Both give European residence, but the logic is opposite. Greece asks for an investment in property, while Switzerland asks you to agree an annual tax based on your spending rather than your income.
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.
Greece's Golden Visa is residence by investment, usually through real estate. It is popular for its relatively low entry in eligible regions and the absence of a minimum stay requirement.
Switzerland's lump sum taxation is a residence route for wealthy individuals who do not work in Switzerland. Instead of normal income tax, an agreed annual tax is based on living costs. It is a tax and residence arrangement, not an investment purchase.
Greece sets its property threshold by location. The minimum is 800,000 euro in high demand areas such as Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents, and 400,000 euro in most other regions, in a single property of at least 120 square metres. A 250,000 euro tier applies only to conversions of commercial buildings to residential use and to listed historic restorations.
Switzerland has no purchase. Instead you agree a taxable base with the canton. For 2026 the federal minimum taxable base is 435,000 Swiss francs, and the base is set as the higher of a multiple of your rent or living costs. Each canton sets its own minimum, and some cantons do not offer the regime. Confirm figures with the relevant cantonal authority.
Greece grants a residence permit once the investment and application are complete, renewable while the investment is held. There is no minimum stay to keep it.
Switzerland issues a standard B residence permit based on the agreed tax arrangement, renewable annually. It requires you to make Switzerland your main home, usually spending most of the year there.
Neither route is a passport. A Greek residence permit allows travel within the Schengen area and can lead to citizenship only after long legal residence and integration conditions.
A Swiss permit allows residence in Switzerland, which is in the Schengen area, with Swiss citizenship available only after a long qualifying period. Both are about where you live and are taxed, not immediate mobility.
Greece suits an investor who wants an affordable European residence, no stay requirement and exposure to property, and who is comfortable with the short term rental ban on the qualifying home.
Switzerland suits a wealthy individual who actually wants to live in Switzerland, does not need to work there and prefers a predictable annual tax. The two rarely compete for the same person.
| Item | Greece Golden Visa | Switzerland lump sum taxation |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Residence by property investment | Residence by agreed annual tax |
| Entry level | 400,000 to 800,000 euro by area; 250,000 euro niche route | Federal minimum taxable base 435,000 Swiss francs for 2026 |
| Minimum stay | None | Main home in Switzerland, most of the year |
| Can work locally | Investment, not employment based | No gainful work in Switzerland |
| Official authority | Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum | Cantonal tax authorities and SEM |
Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum, and the Swiss cantonal tax authorities with the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) publishes the binding detail. Verify before you act.
They are priced differently. Greece needs a property investment from 400,000 euro in most regions, while Switzerland needs no purchase but an agreed annual tax on a base of at least 435,000 Swiss francs for 2026. Confirm both with their authorities.
Greece has no minimum stay to keep the permit. Switzerland's lump sum route requires you to make Switzerland your main home and spend most of the year there.
Greece's route is investment based rather than employment based. Switzerland's lump sum taxation specifically requires that you do not carry out gainful work in Switzerland.
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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