[2026-09-26] Greek Digital Nomad Visa
This is the first post in my series on becoming a digital nomad in Greece.
This post serves as a guide based on my own experience applying for a Digital Nomad (DN) visa for Greece as a self-employed remote worker from the UK.
During my own application process, I found it difficult to find answers to many of my questions. This post aims to cover everything I wish I knew before starting, and demystify the digital nomad visa requirements. Keep in mind that this guide assumes you're completely new to the Digital Nomad visa process. If you’ve already applied for similar visas in other countries, some of these steps might seem familiar!
Here's an overview of this post...
- Hire a Legal Firm?
- Apply Yourself?
- Visa Requirements & Gather Supporting Documents
- Submit Application to GVCW
- Embassy Interview
- That's All Folks!
- Links & Resources
Disclaimer - This post does not provide formal advice. Visa requirements and application procedures are complicated and may change, please check official government sources. I accept no liability for any actions taken, or visa decisions made, based on the contents of this post. The final visa approval decision lies with the relevant authorities.
There are NO affiliate links, sponsored mentions, or paid partnerships in this post. I don't earn any commission if you click on or use any of the services linked here. Everything recommended is based purely on my own research and experience.
Hire a Legal Firm?
If you want a stress free application process, then hire a legal firm. They will assess your eligibility, handle all the paperwork, submit the application and talk with the embassy on your behalf to handle any issues. Some firms specifically handle digital nomad applications and may offer additional relocation support and tax advice!
But these firms can be expensive! Based on some consultations I had, it can easily run upwards of £2,000 and you may be required to pay for documents, legalisation, and any translations on top of this base fee.
Depending on your financial situation, this could be worth the investment. Remember, relocating to a new country can be expensive, so if you'd rather keep that cash in your pocket (as I certainly did) - keep reading.
Apply Yourself?
This path is certainly more affordable, you'll still need to pay for the documents, but avoiding the legal firm removes a major financial overhead. You'll also need to ensure you meet all the requirements, so only continue if you're comfortable figuring this out yourself! This is what the rest of this post will cover...
Here are some quick tips before you begin:
- Read every requirement first - You need to meet all requirements to be granted the visa, and some documents may need to be legalised before they can be accepted. Read carefully, and build a clear checklist before you start gathering paperwork.
- Over prepare - Don't hesitate to include a document! Ex: If you're submitting payslips to prove your income, providing extra months of history (e.g. 6+) builds a much stronger case.
- Start early - Don't expect to gather all your documents within a few days and get a decision by the weekend. I'd recommend starting at least 3+ months before your desired move date to ensure you're prepared!
- Don't fear the embassy - The authorities will request further documentation or information if needed. They are unlikely to deny your application without a good reason.
Visa Requirements & Gather Supporting Documents
Visa applications are now outsourced to the Global Visa Center World (GVCW) website [1], you'll find up-to-date visa requirements [2,3] and the application booking portal here [4]. You won't submit anything to the Greek embassy yourself, the entire application goes through GVCW! For reference, the visa is officially referred to as "National Visa (D Type Visa) - G.1 Digital Nomads" [2,3].
The visa requirements are split into General Supporting and Digital Nomad documents. Essentially, everyone who applies for a National D Type visa of any type will gather the general documents, and digital nomads require a few extra supporting documents to verify their income and employment status.
Note that some documents may require legalisation (paper-based apostille) to be accepted by the Greek authorities. This can be done either through the official UK government website [7] (£45 per document and takes 25 days to process). Or through a third-party service [8] which is typically more expensive (~£70-90 per document), but only takes a few days.
Here's an overview of the requirements, you'll need to make sure you're meeting all of these [2,3]. Please also verify the requirements on the official government and GVCW websites as they are subject to change.
- Valid passport
- Clean criminal record
- Certified medical check up
- Work entirely remotely
- Not working for employers or clients based within Greece
- Have sufficient and stable income - currently set at €3,500/month (after taxes), this increases if you're applying alongside a spouse and/or dependents
General Supporting Documents
Application Form
Download, print and complete the application form [5]. Don't get confused by the GVCW online portal, you cannot complete this using their online system (only the short-term form is available here).
Passport
Must be valid for at least three months after the desired visa end date, must contain two blank pages (for the visa sticker) and be issued within the past decade.
