Engineer Report for a Greece Golden Visa Conversion Project: What It Must Confirm

An engineer’s report is one of the most important documents in a EUR 250,000 Greece Golden Visa commercial-to-residential conversion purchase. It connects the physical property with the building file, the change-of-use evidence and the residence application. It should not be treated as a formality added after a marketing decision has already been made.

Why the engineer’s report matters

The special EUR 250,000 route depends on more than a completed-looking apartment. The current official procedure expects an engineer’s report that identifies the relevant building-permit act, approval, update or revision and confirms the conversion of the main spaces from their previous use to residential use. The report must correspond to the actual unit, title and transaction presented with the application.

This creates a practical discipline for buyers: do not rely only on an architectural rendering, a sales brochure or an informal statement that a project is “Golden Visa eligible”. Request a coordinated legal and technical review before entering a binding contract.

What the report should establish

Identification of the exact property

The report should connect the unit being purchased with the legal description, floor, plans and cadastral or title material. A report about a different unit, a general building statement or an earlier project phase may not be enough for the buyer’s file.

Prior use and residential conversion

The engineer should describe the property’s prior use and the documented conversion of its main spaces to residential use. The relevant permit act, approval, update or revision should be identified accurately. Where a permit is older or has been revised, the report should explain which document is being relied upon and why it is current for the unit.

Consistency with the completed condition

The physical site, approved plans and contractual specification should align. A buyer should be alert to unapproved enclosed spaces, changed layouts, incomplete common works or different unit boundaries. These may affect the transfer file, the engineer’s certification or later property use even where the marketing presentation appears finished.

Industrial-history evidence where relevant

If the property involves a building with an industrial history, the official procedure requires the engineer’s report to address whether industrial activity was installed and operating during the relevant preceding five years. Depending on the case, evidence may include public-authority material such as electricity-disconnection information or tax documentation. This should be assessed with the lawyer and engineer, not guessed from the building’s appearance.

Independent review before purchase

A seller or developer may have an engineer who prepared the project file. That work is important, but a buyer may still benefit from an independent review that tests the documents against the specific contract and planned residence application. The independent reviewer can ask targeted questions about plans, permits, deviations, common areas, utility status, handover and the wording needed for the transaction.

The purpose is not to create delay for its own sake. It is to identify issues while the buyer still has contractual leverage. A well-organised review also makes it easier to hand a coherent file to the immigration lawyer after completion.

Technical due-diligence checklist

1. Obtain the proposed title, floor plan and building identification for the exact unit.
2. Request the change-of-use and building-permit material relied on for the route.
3. Ask the engineer to identify the permit act, approval, update or revision in writing.
4. Compare the physical condition, approved plans and contract specification.
5. Clarify unfinished works, utilities, common areas, access and handover conditions.
6. Where relevant, obtain the additional industrial-history evidence required by the current procedure.
7. Coordinate the technical findings with the lawyer, notary and payment-plan review.

Questions buyers should ask

• Who prepared the engineer’s report and who will sign the property-specific version?
• Can the report and its supporting documents be reviewed before reservation?
• Does the planned contract identify the same unit and surfaces as the technical file?
• What happens if the unit differs from plans or specification at handover?
• What evidence remains to be produced before the residence application can be filed?

Related Santheos resources

Use this guide with our article on EUR 250,000 conversion eligibility and the Greece Golden Visa Encyclopedia. You can also browse current Santheos conversion projects and request a project-specific discussion before taking a reservation decision.

Editorial note and official sources

Prepared by: Santheos Research & Project Team.
Last reviewed: August 2026.
Important: This article is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Eligibility is subject to final legal review and the rules in force at filing.

• Greek Government Mitos registry: permanent Golden Visa (change of use) – initial issuance
• Greek Ministry Circular 9/2024

Discuss a technical and project-specific review with Santheos.