Some people believe that immigrating to Greece is equivalent to obtaining citizenship and that they will lose their Chinese citizenship, which would be counterproductive. However, this is not the case. Immigrating to Greece through property purchase only grants a residence permit, and the applicant's Chinese citizenship remains intact; there is no conflict between the two.
What type of status is obtained through immigration to Greece?
Almost all immigration programs available in the market provide a residence permit, or a green card (the U.S. residence permit is green, commonly referred to as a green card, which later came to represent residence permits in all countries; Canada's is also known as a Maple Leaf Card). Greece is no exception. Immigrating to Greece allows one to obtain a residence permit valid for five years. Although it needs to be renewed every five years, as long as the property is not sold, it can be renewed indefinitely, and there are no residency requirements for the applicant, meaning one does not have to reside in Greece even for a single day.
Therefore, the Greek residence permit is also referred to as a permanent residence card or long-term residence card (generally, residence permits valid for more than five years are called permanent residence cards). Additionally, holders of the Greek residence permit can enjoy free public healthcare and education, and can travel to other EU countries and Schengen Area member states, but they cannot enjoy any political rights, which is a significant difference from Greek citizenship. Thus, there is no need to worry that immigrating to Greece is equivalent to obtaining citizenship; the differences between the two are substantial.
Can one obtain citizenship by purchasing property in Greece?
First, it should be clarified that purchasing property in Greece does not lead to citizenship. The current so-called property purchase immigration policy refers to acquiring a residence permit valid for five years by purchasing property worth no less than 250,000 euros; this does not equate to citizenship. To obtain citizenship, one must meet the residency duration requirements.
In fact, the residence permit obtained through Greek immigration, which is valid for five years and can be renewed indefinitely, is an excellent option. It provides flexibility, allowing one to pursue citizenship or, alternatively, to sell the property and relinquish Greek residency status. Therefore, although Greek immigration does not lead directly to citizenship, this does not diminish the immense appeal of the program, as for many, this flexibility is a significant advantage.