Passport-Style Photograph
Take a few recent passport style photographs with you. You may also require them for other documents in this list, so its worth getting an up-to-date photo!
Certificate of Criminal Record
Apply for an ACRO Police Certificate [6] online (this must be issued within the last 6 months to be accepted). You'll require a passport-style photograph, address history (10 years), and information on any prosecutions / convictions. The certificate costs £70 and may take up to 30 days to be delivered.
This certificate requires legalisation to be recognised by the Greek authorities! Note that depending on what apostille option you go with, it could take another 25+ days to finalise this document.
Medical Certificate
Get the Medical Certificate [9] signed and stamped by a public (NHS) or private doctor. If you go with a private doctor, make sure they are registered with the UK General Medical Council (GMC) [10]. The doctor may perform blood-tests and/or an x-ray to ensure you're fit and meet the criteria set out on the certificate.
I had some trouble getting my NHS doctor to perform the check-up and sign the certificate; even though the NHS supposedly provide this service (for a fee). So my certificate was signed by a doctor from Nuffield Health Hospital [11] (not all private hospitals provide this service, so do some research). It took about two weeks after the consultation to receive the signed certificate and as this was private it cost quite a bit!
You could try using an online service to issue the medical certificate. The top ones seem to be ZoomDoc [12] or The Healthify [13], but simply type "greek visa medical certificate online" into Google [14] to find hundreds of other companies offering this service! On the surface this seems to be the cheapest approach (~£80), but here's the catch... these services require blood-tests and/or x-ray results to verify your health. So you may be required to get these tests done elsewhere for an additional cost anyway.
Travel Insurance
Purchase travel insurance for the entire visa period. It must cover emergency medical/hospital care and repatriation costs. Once purchased, print the insurance certificate for your visa application.
I got insurance through Insurte [15] (as advertised by GVCW), as they offer year long travel insurance and a refund if the visa is refused.
Digital Nomad Documents
Solemn Declaration
Due to the requirements of the Digital Nomad visa, you'll need to sign a Solemn Declaration stating the following:
- Distance Work - All work and services are executed remotely entirely by digital and electronic means.
- No Greek Commercial Presence - Cannot provide employment or independent services to any employers based in Greece.
- Remote Employment - Employed in a company outside of Greece.
There doesn't seem to be an "official" solemn declaration form to sign, they expect you to write and sign a document that outlines these requirements yourself. But feel free to use the Solemn Declaration template I've provided [16] - just make sure to enter all your personal details before printing. The template is based on the same document I signed for my visa application!
Employment Proof
You'll need to provide different documents depending on your current employment status:
- Employee - Provide proof of employment such as a work contract.
- Independent Services - Provide proof of your clients (such as contracts or agreements).
- Self Employed - Information on the status of the company, its trade name, registered office, field of activity and corporate purpose. All of this is typically found in your Company Certificate, Incorporation Certificate and the most recent Confirmation Statement which can all be ordered from Companies House [17,18].
If you provide a contract that covers a specified fixed-term, ensure the end date or duration covers the period granted by the visa. If you're self-employed and your company provides independent services to others, you may fall into both of these categories - so provide documents to cover both cases!
You may also want to provide a signed document from the company indicating the nature of your role can be performed entirely remotely. This can either be requested from your HR department (or written on the behalf of the company if you're self-employed). Once again, you're welcome to use the template I've provided [19], but note that it may require some edits to better fit your situation.
Monthly Income Threshold
Similarly to the employment proof above, you'll also need to prove your income is meeting the threshold set in the visa requirements. The documents you supply here depend on your employment status.
This is fairly simple if you're an employee of a company, this information is most likely included in your employment contract.
If you're self-employed you'll need to provide personal bank statements and payslips to prove sustained income. Note that the more you can provide here the better - I provided six months of bank statements and payslips to show I've been meeting the threshold for an extended time.
Submit Application to GVCW
You should now have a fairly sizeable folder of documents ready to submit...
Book Visa Appointment
As visas are outsourced to GVCW, you'll need to make an account and schedule an appointment on their website [4] at one of the Visa Application Centers (VAC) [20]. Note that an appointment incurs a service fee of €30 (~£25).
Here's what to expect when you book an appointment. Enter all your personal details, and make sure you have selected "National visa (Long term - type D)" in the top box!
