How the 90/180 rule applies here
If you are visa-exempt, you can spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The limit applies to the Schengen Area as a whole, not to Greece: days spent in Italy or Spain count towards the same 90-day limit.
- The 180 days are a moving window, not a calendar period. For any given date, count back 180 days, including that date, add up the days you spent in the area, and the total must never exceed 90.
- The day you arrive and the day you leave both count as full days, even if you are only there for a few hours.
- The Greek islands count exactly like the mainland, and crossing into another Schengen country changes nothing. That now includes Bulgaria, which has joined the Schengen Area: driving north no longer takes you out of it.
- Only the passage of time restores your allowance. The European Commission states it plainly: an uninterrupted absence of 90 days gives you a fresh 90 days.
Staying longer than 90 days
For stays beyond 90 days you need a national visa or residence permit, applied for before you travel at the Greek consulate responsible for your place of residence. The two routes people ask about most differ above all in where your money comes from: work you do remotely, or income you already have.
Digital nomad visa
For remote workers — employed or self-employed — whose employers or clients are outside Greece. The visa gives you legal residence for up to one year, and you can then apply for a digital nomad residence permit valid for up to two years and renewable. It does not let you work for a Greek company, either as an employee or as a freelancer.
Money: at least €3,500 a month after tax, 20% more if your spouse or partner comes with you and 15% more for each child, according to Work From Greece, the remote-work programme run under the auspices of the Greek government.
Financially independent person visa
For living in Greece on stable income you already have, such as pensions, rent or investments, without working in Greece. It suits people who do not need the remote-work route because their money does not come from a job.
Money: the minimum income is set by Greek law and has changed in recent years. We have not been able to confirm the current figure against an official source, so check it with the Greek consulate before planning around it.
The mistake worth avoiding
Taking on Greek clients while on the digital nomad visa. The route exists for income earned outside Greece, and it does not allow work for a Greek company in any form, employed or freelance. If Greek work is part of the plan, you need a different permit from the start.
Common questions
Do days on the Greek islands and in other Schengen countries count against my time in Greece?
Yes. Crete, Rhodes, Santorini and the rest of the islands are part of Greece and of the Schengen Area, and there is no separate Greek allowance. A week in Mykonos and a week in Rome count towards the same 90-day limit.
Does a trip to Turkey reset my days?
No. Turkey, Albania and North Macedonia are outside the Schengen Area, so time there stops you adding days, but it does not reset the count. The rule always looks back 180 days, so a short hop only helps once enough older days have dropped out of the window.
Does a Greek residence permit change how the rule applies to me?
Once you hold one, your stay in Greece is governed by that permit rather than by the 90/180 rule. Travel to other Schengen countries is still subject to limits, so check the terms of your permit before planning long trips elsewhere.
Check it at the source
Immigration rules change, and the financial thresholds change most often of all. These are the official pages this guide is based on.
Count your Schengen days
Open the Schengen 90/180 calculatorThis guide is a planning aid, not legal advice. The final decision on entry and length of stay rests with the border officer or the consulate. Confirm the rules with the official sources above before you travel.