Greek Officials Announce: 38,000 Chinese Citizens Hold Valid Residence Permits

The Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum has released the latest immigration data up to July 31, 2025. According to the report, Greece is home to 901,536 legal migrants, including EU citizens, members of the Greek diaspora, third-country nationals, and recognized refugees. Among them, the Chinese community stands out as one of the largest groups.

38,000 Chinese Citizens Legally Living in Greece

The report shows that 38,596 Chinese citizens currently hold valid residence permits in Greece. Of these, 18,612 are men and 19,984 are women, showing a relatively balanced gender ratio.

Chinese nationals make up 7.6% of all third-country migrants, ranking second after Albanians in the list of non-EU legal residents.

Albanians Still the Largest Migrant Group

Albanians remain the largest migrant community in Greece, accounting for 53% of all third-country nationals. Chinese citizens take the second place, followed by migrants from Pakistan, Georgia, Bangladesh, Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, the Philippines, and Turkey.

• Migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt are mostly men.
• Migrants from Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia are mostly women.
• Filipino women outnumber men by more than two to one.

In contrast, the gender balance is more even among Chinese, Albanian, and Turkish migrants.

Over 280,000 Residence Permits Still Pending

As of July 2025, there are more than 280,000 residence permit applications still waiting for approval, highlighting the growing demand for legal migration to Greece.

Golden Visa Program: Over 65,000 Residents

The Greek Golden Visa program continues to attract investment migrants:

• 23,221 main investors (13,400 men and 9,821 women)
• 42,035 family members

This means more than 65,000 people are living in Greece thanks to Golden Visas.
Chinese investors remain the largest group, followed by applicants from Turkey and Russia. In recent years, investors from Lebanon, the UK, the US, and Israel have also grown significantly.

Refugees and Protection Status Holders: 91,000+

By July 2025, Greece hosted 91,562 refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection with a unified residence permit (ΑΔΕΤ). Most come from Afghanistan, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, and Eritrea. These permits allow access to healthcare, housing, social security, and work.

Greece’s Migration Picture

• Legal migrants in total: over 900,000
• Golden Visa holders and families: over 65,000
• Refugees and protection status holders: over 91,000

These numbers show Greece’s growing multicultural society and underline the country’s role in managing migration, attracting investment, and supporting refugees.

For Chinese citizens, whether through residence permits or Golden Visa investment, Greece is becoming an increasingly important destination for both migration and investment.

Cre: 希中网