03.09.2026
Buying an Off-Plan House in Greece from Abroad Explained
“How can I buy a house in Greece that is not built yet from abroad?”
That’s a very common question we receive from clients interested in buying an off-plan house.
Purchase Tips
Search these terms online, and you will find all sorts of scary answers. For example, "purchases are often impossible in border areas of Greece," or "purchase is permitted only to those who have Greek nationality." In reality, buying in a border area of Greece is not as daunting as some sources make it out to be. If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU, there are a few extra steps in the process compared to buying in the rest of Greece. We explain them in detail below.
Who Is This Article For?
This article is for buyers with citizenship outside the European Union and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Buyers from EU countries, as well as from Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, do not need an extra permit to buy a home in a border region. If you hold a passport from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, or any other country outside these two groups, read on.
Which Areas Of Greece Are Considered Border Regions?
Some of the most beautiful areas of Greece fall within its border regions. The list is set out in Greek law (Law 1892/1990, as currently in force) and covers more of the country than most buyers expect. On the islands, the border regions include the entire Dodecanese (Rhodes, Kos, Karpathos, Astypalaia, and the rest of the island group), the East Aegean islands of Lesvos, Chios, and Samos, the islands of the Evros region such as Samothraki, and, perhaps surprisingly, Santorini (Thira) and Skyros. Even islands far from any actual border, like Astypalaia or Santorini, are included because the law lists whole prefectures and named islands rather than measuring distance to a frontier. On the mainland, the border regions cover the areas of Evros, Xanthi, Rodopi, Kilkis, Kastoria, Florina, Thesprotia, and Preveza, along with specific districts of Drama (Nevrokopi), Ioannina (Pogoni and Konitsa), Pella (Almopia and Edessa), and Serres (Sintiki). The small Diapontia islands of Othoni, Mathraki, and Erikoussa, northwest of Corfu, complete the list. If a property you have your eye on falls inside one of these areas, the permit process below applies to you. If you are unsure whether a specific property is affected, a lawyer can confirm this for you during due diligence.
The Dodecanese Islands
The Dodecanese is a Greek island group in the southeastern Aegean, close to the Turkish coast. The name means "the twelve islands" in Greek, after the twelve largest islands of the group. The most popular island of the Dodecanese is Rhodes, famous for its medieval Old Town, its beaches, and its green interior. Kos and Karpathos are also popular choices for buyers looking for smaller islands suited to relaxed holidays.
The East Aegean Islands
The East Aegean islands included in Greece's border regions are Chios, Lesvos, Samos, Limnos, and Samothraki.
Chios
Chios is known for its beaches and its mastic trees. The resin they produce, called "tears of the gods," is prized for its flavour and its traditional medicinal uses, and appears in everything from liqueurs to sweets. The roughly twenty medieval mastic villages in the south of the island are remarkable works of architecture and well worth a visit.
Samos
Samos is a green, mountainous island separated from the Turkish coast by a strait of barely two kilometres. It is known for its sweet Muscat wine, its beaches, and as the birthplace of the mathematician Pythagoras. Although it sits in the East Aegean rather than the Dodecanese, it forms its own entry on the border region list.
Samothraki
Samothraki, or Samothrace, is one of Greece's most remote islands and a paradise for nature lovers, with waterfalls, natural rock pools, and centuries-old plane trees lining its rivers. At Therma you can bathe in hot mineral springs. The island is one of the longest continually inhabited places in Greece and was one of the religious centres of the ancient world. According to tradition, Alexander the Great's parents, Philip II and Olympias, met during their initiation into the famous Samothracian mysteries.
Lesvos
Lesvos is Greece's third-largest island. It is known for its olive oil and its ouzo, the anise-flavoured national spirit of Greece. On Lesvos, ouzo is best enjoyed with meze plates of anchovies, scallops, and grilled octopus. Traditional island dishes include onions stuffed with meat and rice, sfougato (a baked zucchini and egg dish), and meatballs cooked with ouzo.
What Is The Process To Get A Permit?
You gather a set of documents, listed below, with an apostille stamp where required. Your permit request is then submitted to a special committee at the Decentralised Administration responsible for the area where the property is located. In practice, approvals are routine for citizens of countries such as the UK, the US, and Canada, and refusals are rare. The application does add time to the purchase. How long the review takes varies by committee and can run to several months, so it is worth starting early and planning your timeline around it.
What Documents Are Required?
Several of the documents needed for the permit are already part of the standard process of buying a home in Greece. The exact requirements can vary depending on the office where your request is submitted, so treat this as a general guide:
A short CV in Greek, with certified translation
A copy of your valid passport, certified by a competent authority or a lawyer
Your criminal record certificate, with certified translation
A residence permit, if you are a resident of Greece or another EU country
Property details: a description, the purpose of the purchase, and a topographical map of the property
Your birth certificate, with certified translation
The seller's signed consent to the application
I Want To Buy A Home In A Border Region. Who Can Help Me?
We recommend working with a local real estate specialist or lawyer to prepare and submit your documents. Elxis - At Home in Greece has 35 years of experience in the buying and selling of homes in Greece, and our in-house legal team, acting as your legal representative, prepares and files the border-zone permit application as part of the purchase, so you do not need to coordinate the paperwork yourself.
Areas Of Military Interest In Greece
Areas of military interest in Greece also require an extra permit. These areas are treated similarly to border regions, with one key difference: every buyer needs to apply, whether you are from inside or outside the EU. The review is usually faster than the border region procedure. We will cover this topic in a separate article.
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