Go through the dates and find a time that works for you. GVCW only release appointments in phases a few weeks in advance, so check back daily (you'll have to re-enter all your details)! If you're having difficulty finding an appointment, you can try the call center instead [21].
At the end of the booking print the "Appointment Information" pdf or confirmation email, and bring it with you to the visa center.
Just a quick note on this website; its slow and tedious, be patient and read everything! Also be warned that dropdowns and selections have a tendency to reset without telling you.
Attend Visa Appointment
Travel to your chosen VAC for your appointment - arrive at least 15 minutes early!
Someone will go through your documents and package it ready for the Greek embassy. To be clear here, this appointment does not determine your visa eligibility, the final decision is made entirely by the Greek authorities! You'll also be required to pay the relevant visa fee [22].
The VAC employees are extremely friendly and will help you through the process. The office also contains a printer/photocopier for your use (although, you may be charged a fee to use these).
You may notice signs around the VAC stating you MUST have a flight booked and be prepared to show confirmation during your application. Don't panic - this is for short-term visa applicants only.
Embassy Interview
The Greek Embassy will contact you via email shortly after the GVCW appointment (they are obliged to respond within 10 days). They will organise an in-person interview, which is a legal requirement in order to grant the long-term visa. So make sure you're prepared to travel to London for this interview!
They'll go through the documents you provided and ask any clarifying questions during the interview. They may also request further documents, which you can either email or send to them directly.
The embassy will make a final decision regarding your visa after your interview and will send the passport back to the GVCW center. It will either be available for pickup or delivered to your address (the option is presented to you during your GVCW appointment), more information is available on their website [23].
It can take upwards of 2 weeks to receive your visa and passport after your interview.
That's All Folks
On first glance the visa requirements may seem overwhelming, but once you go through them you realise its all standard stuff. So thanks for reading, and I hope the information here aided with your visa application!
Feel free to reach out via email if you have any further questions! I'm also happy to update this post with new information or add an FAQ if some questions remain unanswered.
Before you go, here are a few things you should look into next...
- Take a look at the nomad/expat scene, its a nice way of making some new friends! There are plenty of events every week (ranging from drinks, brunches, game nights, and walks).
- Acquire your Tax (AFM) number. This is required for signing a tenancy agreement or paying taxes in Greece. Check out my Greek Tax and AFM Number post for a guide!
- Apply for a residency permit. Note that the visa is only valid for a year, if you want to stay longer you can apply for a residency permit (which is renewable every 2 years).
- Open a Greek Bank Account.
- Let Student Finance know you're leaving - you may be required to pay more or less depending on your new living situation and income.
- Let the UK Electoral Register know you've left the country. You may need to setup a postal or proxy vote!
Links & Resources
Here are the resources I used throughout my visa application process. I’ve included local archived copies of some forms to keep this guide as complete as possible. That said, these forms are subject to change, so please double check official government sites for the latest versions before applying.
[1] Global Visa Center World (GVCW)
[2] GVCW - National D Visa Requirements
[3] Hellenic Republic - IMMIGRATION AND SOCIAL INTEGRATION CODE APPLICATION HANDBOOK (JAN 2022) (local archive)
[4] GVCW - Schedule Appointment
[5] Application Form for Long Stay in Greece (local archive)
[6] ACRO Police Certificate
[7] (UK Government) Get Document Legalised (apostille)
[8] (UK Government) List of Next Day Legalisation (apostille) Service Providers
[9] Medical Certificate for Long Stay D Visa For Greece (local archive)
[10] General Medical Council - Search Register
[11] Nuffield Health Hospitals
[12] ZoomDoc - Greece Medical Certificate
[13] The Healthify - Greece Medical Certificate
[14] Google Search - "Greek Visa Medical Certificate Online"
[15] Insurte - Travel Insurance
[16] Solemn Declaration Template (.docx) (.pdf)
[17] Companies House - Get information about a company
[18] Companies House - Order certified documents and certificates
[19] Employment Status Template (.docx) (.pdf)
[20] GVCW - Choose your VAC Location
[21] GVCW - Difficulty Finding Appointment
[22] Consular Fees for National Entry Visas (local archive)
[23] GVCW - How Do I Collect My Passport?