GREECE RESIDENCE PERMIT - GREECE GOLDEN VISA

In 2023, there is massive investment in a revived Greece! Now, property prices are low and buying property is a prudent and wise investment decision.

Don't forget that Greece is a beautiful country in the heart of the Mediterranean, an EU (European Union member) country and also a member of the Schengen area, which gives rights of free movement, business and employment in other EU countries.

But now, you can purchase a property in Greece for just 250,000 EUROS and then you get a Residence Permit, which entitles you to live, work and study in Greece. Also, after 7 years of living in Greece, you can apply for Citizenship and a Greece EU Passport.

GREECE PROPERTY

Benefits of Buying Property in Greece are as follows:

 

• Safe Country - Greece is one of the safest countries in the Mediterranean region (top of EU list).


• Geographic Location - Strategic link to the emerging markets of the Balkans, Black Sea, Eastern Europe and Eastern Mediterranean regions.


• EU Member Country - Greece is a Member of the European Union, since 1981, which allows for free movement of people, goods, services, and capital within the internal market. In addition, Greece has access to the Schengen zone, in Europe. Greece is also a Member of the European Monetary Union, which are likely to continue providing strategic oversight, assistance and access to credit.


• Beauty - Unparalleled beauty and diversity in landscape & Vegetation.


• Climate - Healthy Mediterranean climate with 320 sunny days a year.


• Beaches and Islands - 428 blue – flagged beaches & 16,000 km of coastline. Unique 'island hopping' – 6,000 islands & isles.


• Healthy Diet - World's healthiest diet – exquisite local cuisine & wines.


• Friendly People - Friendly and hospitable people, relaxed lifestyle.


• English Speaking - English is widely spoken in Greece. English is the first foreign language Greek students learn from an early age. Official data released by the Eurobarometer Special Surveys shows that, when it comes to people being able to speak English, Greece reaches 51 percent.


• Rich History & Culture - Innumerable tourist sites of interest. Vivid modern life (culture and social).


• Infrastructure - Advanced infrastructure & expertise in professional services. Greece has a developed infrastructure that enables the uninterrupted implementation of most investment activities. Within the framework of holding the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, and the investment in the following years, a number of changes and improvements in a variety of areas—including the infrastructure of Greece—were materialised.


• Healthcare - Healthcare in Greece consists of a universal health care system provided through national health insurance, and private health care. According to the 2011 budget, the Greek healthcare system was allocated 6.1 billion euro, or 2.8% of GDP. In a 2000 report by the World Health Organization, the Greek healthcare system was ranked 14th worldwide in the overall assessment, above other countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom.


• Free Education - The provision of free education to all citizens and at all levels of the state education system is a constitutional principle of the Greek State. Education is compulsory from the ages of 6 to 15.


• Large Tourist Numbers - As at February 2018, according to the Bank of Greece more than 27 million inbound tourists, not counting cruise passengers, visited Greece in 2017. According to BoG figures, the number of inbound visitors to Greece in 2017 rose by 9.7 percent to 27.194 million, compared to 24.799 million tourists in 2016.


• Transport Connections - Excellent international flight connections by Air to Europe, Africa and Asia, transport between the Greek Islands by ferry, and Intercity bus connections. One of the strongest shipping sectors in the world.


• Foreign Investment - According to Bank of Greece data, as at November 2017, net Foreign Direct Investment Inflows the first 11 months of 2017 reached 3,304.4 million Euros, vs. 2,462.6 million Euros the same period of 2016, an increase of 34.2%. This achievement improves significantly the 2016 performance and establishes a clear upwards trend which has already brought Foreign Direct Investments back to the levels of the best years before the crisis. Also, Greece laws and regulations are becoming more 'investor friendly'.


• Low Cost of Living - Life in Greece is unusually affordable for Europe. With a relatively low budget, you can live a good life - even in the capital of Athens. Rental prices are low for a European country.

GREECE RESIDENCE PERMIT

To be eligible for the Greece Residence Permit (Golden Visa Programme), the applicant must:

• Purchase a Property in Greece valued at 250,000 EUR or more. This is the cheapest permanent residency programme in Europe.


• Residence available to non-EU citizens and their family members (spouse, children up to the age of 21 years, and the ascendants of the spouse).


• The purchase of the property must be by an individual or legal entity.

BENEFITS OF GREECE RESIDENCE PERMIT

Outlined below are the benefits of obtaining the Greece Residence Permit:

• Family Residency - Full family permanent residency (spouse, children up to 24 years, and parents of the spouse).


• Flexibility - No minimum stay requirement. Just need to visit Greece once every 5 years, for 1 day.


• EU Schengen Visa Travel - Travel directly to all 26 Schengen Area countries.


• Excellent Investment - Exceptional investment opportunity due to all-time low property prices, in 2018.


• Permanent Residence for Life - Provided that the Property continues to be in the possession of the Applicant.


• Fast Processing Time - From the day that you receive the Title Deed, you will be granted permanent residence within 20 days to 3 months.


• No Savings Requirements - No minimum savings bank account requirements.


• Transfer of Residence Permit - The investor may sell the property and transfer it to another non-EU National, who in turn will also be eligible for PR.


• Free Education - Access to free public schools for primary and secondary education.


