Greece Bank Account Opening Assistance
Immigrant Invest assists clients with opening bank accounts in Greece for personal expenses, property purchases, business operations, and immigration-related purposes.
Who can open a bank account in Greece
Residents and non-residents can open a bank account in Greece if they pass the selected bank's compliance checks and provide the required documents.
Individuals
Individuals open bank accounts in Greece for everyday payments, receiving income, storing funds, making international transfers, paying taxes, and using banking services.
Private clients are usually asked to confirm their identity, residential address, tax residence, source of income, and reason for opening the account. The bank may also check the applicant’s connection to Greece, such as property purchase, investment plans, employment, relocation, or regular expenses in the country.
Businesses
Companies open corporate bank accounts in Greece for payments to counterparties, tax payments, salary payments, business operations, and investments.
Corporate clients usually undergo more detailed checks than individuals. The bank may review the ownership structure, business reputation, countries of operation, expected turnover, and the economic reason for opening an account in Greece.
Request assistance from migration experts
After sending your request, our migration expert will contact you to confirm the details and outline the next steps.
Zlata Erlach, Head of the Austrian office
Types of bank accounts available
Greek banks offer several common account types, including current accounts for day-to-day banking, savings accounts for holding funds separately from daily spending, and fixed-deposit products for placing money for a defined term.
Current account
A current account is used for everyday banking operations, such as receiving income, making payments, withdrawing cash, and transferring funds. It is usually linked to online banking, a debit card, and payment and transfer services. Fees, opening amounts, and balance requirements depend on the bank and the specific product.
Some Greek banks allow clients to open certain accounts with no initial deposit, while other current account products have a stated minimum opening amount. For example, Alpha Bank states that an online account can be opened without an initial deposit, while a current account for day-to-day transactions has a €300 minimum initial deposit.
Savings account
Savings accounts are available in Greece for clients who want to hold funds separately from daily spending while keeping access to their money. The structure, interest rate, access conditions, minimum balance, and account maintenance rules depend on the bank and the product.
Some savings accounts may have no stated minimum balance, while others may require a linked current account, regular transfers, or specific product conditions.
For example, Piraeus Bank offers a savings account with no minimum opening amount, while another savings product offers a higher interest rate in months with no withdrawals or debit transactions, provided the account balance exceeds €5,000.
Fixed deposit account
Fixed deposit accounts, also known as term deposits or time deposits, are commonly offered by Greek banks for clients who want to place funds for a defined period in exchange for a fixed or pre-agreed return. Terms, minimum amounts, interest payment schedules, early withdrawal rules, and available currencies vary by bank and product.
Minimum deposit amounts for fixed deposits are often higher than for standard current accounts. For example, the National Bank of Greece states a €3,000 minimum initial deposit for a simple time deposit. Piraeus Bank states a €5,000 minimum amount for several time deposit products.
Early withdrawal is usually restricted or may reduce the expected return. Some banks allow full or partial early redemption, but charges or loss of interest may apply depending on the product.
Documents required to open a bank account in Greece
The exact list of documents depends on the bank, the client’s status, citizenship, country of tax residence, and purpose of opening the account.
A Greek tax identification number, known as Arithmós Forologikoú Mitróou, AFM, is usually required to open a bank account in Greece. Non-residents can obtain an AFM through the Greek tax authority, either personally or through an authorised representative.
For individuals
Individual applicants for a bank account opening need to provide the following documents:
- certified copy of a valid passport;
- Greek tax identification number, AFM;
- recent bank statement and bank’s letter of good standing that declares the existence of the account and the balance;
- employment certificate that describes the position, shows the salary and the business contact details;
- proof of tax residence issued by the Tax Office.
For companies
Corporate applicants may need to provide the following documents:
- certified passport copies of directors, shareholders, beneficial owners, and authorised signatories;
- Greek tax identification number, AFM;
- company registration and constitutional documents, such as the incorporation certificate, registry extract, articles of association, and certificate of good standing;
- documents confirming the ownership structure and ultimate beneficial owners;
- board or shareholders’ resolution approving the account opening and appointing authorised signatories;
- proof of the company’s registered office address;
- documents confirming business activity, source of funds, and expected account activity, such as contracts, invoices, financial statements, or a corporate bank reference.
Vladlena Baranova,
Head of Legal & AML Compliance Department, CAMS, IMCM
When opening a bank account with our assistance, the investor must sign a power of attorney authorising us to represent them. As part of the document preparation process, our Legal Department legalises the power of attorney.
All supporting documents must be in English and either apostilled or attested by the Greek Embassy in the applicant’s country.
Bank account opening process with Immigrant Invest
The process and timing depend on the bank, the applicant’s profile, and the type of account required. On average, the process takes at least 2 weeks when the process is supported by Immigrant Invest.
Some Greek banks may open accounts faster in simple cases. However, applications involving non-residents, representatives, legalised documents, or additional checks usually take longer, especially if the bank requests extra information.
1+ days
Initial consultation
Immigrant Invest analyses the client’s profile, including residency status, source of funds, and the intended use of the account.
We also help select a suitable Greek bank, taking into account the client’s profile, account purpose, onboarding requirements, fees, and minimum balance conditions.
1—2 weeks
Document preparation
Lawyers provide the applicant with a list of required documents and help prepare them for submission. At this stage, special attention is given to documents confirming the client’s identity, tax position, source of funds, and reason for opening the account.
The client also signs a Power of Attorney so that Immigrant Invest can represent them before the bank and assist with the account opening. The Power of Attorney is then legalised by Immigrant Invest’s Legal Department, which usually takes about 3 to 5 days.
1 day
Registration with the bank
The client’s details are entered into the bank’s system, and the original full set of documents is submitted for review.
1+ weeks
Compliance review
The bank reviews the application, checks the documents, and assesses the client’s profile under its internal compliance and Due Diligence procedures. If the bank asks questions or requests additional documents, Immigrant Invest contacts the client and helps prepare the response.
1+ days
Account opening and activation
Once the bank approves the application, Immigrant Invest completes the remaining formalities with the bank on the investor’s behalf. The bank then opens the account and provides access to its services.
Why choose Immigrant Invest
Immigrant Invest is a licensed investment migration company with experience in cross-border client support and compliance-driven processes. We work strictly in accordance with Greek legislations, including Law No. 4251 of 1 April 2014 and its amendments, Law No. 5038/2023, and Article 64 of Law No. 5100/2024.
The Investment Migration Council certificate confirms that we operate in line with recognised professional and ethical standards.
Your Immigrant Invest team
Our legal and compliance specialists ensure that the bank account opening process is handled smoothly and efficiently.
Eunice Machado Pais
Investment migration expert
Our clients’ reviews
Names and photos of investors have been changed to comply with non-disclosure agreements.