Opening a company in Greece: locals, foreigners, freelancers and digital nomads

At a glance: IKE with capital from 1 euro, GEMI one-stop shop online in 1 to 3 working days, no notary with model articles, corporate tax 22 percent, dividends 5 percent, VAT 24 percent with no registration threshold (optional exemption to 10,000 euros), digital nomad visa at 3,500 euros a month. Legal forms. Sole trader (atomiki epicheirisi): no capital. IKE (private capital company): minimum capital 1 euro, contributions in cash, kind or guarantees, the standard choice. EPE: no statutory minimum but a notarial deed. AE (public): 25,000 euros fully paid. Registration. GEMI one-stop shop or the e-YMS portal (businessportal.gr): an IKE with model articles and cash contributions needs no notary and gets its tax number, VAT number and EFKA registration in the same flow in one to three working days; EPE, AE, custom articles, in-kind contributions or a foreign legal-entity founder need a notary (300 to 4,000 euros) and five to ten days. Registry fees under 150 euros plus chamber fees of 80 to 150 euros a year. Typical IKE formation with lawyer and accountant 1,000 to 2,200 euros excluding capital. Every founder needs a Greek tax number (AFM) first. Taxes 2026. Corporate tax 22 percent. Dividends 5 percent withholding. VAT 24 percent (13 and 6 reduced, lower on islands); every business registers for VAT before starting, with an optional exemption below 10,000 euros. Personal income tax 9 / 20 / 26 / 34 / 39 / 44 percent from 2026, top rate above 60,000 euros, zero up to 20,000 for taxpayers under 25. Freelancers and the self-employed. Register through myAADE (activity codes) and e-EFKA within ten days; myDATA electronic books are mandatory; the business levy was abolished for freelancers from tax year 2025. The deemed minimum income rule taxes self-employed people on at least the annual minimum wage (about 12,880 euros for 2026) with add-ons for years in business, payroll and turnover, capped at 50,000 euros, not applied in the first three years and reduced in years four and five; the government has announced a phase-out by 2028. Advance tax 55 percent. EFKA 2026: 160.46 euros a month for the first five years, then classes from 260.77 to 685.87 euros. Foreigners. EU/EEA citizens need an AFM and a registration certificate after three months. Non-EU founders: residence permit for independent economic activity (two years, renewable, sufficient resources and a business plan), the investment activity permit from 250,000 euros, the new 250,000 euro start-up investment route under the 2026 immigration law (at most a 33 percent stake and two jobs), or the Financially Independent Person permit at 3,500 euros a month net. No resident director requirement, though the IKE manager needs an AFM and most appoint a Greek tax representative; 100 percent foreign ownership; Greek registered office (virtual offices accepted for most sectors). Newcomers can claim a 50 percent income-tax exemption for seven years if they work or trade in Greece; foreign pensioners pay 7 percent flat. Branch of a foreign company. Register at GEMI with the parent's articles, good-standing certificate, board resolution and a notarised deed appointing a legal representative with a Greek AFM, apostilled and translated, then tax-office commencement; two to four weeks, 1,500 to 3,000 euros. Taxed as a permanent establishment at 22 percent, no withholding on profits sent home. An IKE subsidiary with 1 euro capital is simpler. Digital nomads. Yes (Law 4825/2021): for non-EU remote workers and freelancers serving non-Greek clients with net income of at least 3,500 euros a month (plus 20 percent for a spouse and 15 per child). Type D visa for 12 months (75 euros plus about 150 administrative), then a two-year digital nomad residence permit, renewable; family may join but may not work. Since February 2026 the visa must be obtained from a consulate before entry, no in-country switching. Non-resident below 183 days; residents may use the 50 percent exemption if they work in Greece. Changed recently. New income-tax scale with a 39 percent band (2026); business levy abolished for freelancers (2025); minimum wage 920 euros (April 2026); mandatory B2B e-invoicing phased in during 2026; immigration law 5275/2026 (golden visa changes, start-up route, consular-only nomad visas); EFKA classes up 2.5 percent; announced phase-out of the deemed-income add-ons. Figures checked October 2026 from AADE, e-EFKA, GEMI and Greek law firms; several measures were announced in September 2026 and are not yet law. Confirm with a licensed adviser in Greece before you file.