Greece vs Portugal

The common form is an IKE (private company) or the larger AE; registration is via the General Commercial Registry (GEMI), often through a one-stop service. A Greek tax number (AFM) is required.

Portugal offers fast setup via 'Empresa na Hora' and online services; the usual form is a Sociedade por Quotas (Lda). Founders need a Portuguese tax number (NIF), and the commercial registry records the company.

Greek banking is EU-integrated and increasingly digital. Opening an account usually needs an AFM (tax number), ID and proof of address; the Bank of Greece supervises banks within the ECB framework.

Portuguese banking includes major retail banks and online options. Opening an account usually needs an NIF, ID and proof of address; non-residents can open accounts with additional documents. The Banco de Portugal supervises banks.

Greece courts foreign investment through Enterprise Greece, with EU free movement of capital and no exchange controls. A strategic-investments (fast-track) framework speeds up major projects, and the development law and EU-funded programs offer grants and tax incentives; profits repatriate freely.

Portugal welcomes foreign investment through AICEP (Portugal Global), with EU free movement of capital and no exchange controls. Screening applies only to a narrow set of strategic assets; incentives include investment tax credits (RFAI), the SIFIDE R&D credit, and EU-cofinanced regional programs.

Greece taxes personal income progressively, corporate profits and VAT (FPA), run by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE). Residents are taxed on worldwide income; special regimes target new residents.

Portugal taxes personal income (IRS), corporate profits (IRC) and VAT (IVA), run by the Autoridade Tributária (AT). Tax residents are taxed on worldwide income; special regimes for new residents have changed, so verify current rules.

Non-EU nationals need a work-authorising residence permit; EU citizens work freely. Routes include employed work, the EU Blue Card and a digital-nomad visa. The Ministry of Migration and Asylum handles residence permits.

Non-EU nationals need a residence visa or permit that allows work; EU citizens work freely. Routes include the job-seeker visa, employed and skilled routes, the D7 for passive income and a digital-nomad visa. AIMA handles residence permits.

Non-EU students accepted by a Greek institution obtain a national (D) visa first and then a student residence permit — two stages, not one. A confirmed place at a recognised institution is required, and applicants show funds, health cover and accommodation. Accommodation is the item most often left out of the plan. The residence permit is renewed while studies continue.

Non-EU students staying longer than 90 days need a Portuguese student visa first and then a residence permit for study, based on admission to a higher-education institution, proof of funds and health insurance. The visa comes from the Portuguese consulate; residence is handled by AIMA, the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum — note that many older guides still name SEF, which AIMA replaced. EU/EEA/Swiss students need no visa.

Greece is in the Schengen Area, so many nationalities visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Nationals who do need a visa apply for a Schengen short-stay visa at a Greek consulate. Tourist stays do not permit work or long-term residence.

Portugal is in the Schengen Area, so short tourist or business visits follow Schengen rules: up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the whole area. Visa-exempt nationals need no visa; everyone else applies for a short-stay (type C) Schengen visa through the official Portuguese visa service. A new ETIAS authorisation is being introduced for visa-exempt travellers.

Greece grants the EU long-term residence permit after generally 5 years of continuous legal residence, with income, health-insurance and Greek-language/integration requirements. It gives near-equal rights to nationals; separately, the Golden Visa offers residence through real-estate or other investment.

Portugal grants permanent residence after generally 5 years of continuous legal residence, requiring basic Portuguese (A2) and a clean record. It lets you live and work indefinitely and, uniquely, Portuguese citizenship is also available after 5 years — making the residence-to-citizenship path relatively fast.

Greece grants citizenship by naturalization after 7 years of legal residence, requiring Greek-language ability and knowledge of Greek history, geography, institutions and culture (the Panhellenic naturalization exam). Greece permits dual nationality.

Portugal grants nationality after 5 years of legal residence, with an A2 Portuguese-language requirement, and permits dual nationality. Portugal is generous with time counted and Sephardic/Portuguese-speaking ties. Note: reform proposals in 2025 sought to lengthen the residence period — always verify the current rule before relying on it.

Greek employment sets a national minimum wage, at least 20 working days' paid holiday (rising with service), and dismissal that generally requires notice and severance. Social insurance is via EFKA, and disputes go to the labour inspectorate (SEPE) and the courts.

Portuguese employment under the Labour Code is protective: a national minimum wage (RMMG), 22 working days' paid holiday, and 13th- and 14th-month payments. Dismissal generally needs just cause and follows a set procedure; social security is compulsory and disputes go to the labour court (tribunal do trabalho).

Greek trade with non-EU countries clears through the customs service of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) with an EU EORI number, often via the major port of Piraeus. You classify goods in TARIC to find duty and import VAT (24%). Declarations use the ICISnet system; intra-EU trade needs Intrastat and dual-use exports need a licence.

Portuguese trade with non-EU countries clears through the Tax and Customs Authority (AT) with an EU EORI number. You classify goods in TARIC to find duty and import VAT (23%), which can be deferred to your VAT return. Declarations are electronic; intra-EU trade needs Intrastat and dual-use exports need a licence.

