Chinese Family Obtains Greece Golden Visa — Schengen Residency in 5 Months
How a Shanghai business owner secured European residency for his family under the €800,000 Athens threshold — and what the realistic timeline actually looks like
€880,000
5 months
Residency
Chinese
Client Background
Nationality
Chinese (Shanghai)
Profile
Manufacturing business owner, 3 operating companies
Family Size
Couple + 1 adult child (aged 24, included in application)
Net Worth
€9.2M liquid, €4M China real estate
Primary Goal
Schengen access and European mobility for family
Secondary Goal
Diversification of assets outside China
The Challenge
The client needed reliable, friction-free access to Europe for business meetings across Germany, France, and Italy. Chinese business visas for Schengen were becoming increasingly time-consuming to obtain — sometimes taking 6–8 weeks per application with no guarantee of success. He also wanted a legitimate EU real estate holding for estate planning purposes, and to establish a European base for his adult son who was exploring post-graduate opportunities in Europe.
Programme Recommended
Greece Golden Visa — Real Estate Route (€800,000 Athens threshold)
Why This Programme
- Greece is the most accessible EU golden visa programme for Chinese nationals with strong track record
- €800,000 Athens prime property threshold — investable in a single high-quality asset
- No minimum annual presence requirement — ideal for active business travel use
- Greece Non-Dom 7% flat tax available for foreign-source income (10-year regime)
- Processing typically 4–6 months — one of the faster EU golden visa routes
- Adult children included in same application as primary applicant
Investment Made
Timeline from Enquiry to Approval
Week 1
Consultation — programme selection confirmed, property search begins
Week 3
Property identified and reserved — due diligence initiated
Week 5
Purchase completed — funds transferred, title registered
Week 6
Golden Visa application submitted for family of three — IMIGRANET portal filing
Week 10
Biometric appointment date received — Athens IMIGRANET (typical 4–6 week wait for appointment)
Week 13
Biometric appointments completed for all three applicants
Week 20
Residency permits issued for all three family members — Schengen travel confirmed
Key Benefit Achieved
Unrestricted Schengen travel for three family members, eliminating business visa delays — plus a prime Athens property that has since appreciated in value. Expect 4–6 months from application to permit in practice.
Outcomes
Schengen residency for couple and adult son — all three permits issued simultaneously
No minimum annual presence requirement — family maintains primary base in Shanghai
Athens property generating €36,000/year gross rental yield (4.4%)
Greece Non-Dom 7% flat tax regime activated for EU business income
Adult son accepted to Netherlands university — EU student visa no longer required
Property has appreciated approximately 12% since acquisition
"Before this, every trip to Europe meant weeks of visa applications and uncertainty. Now we simply board the flight. The Athens apartment is beautiful and earns income when we're not using it. It took five months from buying the property to having the permits in hand — longer than some firms claimed, but worth every week."— Manufacturing business owner, Shanghai — Greece Golden Visa client, March 2026