
The Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum’s September 2026 legal-migration appendix records 42,972 permanent-investor Golden Visa requests filed from 2022 through September 2026. This total combines 33,052 initial applications and 9,920 renewal applications.
For initial applications, the report records 27,304 issued permits, 319 refusals, 24 revocations and 5,405 pending files. For renewals, it records 8,153 issued permits, 196 refusals, 14 revocations and 1,557 pending files. Across both groups, 35,457 permits were issued and 6,962 applications remained pending. These figures relate to investors; the report separately records applications concerning family members.
Why the numbers are not an approval-rate calculator
A pending application has not yet reached a final outcome and must not be counted as either approved or refused. Recent filing cohorts naturally contain a higher share of pending cases. The Ministry also notes that monthly data are updated continuously because the effective date of a permit is linked to the filing date. A later report can therefore revise earlier monthly columns.
The figures also group several legal bases and investment histories. They do not isolate EUR 250K commercial-to-residential conversion projects, do not identify the legal or technical condition of a particular property and do not predict the processing time of a new file.
Recent decision activity
From September 2025 through September 2026, the Ministry records 13,918 Golden Visa decisions: 11,454 initial grants and 2,464 renewals. September 2026 alone records 912 decisions, comprising 798 initial grants and 114 renewals. This is evidence of administrative output, but it is not a guaranteed timetable for an individual investor.
Valid investor permits by nationality
The table shows valid investor permits in the initial-grant category in September 2026. This is a permit-stock measure, not new applications filed in 2026. Renewals/reissues and family permits are excluded; the denominator is 27,602. Counts are permits, not capital invested. Nationalities outside the top ten are grouped under Other, not counted as zero.
| Nationality | Valid permits | Share |
|---|---|---|
| China | 13,070 | 47.4% |
| Türkiye | 5,403 | 19.6% |
| Lebanon | 1,187 | 4.3% |
| Iran | 1,024 | 3.7% |
| Israel | 893 | 3.2% |
| United Kingdom | 839 | 3.0% |
| Egypt | 675 | 2.4% |
| United States | 659 | 2.4% |
| Armenia | 294 | 1.1% |
| Serbia | 226 | 0.8% |
| Other | 3,332 | 12.1% |
What investors should examine instead
For a Greece Golden Visa conversion project, the decisive work remains property-specific. The investor’s lawyer and engineer should verify title, encumbrances, the property’s previous lawful use, the legal basis and completion of the change of use, planning and construction records, the notarial structure and the payment trail.
The EUR 250K threshold is a special route, not a general price for ordinary residential property. Standard residential investments are generally subject to EUR 800K in designated high-demand areas or EUR 400K in other qualifying areas, while EUR 250K applies to qualifying special categories such as eligible commercial-to-residential conversions. Eligibility must be confirmed for the exact property and transaction.
How to compare Golden Visa data responsibly
- Use the publication month and the official table number.
- Separate initial applications from renewals.
- Separate issued, refused, revoked and pending files.
- Do not mix investor applications with family-member applications.
- Do not turn national totals into a forecast for one property or applicant.
- Recheck the newest report because historical monthly figures can be revised.
What the statistics do and do not show
The data demonstrate continuing demand and a substantial administrative workload. They can help investors understand the scale of the programme and the importance of preparing a complete file. They do not prove that a project qualifies, that an application will be approved, that a residence card will be issued by a particular date, or that a property will appreciate or generate rental income.
Review Santheos Greece Golden Visa conversion projects, consult the Golden Visa Q&A knowledge base, or contact Santheos to request the document list for a specific project.
Official source
Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Legal Migration, September 2026, Appendix B, especially Tables 13A, 15 and 16.
This article provides general information, not legal, tax, technical or immigration advice. Official statistics are revised periodically. Property eligibility and residence applications require independent professional review.
