Authorities in Greece have announced that they will no longer allow in-country applications for the Digital Nomad Visa.
The new changes will become effective starting from January 1, 2024.
Starting from the same date, applicants will be required to apply through Greek consular posts, meaning that applications must be filed in the applicant’s country of citizenship or residence. Processing times and documentary requirements differ from one country to another.
The Digital Nomad Visa permits foreigners to legally live and work from Greece for companies or clients located outside the country.
In order to benefit from this kind of visa, interested persons must be citizens from countries outside the European Union, and meet specific conditions such as proof they work as digital nomads, hold a valid employment contract registered outside Greece and have a monthly salary not less than €3,500, among others.
The number of digital nomads to Greece is continuously increasing. In 2021, only 10 people filed a request for this kind of visa, while in 2022, the number reached 595, according to the figures from Ekathimerini.
The same source shows that in the first two months of this year, 70 people filed a request for the Digital Nomad Visa.
In 2022 the majority of applications for this visa came from Russians, or more specifically 433 out of 595, while in 2023 from the total 70 requests submitted, only 48 are Russians.
According to a study from “MIT Enterprise Forum” published earlier this year, Greece could benefit over €1.6 billion if it would attract 100,000 digital nomads each year, with an average of six months.
The survey considered that such an amount is nearly the income generated by a week’s stay of 2.5 million tourists.
Thus, in order to attract internationals, Greece’s Ministry of Tourism developed the Digital Nomads initiative in several cities, taking into account Ermoupolis, Heraklion, and Kalamata.
The Hellenic Republic’s Digital Nomad Visa is valid for a period of one year, and it can be extended to a maximum of three years. Those who plan to stay for more than one year, are required to apply for a residence permit before their digital nomad visa expires.
Up to this point, several countries offer Digital Nomad Visa programs that significantly contribute to their economies.
Among the countries offering such programs are: Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland as well as Latvia, Malta, Romania, the Netherlands and Norway.
