ΔΔ:Residence permit for highly qualified employees (‘E.1’) following approval of the employer’s request – Initial granting

7abdf179-66b2-4c14-935f-105a9c1be480 717966 Άδεια διαμονής υψηλής ειδίκευσης («Ε.1») κατόπιν έγκρισης αιτήματος του εργοδότη – Αρχική χορήγηση

• At a Glance
• Basic information
• Application
• What you will need
• Requirements
• Fees
• Related
• Output
• Steps
• Digital steps
• Other information
• Feedback
• Legislation
• Categories
• Show Procedure
  • Steps
  • Digital Steps

At a glance

Points of service

Available only digitally

Digital provision points

• Online Application

Number of required documents

5

Fees

166 €

Deadline of completion

90 days

Description

The procedure concerns the granting of a residence permit for highly qualified employees and is addressed to third-country nationals entering the country with a national visa following the approval of their employment application by their employers.

Basic information

Competent body

MINISTRY OF IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM

Authority/Public body’s Unit responsible for the institutional framework of the procedure

Service / organizational unit of a authority entity

Directorate for Residence Permits, Directorate General for Migration Policy

Provided to

Foreigners

Related links

Validity duration

Variable subject to conditions

Notes

If the employer has been recognised pursuant to Article 38 of Law 5038/2023, the decision on the application for an ‘EU Blue Card’ is issued and notified no later than thirty (30) days from the date of submission of the complete application.

Last update

01/04/2026

Application

Application Type

Application / Solemn Declaration

Submission by:

Submitted by the applicant (digital)

Submitted by:

Persons

Title

Residence permit for highly qualified employees (‘E.1’) upon approval of a request by the employer

Notes:

The application is submitted online on the special platform of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

What you will need

Means of authentication, identification and signature

email and mobile phone

Print

Requirements

Fees

Related

See also

Approval of employment for a highly qualified third-country national (Article 27 of Law 5038/2023)

Means of redress or appeal:

Administrative appeal

The third-country national concerned has the right to appeal against the rejection decision. The application for treatment should be submitted within two (2) months of service of the decision. Applications for treatment are subject to a fee of EUR fifty (50). The request for treatment is submitted to the department that issued the relevant decision, which decides on it within an exclusive period of thirty (30) days from the date of submission.

Output & Results

Output

Decision, Administrative Act, Digital document production

Steps

Digital steps

Other information

Alternative titles

Granting of a residence permit for highly qualified employees, ‘EU Blue Card’

Official title

Residence permit for highly qualified employees (‘E.1’) following approval of the employer’s request

Languages supported

Greek, English

Legislation

Categories

Τype of procedure

Residence permits

Trigger

Applied for

Trigger (submission method)

Application (digital)

Life events

Staff employment

Type

Outgoing

End of Process

Ιndefinite

   ΔΔ
   
   5
   2
   0

0 4

   0
   
   

   56992
   
   No
   1479600
   1047600
   
   
   Variable subject to conditions
   email and mobile phone
   Other
   411257
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Supporting document

The procedure concerns the granting of a residence permit for highly qualified employees and is addressed to third-country nationals entering the country with a national visa following the approval of their employment application by their employers. 166.00 166.00 5 0 0

   90 days

1 Administrative The applicant must have a valid travel document recognised by the competent Greek authorities and fulfilling the criteria set out in Regulation (EU) 2016/399 ‘Schengen Borders Code’.

No No

2 Administrative The applicant must have the required national visa.

No No

3 Administrative In order for the applicant to obtain a national visa, his/her employment must have been approved by the competent authority of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. In order to obtain an employment authorisation, the employer who is interested in employing the applicant must submit an application and the required supporting documents.

No No

4 Of National Security The applicant must not be considered a threat to public policy, public security or international relations and must not have been registered in national databases as a persona non grata for serious reasons of public policy and security for longer than five years.

No No

5 Health He/she must not pose a risk to public health.

No No

6 Labour He/she must be in possession of a valid highly qualified employment contract in Greece with a duration of at least six (6) months, showing that his/her gross annual salary, as resulting from the monthly or annual salary specified in that contract, is not less than the national minimum wage for highly qualified employment.

No No

7 Professional He/she must have documents certifying the relevant higher professional qualifications in relation to the work to be performed, in the case of non-regulated professions. In case of a regulated profession, he/she must have documents certifying that he/she fulfils the requirements of Presidential Decree 38/2010 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 78) adapting Greek legislation to Directive 2005/36/EC on the recognition of professional qualifications for the pursuit of the profession specified in the employment contract.

No No

8 Insurance He/she must have proof of health insurance for all risks covered for Greek citizens.

No No

9 Time limit The applicant must submit the application for the residence permit after entering the country and before the expiry of the national visa.

No No

10 Identity To submit an application, the applicant must have a mobile telephone number and an email address.

No No

1 Fee for residence permit, EUR 150 150 €

e-Administrative Fee code 2107

Cost Calculation One-off

Method of Payment Bank cashier, Digital (web banking), Digital (debit / credit card), Hellenic Post

Type of Cost e-Administrative Fee

Fee Link https://www1.gsis.gr/sgsisapps/eparavolo/public/create.htm?langId=2

No

2 Charge for a printout of the electronic residence permit 16 €

e-Administrative Fee code 2119

Cost Calculation One-off

Method of Payment Bank cashier, Digital (web banking), Digital (debit / credit card), Hellenic Post

Type of Cost Impost

Fee Link https://www1.gsis.gr/sgsisapps/eparavolo/public/create.htm?langId=2

No

1 A copy of the travel document, bearing the required national visa (VISA D). Passport

A copy of the travel document, bearing the required national visa (VISA D).

