shan
Well-known member
7% is very attractive but yes, a change of Government is a risk but it's a risk you take in any country.
Greece Golden visa, suitable as schengan area access?
- Thread starter blampied
- Start date
wwalsh
Active member
in Greece the tax laws change practically every month
ZigZaging
Member
Another option is the Financially Independent Person (FIP) residency visa, it is difficult to obtain and expensive but it's an alternative to the golden visa. Unlimited time in Greece and obviously 90 days in Schengan.
BurnitBlue
Well-known member
Not obvious to me. Each member of the EU is an independent Nation entitled to allow tourists or business visits for the normal three month. Then along came Schengen where every member of Schengen are linked together with a shared tourist revenue of a collective three month only. Shared between 26 Nations. A lot of these Nations are questioning whether this was a good move. I think it was Orwell who stated that a country without borders is not a country.
I have a feeling that this situation will not last much longer. As countries re-instate their border control they will also get back their individual three month bite of the tourist dollar. Recall that Germany got back on her feet very quickly after WWll with the American, British, and French armies of occupation a de facto gold mine of tourist money day after day for years. They even bought Mercedes and BMW for goodness sake. So Germany is well aware of the advantage of tourism. The Americans are still there for goodness sake. Nations are waking up. Almost every donor country has its Frexit, nexit, swexit, italexit, even the calm Danes with a Dexit movement. Strange that Germany does not have an exit movement of any size.
Anyway, these are ramblings while I take a break from my preparations for my flight to Greece in a few days. Exhausting stuff mothballing my house for the Swedish winter.
Homer J
Active member
bobgarrett
Active member
A change of government in the UK might be a benefit!
blampied
Member
That’s why Spain and Portugal would be a problem for me, the minimum stay requirements for residence visas insist you are there for amore than 6 months a year. Not so much a problem for UK xpats but I’m from Jersey which doesn’t have double taxation treaties with Spain, Portugal or France. I don’t want to give up my residency in Jersey so would end up paying tax in tow jurisdictions. Greece on the other hand has no minimum stay requirements.
Graham376
Well-known member
Once the five year temporary residence is completed and permanent given, up to 2 years allowed out of Portugal. I doubt I spent the 183 days in country anyway during temporary as we were often away sailing down Gib or Morocco, as well as some time back in UK.
shan
Well-known member
I think you are confusing what the requirements are:
- The holder of a temporary Residence Permit who intends to be absent from Portugal, during the validity period, for a timeframe exceeding six consecutive months or eight unsequential months has a duty to inform SEF before leaving national territory
nortada
Well-known member
Correct.
These requirements have been in place for many years - nothing to do with Brexit.
The pivotal word in the first sentence is intends. During the pandemic, through no fault of their own, many temporary residents were out of Portugal for more than 6 months but nothing was said on their return.
In Portugal, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know and some people on this forum know a lot of people.?
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grumpygit
Well-known member
In Greece, if you have 5 years of tax returns you are given a 10 year biometric residency card which allows you to leave Greece for up to 5 years. If you don't have the tax papers you only get a 5 year biometric card and you have to remain in Greece for more than 6 months in any one year to retain residency.
Paddy Fields
Member
You are a Brit: my understanding of the golden visa is that is for people coming from further afield, and as a Brit it doesn't off your much benefit. My ex-pat friends in Greece tell me, as a Brit, if I rent a house or a marina berth in Greece, then I can apply for residency. From the other posts in this thread, there are no additional benefits to a golden visa above acquiring residency through rental/marina berth.
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greeny
Well-known member
Golden visas were offered mainly for third country persons who invested and bought property to get their residency and right to live in the country.
I think Britain is now a third country after Brexit completion. Brits can still get residency in the EU countries but it is more difficult and onerous for them now in most countries in Europe. I don't know about Greece but like Portugal they will probably do their own thing eventually once the dust of Brexit has settled.
Paddy Fields
Member
After a bit more research, there are differences, according to the Internet.
Golden Visa:
Supposedly that does give you full access to Schengen for 356 days a year.
Minimal requirements to turn up in Greece every year.
You are NOT a Greece tax resident.
Residency by renting property/berth:
Schengen 90/180 rule, but your time in Greece doesn't count.
You have to spend at least 183 day a year in Greece.
You ARE a Greece tax resident.
My initial comment still applies a bit - people from, say, China/Russia/etc, don't have very little Schengen access at all, so the Golden Visa is of far more benefit.
shan
Well-known member
Your statement requires clarity. It gives you access to the Schengen zone for 90/180, which is no different to residency and no different to being a Brit. Residency and Golden Visas, do however, allow your time in the country you have gained residency or a Golden Visa, to not count toward the 90/180, which you no longer have as a Brit or as a 3rd country.... especially considering that Britain is now a 3rd country.
Paddy Fields
Member
If what is true, then the differences between Residency and Golden Visa is then just the tax, and the requirement to actually be in Greece for expended periods of time. Which is what I though, before I did my extra research lol.
grumpygit
Well-known member
Basically if you wasn't in Greece on the 31/12/2020 under the Withdrawal Agreement regardless of status (property owner, renter or whatever) and after this date you are classed as a third country national and therefore fall under TCN rules.
Chris_Robb
Well-known member
One thing missed by everyone - the elephant in the room.
You say your yacht was in the UK at the end of 31st Dec 2020? If that is correct, you are only able to sail in Europe using the Temporary Admission facility for your yacht as its not VAT Paid In Europe.
Get residency anywhere in Europe and you have cyboshed your sailing your yacht in the EU and certainly not in Greece. This is because anyone with residency in any of the EU 27 CANNOT keep the yacht in EU Waters without paying Vat on the yacht.
This is a blocker
You say your yacht was in the UK at the end of 31st Dec 2020? If that is correct, you are only able to sail in Europe using the Temporary Admission facility for your yacht as its not VAT Paid In Europe.
Get residency anywhere in Europe and you have cyboshed your sailing your yacht in the EU and certainly not in Greece. This is because anyone with residency in any of the EU 27 CANNOT keep the yacht in EU Waters without paying Vat on the yacht.
This is a blocker
shan
Well-known member
Nope, currently selling my UK boat and intending to buy one in the EU.
Metabarca
Well-known member
It's my understanding that the EU is frowning increasingly on these golden visas (especially in Cyprus) as they are used by dodgy money to legitimise itself and gain entry into the EU. Too many Russians buying mansions in the sun...