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A year ago, humanity embarked on an unknown journey. In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasingly, we looked inwards for the safety of our loved ones and the stability of our communities.

The toll of the pandemic reached our economies and lifestyles, where the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated that the majority of...

The first step of every property transaction in Greece is the submission of the relevant tax declaration before the signing of the contracts. From now on, this process can be concluded totally online.

The online "myProperty" platform for the submission of property transaction documents has already opened and its usage will be mandatory from June 1, 2021.

The process...

The Greek Ministry of Immigration finally adopted, in December 2020, an Opinion issued by the Greek State Legal Council, stating that minors can invest and be considered as the main applicants for the purposes of the Golden Visa Process. Namely, it is now possible for minors to purchase real estate or open a term-deposit bank account in Greece and apply for a Golden Visa as a main...

Today is a big day for the Greek Golden Visa. Following an amendment of the Golden Visa Law, enacted on the 23/12/2020, for the first time an investor can apply for a Golden Visa completely remotely, without having to visit Greece. At the same time, it is possible to receive by courier services the "blue certificate", which is equal to a temporary residence permit.

This...

According to the Ministry of Finance, this year’s notifications for the payment of the Annual Property tax will be available to all property owners through their personal online Tax Platform (TAXISnet) on Friday the 25th of September.

As specified by the Greek Law 4223/2013, anyone, that has...

Following the actor Tom Hanks and his wife, actress and producer Rita Wilson, who received the honorary Greek citizenship last year, another prominent figure in the literary field, received this honorary distinction a few days ago. The British writer Victoria Hislop was officially granted the honorary Greek citizenship directly from the...

Back in the summer of 2013, the Greek Government has officially launched the residence-by-investment program which is broadly known as the Greek Golden Visa. During the first six years of the program’s operation, there was just one investment option available and that was the purchase of property or properties with a minimum...

Our Partner Alexander Varnavas has recently shared his thoughts about the Greek Golden Visa during the times of the pandemic with the Japanese Nikkei Asian Review.

Please read the full article here: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Asia-Insight/Silk-Road-Redux-Greece-courts-China-money-in-crisis-revival-bid

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...

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...

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...

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...