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The anticipated bill that invites foreign retirees to become tax residents of Greece by paying a very low annual tax at a rate of only 7% for the total income earned abroad, has been voted by the Greek Parliament a few days ago.

According to the bill 4714/2020, any natural person who is entitled to a pension from a foreign country...

It is a fact that Europe has recently readopted stricter travelling measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 and Greece has also complied with Europe’s guidelines. That makes it difficult, if not impossible,...

The Greek Ministry of Finance plans to submit a new tax bill to the Parliament which will give a very strong tax incentive to foreign retirees to settle permanently in Greece and furthermore transfer here their tax residence.

According to the recent information, the provision that...

Since last April, the IMC (Investment Migration Council) has introduced a series of streaming webinars known as the “Crossing Borders programme”, hosting professionals related to the Immigration Industry for all of the community members to be keep in touch and stay informed about key issues during the challenging...

Bank of Greece sets the ground for remote opening of bank accounts

Following the recent government announcements that aimed at facilitating Golden Visa's procedures for investors, now comes the latest Government Gazette that clarifies the prospect of opening bank accounts remotely.

In a world that is changing rapidly and requires a redesign of all services so that they can...

In the press release published today June 18, 2020, on the official site of The Ministry of Finance, has announced the extension of the deadline for submitting tax returns for individuals and legal entities until July 29, 2020, instead of June 30, 2020, as it was initially defined.

The extension was deemed...

According to Article 16 paragraph G.1. of Law 4251/2014, in force as of July 1st of 2019 (according to Law 4605/2019) foreign non-EU citizens are eligible to acquire permanent residence permits in Greece through investment activity. That investment includes term-deposits, purchase of bonds or securities and other financial products.

In the frames of the recent hosting of Varnavas Law Firm 1978 in the renowned online directory of The LEGAL 500, the firm's Partner, Alexander Varnavas, gave an in-depth interview, analyzing the main elements that make VLF stand out, especially in the field of Investment Immigration and Real Estate Law.

More specifically,...

It is with great pleasure and pride that we announce the inclusion of our office in one of the most well-known and prestigious online directories of legal services, "The Legal 500".

For the last 33 years, "The Legal 500" has been ranking the best law firms and leading legal practitioners of the global...

According to the official announcement made yesterday 01/06/2020 by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greece is restoring all international flights from the 15th of June, welcoming tourists and visitors from all around the world with the necessary safety precautions.

The whole process is divided...

We, at Varnavas Law Firm, are proud once more to announce the collection of seventeen (17) new residence permits of the Golden Visa program last week. Taking advantage of the newly introduced measures of the Greek Government taken to facilitate investors to receive their Golden Visas during the pandemic our law firm has overcome this...

Great Britain's withdrawal from the European Union is now a major milestone in the interaction of British citizens with the rest of European nations.

More specifically, under the terms of the withdrawal agreement, there will be a transitional period set until 31/12/2020 during which the European Union will treat the United Kingdom as a Member State with the exception of its...

Despite the fact Immigration Offices remain closed due to the COVID-19 situation; the Greek Government has taken vital steps to facilitate Golden Visa Applications.

According to a recent Ministerial Decision, authorized attorneys can now submit the applications of Golden Visa investors...

Since the implementation of the Greek Golden Visa program back in 2013, Varnavas Law Firm has been constantly trying to assist the Ministry of Migration and the incumbent government, each time with proposals and suggestions to improve and simplify the provisions of the law, based on the experience during practicing the relevant law.

Recently our law firm submitted specific proposals...

According to the special government gazette that was published yesterday 12th of May 2020, the terms under which residence permits for Financially Independent Persons in Greece can be granted, have been revised.

The main reason is that the "FIP type" of residence permit, which existed before the Golden Visa program, has generated a kind of "internal competition" for the Greek...

Despite the increased protection measures currently applied to prevent the spread of the COVID-19, Varnavas Law Firm continues to serve its clients consistently and with dedication, taking advantage of the recent favourable regulations of the Greek government and the Ministry of Immigration regarding investors for the Greek Golden Visa program.

With coordinated efforts and...

Due to the recent protection measures that were adopted by the Greek Authorities in order to limit the spread of the COVID-19, public service was suspended in the Directorates and Departments of Foreigners and the Immigration offices throughout Greece from March 12, 2020, to May 15, 2020.

This resulted in the accumulation of a large number of issued residence permits for...

Actively supporting government tasks through advice on and concrete proposals for improvements in the Golden Visa scheme, Varnavas Law Firm submitted a comprehensive report to the Greek Ministry of Immigration on 16 April 2020.

Among other things, the report also includes the following proposals:

Ferdinando Giugliano, in his article titled “Greece Shows How to Handle the Crisis” published at the international news agency Bloomberg, praises Greece for its timely activation of state mechanisms to address the pandemic and...