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Greece EU Blue Card

EU Blue Card – residence permit for highly qualified employment (E.1)

In short

Highly qualified professionals with a Greek job offer of at least six months and a gross salary of at least 1.6 times the average gross annual salary in Greece can obtain the EU Blue Card (E.1). You can come on a national visa after employer approval or apply after entering on a Schengen visa or visa-free.

Apply on Ministry of Migration and Asylum – electronic applications checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Long stay; the card allows residence and work in Greece.
Validity
Two years, or shorter in line with the contract (Ministry Circular 6). Law 5275/2026 amended the validity rules, so confirm the current period with the Ministry.
Fee
€166EUR 150 residence permit fee plus EUR 16 for the card, for initial grant and renewal (Mitos).
Processing time
If the employer is recognised under Article 38 of Law 5038/2023, the decision is due within 30 days of a complete application.
Work
Yes, in the highly qualified post; employer changes are regulated during the first period.
Family
Spouse and children receive E.1 family permits and enter the same way as the holder; they do not go through the general reunification approval.
Path to permanent residence
After five years of lawful residence, long-term resident status; periods as a Blue Card holder in other EU states can count under conditions.
Where to apply
Either at the Greek mission (national visa after employer approval) or in Greece after entering with a Schengen visa or visa-free, before the permitted stay ends.

Who qualifies

You need a contract for highly qualified employment in Greece of at least six months. The gross annual salary must be at least the national minimum for highly qualified employment, which equals 1.6 times the average gross annual salary in Greece. For unregulated professions you prove higher professional qualifications; for regulated ones you meet the Greek recognition rules for that profession. You also need full health insurance for all risks covered for Greek citizens.

Two ways in

Route one: the employer applies for approval of highly qualified employment, you obtain the national visa and, after entry, apply online for the E.1 permit. Route two: you enter on a Schengen visa or visa-free, sign the contract and apply for the E.1 permit before your permitted stay ends; the employer then does not file an approval request, but the post counts against the admission volumes.

  1. Get a qualifying job offer and check that the gross salary reaches 1.6 times the Greek average.
  2. Choose the route: employer approval and national visa from the Greek mission, or entry on a Schengen visa or visa-free.
  3. In Greece, apply online for the E.1 permit before the visa or permitted stay ends, paying EUR 150 and EUR 16.
  4. Attend biometrics; family members file their E.1 family applications.
  5. Renew within two months before expiry with a valid contract and tax and insurance records.

Forms

Renewal

Apply within the two months before expiry with a valid highly qualified contract of at least six months, proof of tax compliance and active insurance for the period of the card. Unemployment periods can be justified with proof of unemployment benefit.

Family members

Family members follow the same entry route as the holder: national visa if you came on one, or Schengen visa or visa-free entry otherwise. They apply with a recent certified and translated civil-status certificate, a solemn declaration of the holder that the family situation is unchanged and the EUR 150 plus EUR 16 fee.

Refusal

An administrative appeal can be lodged within two months of service, with a EUR 50 fee; the authority decides within 30 days.

Documents

Required documents

Identity

  • Copy of the passport with the national D visa, or with the Schengen visa or entry stamp if you apply after visa-free or C-visa entry.
  • One colour photo, printed and in JPEG2000 format on CD or USB.

Work

  • Highly qualified employment contract of at least six months with the employer’s signature certified, showing gross pay of at least 1.6 times the Greek average gross annual salary.
  • Recruitment announcement as required by the applicable rules.

Study

  • Diplomas proving higher professional qualifications, or recognition documents for a regulated profession.

Insurance

  • Certificate that you applied for full health insurance with the competent insurer.

Frequently asked questions

What is the exact euro salary threshold?

It is defined as 1.6 times the average gross annual salary in Greece and is updated by the authorities; ask your employer or the Ministry for the figure valid when you apply.

Can I apply from Greece after arriving visa-free or on a Schengen visa?

Yes. The Migration Code lets Blue Card applicants file in Greece before their permitted stay ends, with the contract and proof of qualifications.

Does my family need to wait two years?

No. Family members of E.1 holders receive their own permits without the general family reunification approval and waiting period.

Can an intra-corporate transferee switch to a Blue Card?

Yes, managers and specialists who entered on an intra-corporate transfer can apply for the E.1 permit if they meet its conditions.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Greece

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

  • Business visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the whole Schengen area.
  • Investor visa Validity: Five years, renewable for the same period while the investment continues or operates.

Study and training

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Long stay; the visa is converted into the residence permit.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: Total transfer period across the EU: up to 3 years for managers and specialists, 1 year for trainees.
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: Up to nine months of residence and work in any 12-month period on the E.6 permit; leave Greece for the remaining three months.
  • Digital nomad visa Maximum stay: Visa for up to 12 months; residence permit afterwards.

Family

Residence

  • Golden visa and residence by investment Maximum stay: Permanent residence right while the investment is held; the card is renewed every five years.
  • Retirement visa Validity: Under the Migration Code initial permits are, as a rule, issued for three years and renewed for the same period; the exact validity is printed on the permit.
  • Permanent residence Validity: M.1: five years, renewable for five years. M.2: ten years, then automatic conversion to M.1 if absences were limited.

Protection

Greece visa guide