Moving from Canada to Greece
A transatlantic sea move where the customs relief depends on the right certificate. Here is the honest brief on container costs, the transfer of residence relief, the AFM and AMKA you will need, and the visa routes for Canadians.
A move from Canada to Greece travels by sea, usually from Montreal or Halifax across the Atlantic and into the Mediterranean to Piraeus, the largest port in Greece and the gateway to Athens. A realistic door to door window is five to nine weeks. Air freight handles the essentials you need on arrival while the household follows in a shared or full container, and the islands add a ferry leg at the far end.
The customs picture turns on your paperwork. Greece grants relief from duty and VAT on used household goods under its transfer of normal residence rules, but as a third country mover from Canada you generally need a certificate of transfer of residence, the pistopoiitiko metoikesias, arranged through the Greek consulate in Canada before you move. Miss that step and the relief becomes hard to claim.
Prices below are in Canadian dollars and indicative for 2026. Greece uses the euro, so plan for the far side too, from a rental deposit to utility setup. Two early errands define settling in, getting your AFM tax number and your AMKA social security number, because almost nothing official happens without them.
What it costs to move from Canada to Greece.
What it really costs to move a household from Canada to Greece in 2026, as indicative ranges by home size and shipping method. Volume and whether you share a container drive the number far more than distance.
Indicative 2026 ranges in Canadian dollars, door to door by sea, before full packing, premium insurance, and any storage. Volume, season, the port pair, and island delivery move the figure. Summer is the peak, so book early.
Four levers move the number. Volume dominates, so a hard declutter before the survey saves the most. Shared versus sole use trades cost against timing, with groupage cheaper but tied to a consolidation schedule and a full container faster. Island delivery adds a ferry and handling to places like Crete or the Cyclades. And access in Greece matters, since narrow village lanes or a top floor flat in Athens with no lift add labour at delivery.
A realistic schedule, working back from the sailing.
Work back from the sailing date. The visa and the transfer of residence certificate drive the early weeks, and the transatlantic transit fills the middle.
Sort the visa and the certificate
Confirm your Greek residence route as a third country national, and apply for the certificate of transfer of residence through the Greek consulate in Canada, since this underpins your customs relief.
Survey, quote, and book
Have movers run a video or in home survey, then compare shared and sole use quotes like for like. Confirm Montreal or Halifax and the sailing to Piraeus, and book early for summer.
Prepare papers and declutter
Assemble your passport, residence documents, the transfer of residence certificate, and a valued inventory. Sell or donate what is not worth the freight, because volume is the cost.
Pack and load
The crew packs and loads the container, which sails from eastern Canada across the Atlantic to Piraeus. Keep your documents ready for the Greek customs clearance.
Clear customs and settle
Your goods clear Greek customs against the relief and are delivered, with an extra ferry leg for the islands. Register for your AFM at the local tax office, your DOY, get your AMKA, and start your residence permit steps.
Clearing your goods into Greece.
Greece allows people moving their normal residence to import used household goods and personal effects free of customs duty and VAT, under transfer of residence rules administered by the customs service of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue, the AADE. To qualify you generally need to have lived outside the European Union for at least twelve months, to have owned and used the goods for at least six months, and to import them within twelve months of settling.
As a mover from Canada, outside the European Union, the practical key is the certificate of transfer of residence, the pistopoiitiko metoikesias, which you arrange through the Greek consulate covering your province before you move. You support the clearance with that certificate, your passport, proof you are establishing residence, and a detailed valued inventory in the form customs expects. Missing or late paperwork is the usual reason relief is refused.
Restricted and prohibited categories include weapons, certain plants and foods, and protected species items, so check before you pack. A vehicle can be brought but has its own registration, tax, and roadworthiness steps in Greece, so treat it as a separate project. Keep your certificate and inventory together, because the customs office will want both.
How people from Canada move to Greece.
Canadians are third country nationals in Greece and need a residence route for stays beyond ninety days in any one hundred and eighty. These are the routes movers on this corridor most often use.
For people who can support themselves from pensions, savings, or passive income without working in Greece, a common route for retirees and the financially independent.
- Type
- Residence
- Basis
- Stable income
- Work
- Not in Greece
- Renews
- Yes
A residence by investment route, most often through buying property above a set threshold, granting residence for the investor and family without a work requirement.
- Type
- Investment
- Basis
- Property
- Family
- Included
- Work
- Not required
For remote employees and freelancers working for clients outside Greece who meet the income threshold, letting you live in Greece while working abroad.
- Type
- Remote work
- Basis
- Foreign income
- Threshold
- Applies
- Stay
- Renewable
For those with a Greek job offer and work permit, and for family reunification with a resident or Greek national, the standard employment and family categories.
- Type
- Work or family
- Needs
- Offer or sponsor
- Leads to
- Residence
- Start
- Before you move
How to choose a mover for this route, with no names attached.
This site never names, ranks, or recommends a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that separates a safe international mover from a risky one. Apply it to every quote you receive.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from Canada to Greece?
As indicative ranges for 2026, a 2 to 3 bedroom move runs roughly 5,000 to 9,000 Canadian dollars as a shared container and 10,000 to 16,000 dollars for a sole use container, before packing, insurance, and any storage. Volume is the biggest factor. Get a binding quote from a survey.
How long does shipping from Canada to Greece take?
Expect about five to nine weeks door to door. Goods sail from Montreal or Halifax across the Atlantic to Piraeus, then clear customs before delivery, with an added ferry leg for the islands. A full container is at the faster end, a shared container slower because it waits for a consolidated load.
Do I pay duty on my belongings when moving to Greece?
Used household goods can usually be imported free of duty and VAT under Greece's transfer of residence rules if you have lived outside the EU for twelve months, owned and used the goods for six months, and import within twelve months of settling. As a Canadian you generally need a certificate of transfer of residence from the Greek consulate. Verify the current conditions with the AADE before you ship.
Do Canadians need a visa to move to Greece?
Yes, for stays beyond ninety days in any one hundred and eighty Canadians need a Greek residence route. Common ones are the Financially Independent Person visa, the Golden Visa, the Digital Nomad visa, and work or family routes. Confirm your route with the Greek consulate before you move.
Can I bring my car from Canada to Greece?
It is possible but seldom simple. A North American vehicle must meet Greek and EU registration, tax, and roadworthiness requirements, and the freight is costly, so the landed total often exceeds buying locally. Many movers sell in Canada and buy in Greece. Treat any vehicle as a separate decision and confirm the rules first.
What do I need to set up first when I arrive in Greece?
Get your AFM tax number from the local tax office, the DOY, and your AMKA social security number, because banking, utilities, a lease, and healthcare all depend on them. If you need a residence permit, start that promptly, and keep your transfer of residence certificate safe for the customs clearance.