Opening a Greek bank account

@geraniumgift very correct - I did manage to open up local bank accounts with the help of a friend but it is all a matters like this overly complicated in greece - if you have to open bank accounts find someone reliable that can help!!!

@geraniumgift You did not have to obtain a Golden Visa or Financially independent visa because you are Dutch.  I believe those who say that generally are people for whom the Greek regulations require it in order to obtain permanent residency through Golden Visa or investment or other visa.  Also- is it a vacation residence or are you a tax resident?  I wonder if you have to have one of you are a tax resident?

tell me about your health care.  If you are a tax resident living their full time, did you have to go through bureaucracy to move from a European Blue card (I think that is what it is called but not sure) to a Greek health care card to access all public health hospitals?  (As opposed to using the private system with your blue card). 

Do you have an AMKA?

A Greek bank account is useful for paying property taxes. The way it is set up you can only pay property taxes through a Greek bank. The Tax Authority has promised that they will open up the process to foreign banks however I have not heard if that has happened yet. Does anyone have any news on this subject as I haven't heard the latest?

@greghomatas That's what I also heard.  I thought that I had to have a Greek bank account to get an AFN -- is this true?

Actually, you need to go to the exterior tax office if you are a foreigner to apply for an AFM. Then once you have all the documents required by the bank including an AFM, you apply to a Greek bank for an account.

@greghomatas Super helpful. Thanks a ton.

Hello again,

As a Dutch national I am an EU citizen. From this point I would like to explain again my opinion and personal experience.

During the "years" of building my home in Greece I had to open an IKA file and be registered in the tax office in order to receive a tax number [ΑΦΜ]. From the beginning I was required to open a bank account here in Greece. The real estate agent, the architect told me that I must do that for IKA...Everybody told me that I must open a Greek bank account.

:-)) I happily listened to my own sense and due to that did not open the said account.

The tax number is needed once you hold a property in Greece and it  does not matter if you live all year round or on vacation.Concerning IKA - here you must pay from a Greek bank account or cash money. I gave the last one to my lawyer and she went to the IKA office and paid.

Keep Simple, Avoid Complication.

Living permanently in Greece - moving from my home land to an EU country, Greece requires two important things:

i. Taxpayer Identification Number [TIN] - from now on you do your tax declaration in Greece

ii. Health insurance - by a simple online step in my homeland I received S1 form. This form is necessary to obtain your health insurance in Greece, you get an AMKA number.  Here too I asked my lawyer to arrange it. You do that in the city hall.

TIP: it is recommended to set up complementary healthcare with a private agent. In this way you are 100% covered with the hope never to use it!