These two are not really like for like. Greece offers residence through a property investment, while Austria offers citizenship at the discretion of the government for an extraordinary contribution, with no formal price list.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
The table below sets the two side by side. Greece is a residence permit earned through qualifying real estate. Austria is a rare, discretionary grant of citizenship for an exceptional contribution to the country, decided case by case.
If you want a defined, rules based investment with a clear price, Greece fits that description. If you are exploring the discretionary Austrian route, expect no published figure and a high, individually assessed bar.
Greece sets property thresholds by location and property type. As of 2026 the headline tiers are 800,000 euros in the highest demand areas, including Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and larger islands, 400,000 euros in other regions with a minimum living area condition, and 250,000 euros for properties converted from commercial to residential use.
Austria publishes no investment figure for citizenship by exception. The route rests on an extraordinary contribution to the country rather than a passive purchase, and each case is judged on its merits. Do not rely on quoted amounts. Confirm with the authority.
Greece issues a residence permit that you renew. It is not an automatic route to citizenship, which would follow separate naturalisation rules over time.
Austria citizenship by exception, when granted, is citizenship directly, but it is discretionary and the assessment can be long and uncertain. There is no standard residence or language requirement for this specific route.
The Greek Golden Visa is a residence permit and carries the travel rights of residence in a Schengen state. A Greek passport, through naturalisation, is a separate matter.
Austrian citizenship is a European Union passport with broad travel access, which is part of why the discretionary route attracts attention.
Greece suits those who want a clear, investment based EU residence and accept that citizenship is a later, separate step.
Austria by exception suits a very narrow group able to make a genuinely extraordinary national contribution, who understand it is discretionary and not a purchasable product.
| Item | Greece Golden Visa | Austria Citizenship by Exception |
|---|---|---|
| Outcome | Renewable residence permit, not automatic citizenship | Citizenship, granted at government discretion |
| Basis | Qualifying real estate investment by region | Extraordinary contribution to Austria under the Citizenship Act |
| Main threshold | From 250,000, 400,000 or 800,000 euros by location and property type | No published investment figure, decided case by case, confirm with the authority |
| Residence or language test | Residence permit with limited stay needs, confirm the rule | No standard residence or language requirement for this route |
| Official authority | Hellenic Ministry of Migration and Asylum | Austrian Federal Government under the Citizenship Act |
Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Hellenic Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Greece, and the Austrian Federal Government under the Citizenship Act publishes the binding detail. Verify before you act.
No. It grants renewable residence. Greek citizenship follows separate naturalisation rules over time. Confirm with the Hellenic Ministry of Migration and Asylum.
No. There is no published investment figure. It is a discretionary grant for an extraordinary contribution. Be wary of quoted amounts and confirm with the authority.
The 250,000 euro tier applies to properties converted from commercial to residential use. Other purchases fall into the 400,000 or 800,000 euro tiers by location. Confirm current rules with the authority.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
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