Greece or Mauritius — which residence programme fits your family?
Schengen mobility versus an Indian-Ocean tax base. The Greece Golden Visa gives visa-free movement across the Schengen zone from day one; Mauritius gives a no-capital-gains, no-inheritance-tax island base in the Johannesburg time zone. Here is the decision, side by side and dated.
Greece
Greece Golden VisaThe cradle of Europe and a full Schengen member — thousands of islands, a reawakened property market and a fixed-cost non-dom tax regime. Visa-free Schengen short-stay travel (90 days in any 180) from day one, with no obligation to relocate.
Mauritius
Mauritius Residence by PropertyA stable, bilingual, common-law island two hours ahead of Johannesburg — no capital-gains, inheritance or wealth tax, and residency that comes with the home you buy. A natural rand- and euro-hedge with a turquoise-lagoon lifestyle.
The decision, in one table.
Verified 2026 figures, drawn directly from each programme’s governing law and administering authority.
From €250,000 (tiered to €400k–€800k)
From USD 375,000
Greece Golden Visa
Mauritius Residence by Property
Visa-free Schengen short-stay (90/180)
Indian Ocean · no European mobility
Approximately 4–9 months end to end; biometrics within 6 months of filing.
Approximately 3–6 months for EDB approval after purchase.
No minimum stay to obtain or renew the five-year permit.
No minimum stay — residence is held for as long as you own the qualifying property.
Spouse/partner, children under 21 (to 24 if dependent students), and the parents of both spouses — no dependency test on parents.
Spouse/partner, dependent children to 24, and dependent parents under a single qualifying investment.
Optional non-dom regime (separate from the visa): a flat €100,000/yr on worldwide non-Greek income for up to 15 years (+€20,000 per family member). It requires a ≥€500,000 Greek investment — distinct from the standard €400,000 visa property minimum — and prior non-residence. The Golden Visa itself triggers no tax residency.
No capital-gains, inheritance, estate or wealth tax; foreign income taxed only on remittance; personal income tax to a 20% top rate. Residence by property is a strong tax-residency base for those who meet the day-count tests.
From €250,000 (tiered to €400k–€800k)
Greece Golden Visa
Visa-free Schengen short-stay (90/180)
Approximately 4–9 months end to end; biometrics within 6 months of filing.
No minimum stay to obtain or renew the five-year permit.
Spouse/partner, children under 21 (to 24 if dependent students), and the parents of both spouses — no dependency test on parents.
Optional non-dom regime (separate from the visa): a flat €100,000/yr on worldwide non-Greek income for up to 15 years (+€20,000 per family member). It requires a ≥€500,000 Greek investment — distinct from the standard €400,000 visa property minimum — and prior non-residence. The Golden Visa itself triggers no tax residency.
From USD 375,000
Mauritius Residence by Property
Indian Ocean · no European mobility
Approximately 3–6 months for EDB approval after purchase.
No minimum stay — residence is held for as long as you own the qualifying property.
Spouse/partner, dependent children to 24, and dependent parents under a single qualifying investment.
No capital-gains, inheritance, estate or wealth tax; foreign income taxed only on remittance; personal income tax to a 20% top rate. Residence by property is a strong tax-residency base for those who meet the day-count tests.
Figures are indicative and verified to 2026 against official primary sources — Hellenic Ministry of Migration & Asylum (migration.gov.gr); Law 5038/2023 Arts. 99-103 as amended by Law 5100/2024 Art. 64; non-dom under Law 4172/2013 Art. 5A (AADE). Tiering verified 2026-06. Economic Development Board Mauritius (edbmauritius.org) IRS/RES/PDS guidelines; EDB Act 2017 + PDS Regulations 2015; Finance Act 2025 duty change (Laws of Mauritius). Verified 2026-06. Government fees, taxes and the qualifying investment are separate and confirmed in writing. Kestrel Private is an advisory firm, not a law firm; regulated work is delivered by admitted local counsel.
Match the route to the objective.
Greece. Choose Greece when European mobility is the point — visa-free short-stay travel across Schengen from day one, an efficient property entry point and an optional €100,000 non-dom regime for those who relocate.
Mauritius. Choose Mauritius when lifestyle and tax efficiency lead and European movement is not required: no capital-gains, inheritance or wealth tax, residence that comes with the property, and a natural rand- and euro-hedge.
See the law for yourself
Every figure above traces to a primary instrument, mirrored and dated in our document library.
Answered plainly.
Is Greece or Mauritius the better second residence?
Greece is the choice for European optionality — visa-free Schengen short-stay (90 days in any 180) from day one on a renewable five-year permit. Mauritius is the choice for a stable, low-tax Indian-Ocean base in the same time zone as Johannesburg, without European mobility. The decision turns on whether Schengen access or lifestyle-plus-tax leads your brief.
Which has the lower entry cost — Greece or Mauritius?
Greece’s headline tier is €250,000 (commercial-to-residential conversions and listed-building restorations only); standard property is €400,000 or €800,000 depending on location. Mauritius residence by property starts from USD 375,000 in an EDB-approved scheme. Compare the total cost to your objective, not the headline figure alone.
Do Greece or Mauritius require me to live there?
Neither requires relocation. The Greece Golden Visa has no minimum stay to obtain or renew; Mauritius residence is held for as long as you own the qualifying property. Both suit a plan-B or tax-residency base without moving.
Which is more tax-efficient — Greece or Mauritius?
Mauritius has no capital-gains, inheritance, estate or wealth tax and taxes foreign income only on remittance. Greece’s efficiency comes from its optional non-dom regime — a flat €100,000 a year on worldwide non-Greek income for up to 15 years — which is separate from the visa and requires actual Greek tax residency and a ≥€500,000 Greek investment. We model the position with admitted local counsel before any figure is relied on.
Let the assessment narrow it down.
A short, confidential assessment weighs your capacity, objectives, timeline and nationality and matches you to the programme that fits — with the reasoning shown, not hidden.