WHY CHINESE ARE INTERESTED IN GREECE EMIGRATION BY INVESTMENT

Greece's special residency program has attracted a lot of foreign investors. The countries that are more interested in Greece Emigration and therefore the golden key to all the Schengen countries is first and foremost China with Russia and Turkey following her. Greece is starting to emerge from the economic crisis and has a great importance as a getaway to the European Union. Just so you can perceive the great growth of the investments, the number of foreign awarded a Greek Golden Visa has grown as much as 40% from a year earlier. According to the latest data from end November, a total of 2.170 Golden Visas have been issued directly to foreign investors - and more than 5.000 including their family members - up from 1.522 at the end of 2016.

The active expansion of China into Greek infrastructure can be explained by the affordability of Greek assets. Greece's low real-estate prices have drawn investors mainly from China. But other than the individuals who are looking for investment opportunities in the Greek field as a ticket to the Golden Visa, some great movements have been made from China into Greek investments.

China has been expanding its presence in Greece over the past years. We shall see briefly the most important economic and strategic movements that China has made into the Greek economy.

• One of the largest ports in world COSCO acquired 51% of the Piraeus Port authority in 2016 for €280.5 million. China completed its investment of €350 million in Piraeus port within 5 years. The profit increased from €3.12 million at the beginning of the acquisition to approximately €48.0 million in 2017.
• In June 2017, State Grid Corp. purchased a 24% stake in state-owned power grid operator ADMIE for €320 million.
• China's e-commerce giant Alibaba came to Greece on September 14 for the Athens Professional Chamber of Commerce event. Sources said that the company was looking for investing in Greece but nothing is yet confirmed.
• The world's biggest lender, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), is negotiating for the license to operate in Greece. It has been said that ICBC's interest will be investments in the banking industry and infrastructure while also the fund of Greek projects and not only those of the Chinese companies that are located in Greece.
• Chinese conglomerate Fosun along with partners from Abu Dhabi has now received approval from the Greek government for the casino in Hellinikon. The location is where the old airport was. The investment is named to reach the amount of €7.9 billion.
• In 2017 China's state-owned coal and power giant Shenhua Group has bought 75% of the shares of four wind parks developed by Greek investment firm Copelouzos Group. The Chinese and Greek side of the arrangement did not disclose the amount of the investment but they will together come to a number including several investments in green energy and on upgrades to power plants. The total estimated value will come up to €3.0 billion.

China's financial activities in Greece can be explained by the affordability of the Greek assets and its favorable geographical location that makes it an important trading partner and transportation gateway for the New Silk Road between Europe and the Middle East.

So back to the individuals that choosing to emigrate in Greece by real estate or general investment there are some points that make Greece the best choice. Just so you can perceive the likeness of the Chinese people 44% of the Greek Golden Visas have been awarded to them- and it is not just that. They make investments in Greek real estate and business with amounts that most of the times are twice or three times more than the minimum of 250.000€ that they have to spend. On average, Chinese golden visa applicants spend 550.000€ - 600.000€. Also, when it comes to real estate they prefer buying newly built residential real estate located at the center of big cities, near beaches, close to historical monuments such as Acropolis, shops and transport spots.

So, why you should consider Greece Emigration by Investment?

The reasons are numerous and Greece is a great choice considering its geographical location, affordable prices, and the Mediterranean climate. But we will focus on the main advantages that you will obtain with the Greek residency.

1. Climate

Greece is very well known for its Mediterranean climate. There is something special about this country that cannot even be compared to its neighboring Mediterranean countries like Portugal, Spain, and Malta.

2. Hight Quality of Life

If you have visited Greece before, you probably know what we are referring to. Greek people have a different worldview than most countries. They can make great things from scratch and they are loving their home country for what it's offering to them. They are known for their hospitality and their great cuisine. No wonder why they live for many years and are healthy and happy. Lastly, do not forget about its unique natural beauty, sandy beaches, and local ingredients.

3. Good Health Care System

Greece is known for its great health care system compared with its neighboring countries. There is a well organized public health care system and the private healthcare insurances are excellent with reasonable prices.

4. Higher Education Opportunities

When it comes to education in Greece, you can choose between public and private. The access to the public educational institutes needs quite demanding exams but the education itself is free of cost. On the other hand, private education and universities most of the times do not demand entrance exams and the fees depend on your choice. There are some colleges that are really expensive and very well known and others that are a lot more economical. Some of our public and private universities have programs specifically designed and organised for foreign students. There is no need to mention that, Greek Golden Visa holders enjoy the same rights to higher education as the Greek citizens.

5. Safe Place

Greece has a low crime indicator. It is ideal for families with children and for everyone who wants to travel or stay in a country and live care freely. Greece is a politically stable country and its visitors have nothing to worry about when it comes to their staying especially if they are holders of the golden visa. Big cities such as Athens, Plaka, and Thessaloniki give you the feeling of a constant vacation climate. Especially in the summer season, people tend to stay outdoors until early in the morning.

6. Unique Investment Opportunity

The economic crisis in Greece apart from hardships offers the opportunity to non-E.U citizens to invest in European countries. There is a great chance for them to do it now that the real estate prices in Greece are at their lowest. According to the Bank of Greece Monetary Policy report for the first quarter of 2013 from the begging of the crisis in 2008 house prices have dropped by 29,4%. Greece is also a unique opportunity for investors since the tax for property transfers has dropped from 10% το 3%.

7. Citizenship

When applying for the Greek Golden Visa, you should be aware of the fact that you have the right to apply for Greek citizenship after 7 years. Notice that: You are not obliged to spend even one day in Greece after the Visas publication but you still have the right to apply for the citizenship. That does not occur in other countries too.

8. Generation Support

The Greek Golden Visa supports three generation. With the applicant, his parents, spouse, and children under 21 years old also obtain a visa.

9. Low-cost access to the E.U

A lot of European countries have offered non E.U citizens access to Europe through Golden Visas. Greece is also one of the Schengen countries that you can apply for the Golden Visa. It is the cheapest one since the minimum of the investment that you have to make is 250.000€. Portugal offers a program for residency that starts at 350.000€ and Cyprus offers two programs. The first one is for the residency by investment that starts at 300.000€. The second one is about the Cypriot citizenship that requires a €2.0 million investment in real estate and you can have it after 6 months.