Submission by: Submitted by the applicant (digital)

Submitted by: Persons

Document submitted under requirements: No

No 3971

2 Highly qualified employment contract Contract

Highly qualified employment contract

Submission by: Submitted by the applicant (digital)

Submitted by: Persons

Notes: Employment contract for highly qualified employees of at least six (6) months in Greece, with authentication of the employers signature by a public authority, showing that the employees gross annual salary does not fall below the national minimum wage for highly qualified employees, which is equal to one point six (1.6) of the average gross annual salary in Greece.

Document submitted under requirements: No

No 9164

3 Announcement of recruitment in accordance with the applicable provisions. Notification / Announcement / Reporting

Announcement of recruitment in accordance with the applicable provisions.

Submission by: Submitted by the applicant (digital)

Submitted by: Persons

Document submitted under requirements: No

No 5743

4 Certificate that an application has been submitted to the relevant insurance institution for receiving full health insurance for all risks covered for Greek citizens Certificate

Certificate that an application has been submitted to the relevant insurance institution for receiving full health insurance for all risks covered for Greek citizens

Submission by: Submitted by the applicant (digital)

Submitted by: Persons

Document submitted under requirements: No

No 9703

5 One (1) recent colour photograph in hard copy format, which meets the same technical specifications as those applicable to photographs submitted for Greek passports, as in force from time to time, as well as in digital format, either on an optical storage disk (CD) or on a magnetic storage medium (USB stick) in JPEG2000 format. Photograph

One (1) recent colour photograph in hard copy format, which meets the same technical specifications as those applicable to photographs submitted for Greek passports, as in force from time to time, as well as in digital format, either on an optical storage disk (CD) or on a magnetic storage medium (USB stick) in JPEG2000 format.

Relevant link: https://www.gov.gr/ipiresies/polites-kai-kathemerinoteta/stoikheia-polite-kai-tautopoietika-eggrapha/myphoto-gia-polites

Submission by: Submitted by the applicant (digital)

Submitted by: Persons

Document submitted under requirements: No

No 8298

Joint Ministerial Decision 4 95931 2024 1807 Β

Description Listing the specific supporting documents, by category of national visa, and the supporting documents required for granting and renewing residence permits, in accordance with the provisions of Law 5038/2023 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 81).

Legal references https://www.et.gr/api/DownloadFeksApi/?fek pdf=20240201807

Ministerial Decision 1,2 118654 2024 2303 Β

Description Listing the type, content and procedure for the submission of applications, in accordance with the provisions of Article 176(12) of Law 5038/2023, and the way in which third-country nationals can contact the competent services in accordance with Article 176(16) of Law 5038/2023 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 81).

Legal references https://www.et.gr/api/DownloadFeksApi/?fek pdf=20240202303

Circular 6 2024

Description Application of the provisions of Law 5038/2023.

Legal references https://diavgeia.gov.gr/search?advanced=true&query=ada:%229%CE%952%CE%A046%CE%9C%CE%94%CE%A8%CE%9F-%CE%9439%22&page=0

ΑΔΑ 9Ε2Π46ΜΔΨΟ-Δ39

Law 28-41 5038 2023 81 Α

Description Conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purpose of highly qualified employment.

Legal references https://www.et.gr/api/DownloadFeksApi/?fek pdf=20230100081

1 Receipt of the application for a residence permit

Responsible for Implementation Competent Directorate

Μethod of Implementation Software action

Description A third country citizen who has obtained a national visa and has entered the country applies online and submits the necessary documents to be granted a residence permit for a highly qualified employee.

Notes Initially, a request for authorisation of highly qualified employment must be submitted by the employer interested in employing a third-country citizen and the relevant authorisation must have been granted. The relevant procedure is published under code 723227 and title ‘Approval for the employment of highly qualified third-country nationals’ (Article 27 of Law 5038/2023).

No No

PT1H PT1H

2 Transmission to the applicant of proof of submission of his/her application

Responsible for Implementation Competent Directorate

Μethod of Implementation Software action

Description Proof of submission of the online application is provided to the applicant.

No No

PT1H PT1H

3 Checking of supporting documents

Responsible for Implementation Competent Employee

Μethod of Implementation Inspection

Description A check is carried out to verify that the required supporting documents are complete.

No No

P10D P10D

4 Transmission to the applicant of the certificate of submission of an online application for granting a residence permit

Responsible for Implementation Competent Directorate

Μethod of Implementation Software action

Description A certificate of submission of an online application for granting a residence permit is transmitted to the applicant.

No No

PT1H PT1H

5 Examination of the application and biometric data

Responsible for Implementation Competent Employee

Μethod of Implementation Inspection

Description At this stage, the application must be examined and the applicant’s biometric data must be obtained.

No No

P2D P1D

6 Issuance of a residence permit

Responsible for Implementation Competent Director

Μethod of Implementation Signature

Description Following an examination of the application, the residence permit is issued.

Yes Yes

P5D P1D

5

7 Rejection of the application

Responsible for Implementation Competent Director

Μethod of Implementation Signature

Description After the application is reviewed, the application for a residence permit is rejected.

Notes The third-country national concerned has the right to appeal against the rejection decision. The application for treatment must be submitted within two (2) months from service of the decision.

Yes Yes

P5D P1D

5

https://portal.immigration.gov.gr/electronic-applications/ Online Application