• Greece Citizenship - Live as a resident in Greece on the resident permit for 7 consecutive years (180 days in each year), and then apply for Greece Citizenship and a Greece EU Passport.

Our Specialist Consultants at VisaConnect can assist and advise you with your Greece Property purchase, conveyancing transaction and all Agreements, plus set up in Greece with Tax, and bank account opening. Contact Us Today for a FREE Visa Eligibility Assessment!

Greece Golden Residence Permit Advice | Buy Greek Property (visaconnect.com)

EB-5 IMMIGRANT INVESTOR PROGRAM - USA

The EB-5 visa is a permanent residence visa (Green card) designed for foreign Investors to invest funds in US projects, such as property developments.

Congress created the EB-5 Program in 1990 to stimulate the U.S. economy through job creation and capital investment by foreign investors. In 1992, Congress created the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as the Regional Center Program. The program is administered by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

To be eligible for the EB-5 visa, the Investor applicant must do the following:

• Invest in a commercial enterprise in the United States, and 
• Create or preserve 10 full time jobs for qualified US workers.
  

What is the Required Minimum Investment amount to be eligible for the EB-5 visa?

Required minimum investments are:

General - The minimum qualifying investment in the United States is $1 million.
   
Targeted Employment Area  - (High Unemployment or Rural Area). The minimum qualifying investment either within a high-unemployment area or rural area in the United States is $800,000 USD, in 2023.

What is a Targeted Employment Area?

A targeted employment area is an area that, at the time of investment, is a rural area or an area experiencing unemployment of at least 150 percent of the national average rate.

What is a Rural Area?

A rural area is any area outside a metropolitan statistical area (as designated by the Office of Management and Budget) or outside the boundary of any city or town having a population of 20,000 or more according to the decennial census.

EB-5 Visa Statistics for 2014:

1. China mainland born investors constituted 9,128 or 85.4% of the 10,692 grand total in the EB-5 category. This number also signifies a 32.4% relative increase from the amount of China mainland born EB-5 immigrants in FY2013, in which they constituted 80.5% of the EB-5 category total.

2. In both years, investing $500,000 in a TEA through a regional center was the overwhelming investment choice for China mainland born applicants, with 95.5% having chosen that route in FY2013 and 98.2% in FY2014.

3. Apart from mainland China, see the numbers of applicants for the EB-5 visa from different countries below:

South Korea (2.1%)
Mexico (1.2%)
China Taiwan Born (1.2%)
Vietnam (1.1%)
Russia (0.9%) 

4. Vietnam had the largest increase in the fraction of overall EB-5 immigrants between FY2013 and FY2014, while South Korea had the greatest decrease.

What are the benefits of the EB-5 program?

• Tens of thousands of jobs have been created in the US, since the program's inception in 1990. 
• Since 2008, there has been an injection of over $13.5 billion of foreign direct investment. 
• Reasonable price of the Investment - any qualified foreigner willing to invest at least $500,000 USD, and create 10 jobs in the US c an apply for an Investor Immigrant visa. 
• No English language ability or test, No related business experience, and No minimum education requirements. 
• Applicants and their family are free to live and work anywhere in the US, without restriction, including in states such as Florida or Texas with no state income tax. 
• The EB-5 program provides permanent residence for the Investor applicant and his/her spouse, and any children under the age of 21 years. No sponsor is required. 
• Employment of 10 US workers is satisfied through direct and indirect job creation. Foreign Investors using a designated Regional Center are given priority by USCIS. 
• Investors have no need to manage the investment on a daily basis. 
• Entitled to Education at US Colleges and Universities, at US resident costs. 
• The Program has No waiting list and No quota backlogs as exists in many other Employment and Sponsorship visa programs. 
• No H-1B work visa needed for employment. 
• EB-5 is the fastest way to obtain a US Green card and Citizenship. Become a US citizen after 5 years. 
• In the event of a political change / significant event in the investor’s home country, he/she and family can immediately gain entry to the U.S. without delay.
  

EB-5 Application Process:

1. File Form I-526, Petition by Alien Entrepreneur
   
2. Form I-526 is approved, then you need to either:

• File Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, with USCIS to adjust status to a conditional permanent resident within the United States, o
• File DS-230 or DS-260, Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, with the U.S. Department of State to obtain an EB-5 visa for admission to the United States.
  

3. After the  I-485 application is approved or upon entry into the United States with an EB-5 immigrant visa, the EB-5 investor and derivative family members will be granted conditional permanent residence for a two-year period.

4. Removing Conditions - File Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions, 90 days before the two-year anniversary of the granting of the EB-5 investor’s conditional resident status (Green Card).

5. If USCIS approves the Form I-829 petition, the conditions will be removed from the EB-5 applicant’s status and the EB-5 investor and derivative family members will be allowed to permanently live and work in the United States.

Visaconnect can assist and advise you with the complete EB-5 application process, which includes professional and specialist legal advice from our US qualified Attorney's, guidance in finding a suitable Investment Project through our Regional Centers, completion of all Forms and paperwork and preparation of your supporting documents. Also, we openly, clearly and ethically inform you about the application process, and respond to your questions and queries immediately:

EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Advice | US Attorneys (visaconnect.com)