Greek trademarks are registered with the Hellenic Industrial Property Organisation (OBI) and the Trademarks Directorate. You search the register, file under Nice classes, and after examination it publishes for a three-month opposition period. A Greek trademark lasts 10 years and is renewable; an EU-wide alternative is the EU trademark via EUIPO, and copyright arises automatically.

Portuguese trademarks are registered with the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI Portugal). You search the register, file under Nice classes, and it publishes in the Industrial Property Bulletin for a two-month opposition period. A Portuguese trademark lasts 10 years and is renewable; an EU-wide alternative is the EU trademark via EUIPO, and copyright arises automatically.

Greece has a public employment agency, DYPA, but most vacancies circulate through private job boards, recruiters and direct employer hiring, so DYPA is best treated as a registration, benefits and training service rather than the main place to find work. The structural point for non-EU nationals is that Greece does not issue work rights as a standalone document: the right to work rides on a residence permit that allows it, so the permit category you hold decides what employment you may accept. EU and EEA citizens have free access to the labour market.

Portugal's public employment service is the IEFP, which runs the official job portal, while much hiring also happens on commercial boards and company sites. The structural point for non-EU workers is that two different bodies are involved: you need a work visa and residence permit tied to a job, and AIMA is the authority handling residence — so the employment service and the residence authority are separate doors. Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland need neither document.

Greece sets a national statutory minimum wage by government decision, revised periodically, and sector agreements sit alongside it. The figure is the legal floor for full-time work, so a part-time arrangement has to be assessed proportionally rather than compared against the headline directly. Registered pay carries both social-security contributions to EFKA and tax withholding, so build any net estimate from those two deductions.

Portugal's statutory national minimum wage is set by the government each year, so the cadence is a single annual decision you can plan around. It is expressed as a monthly amount and paid in 14 instalments, which matters when converting to an annual figure. Pay is quoted gross, with income tax (IRS) and social-security contributions reducing take-home, and Statistics Portugal is the authoritative source for wage data.

Greece's public scholarships for international students are offered mainly through the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY), alongside bilateral programs and individual university awards. Options are more limited than in some countries, so check IKY, your home-country agreements and each Greek university's site, and apply by the deadline.

Portugal's scholarships for international students come mainly through the Camões Institute (language and cultural cooperation awards), the FCT for doctoral and research funding, and individual university scholarships. Explore options on the Camões, FCT and university sites and apply by each deadline.

To study in Greece you apply to the university, then, once admitted, apply for a national (type-D) student visa at the Greek consulate and, after arrival, obtain a student residence permit. A growing number of master’s are in English. Explore the university sites and apply by the deadline.

To study in Portugal you apply to the university, then, once admitted, apply for a student residence visa at the Portuguese consulate and, after arrival, complete your residence permit through the immigration authority (AIMA). Explore options on the Study in Portugal and university sites and apply by the deadline.

Foreigners can buy property in Greece freely (border-area purchases by non-EU nationals may need permission). You need a Greek tax number (AFM). Renting typically requires a deposit of one to two months. Buying goes through a notary, is registered at the land registry/cadastre, and carries a property-transfer tax (about 3%). Buying above a threshold can also qualify for the Golden Visa.

Portugal places no restriction on foreigners buying property; you just need a NIF (tax number). Renting typically requires a deposit of one to two months and a registered contract. Buying goes through a lawyer/notary, is registered at the Land Registry (Conservatória do Registo Predial), and carries property-transfer tax (IMT) plus stamp duty.

Greece provides public healthcare through the national system (ESY), funded via social-security contributions to EFKA. Access is not automatic on arrival: insured residents reach public healthcare through EFKA registration, and you affiliate through work or another qualifying status. EU visitors can use the European Health Insurance Card for necessary care, and private insurance and clinics supplement the public system rather than replacing it.

Portugal's public Serviço Nacional de Saúde covers legal residents with mostly free or low-cost care. Once you are a legal resident — registered and, where applicable, contributing to social security — you register with your local health centre for an SNS user number. The sequencing point: some visa applicants must show private health insurance until they are covered by the SNS, so the private policy is a bridge rather than a permanent parallel.

On the private side, Greek insurance is a short list: exactly one line is compulsory — third-party motor insurance, which you need in order to drive — and health, property and life cover are all optional and privately arranged. Private insurers are authorised and supervised by the Bank of Greece, so that is where verification happens rather than at a separate insurance regulator. The public social-insurance side runs separately through EFKA.

Portugal's Segurança Social provides pensions and social insurance, funded by employer and employee contributions. Beyond the public health service, motor third-party liability insurance is compulsory for vehicles, while home insurance is commonly held by tenants and owners without being a legal requirement — a useful contrast with countries where renters' cover is mandatory. Insurers and pension funds are supervised by the same body, the ASF, so retirement products fall under the same regulator as your car policy.