Moving from United Kingdom to Greece
Since Brexit this is a third country move, so the customs relief now depends on the right certificate. Here is the honest brief on costs by road or sea, the transfer of residence relief, the AFM and AMKA you will need, and the visa routes.
A move from the United Kingdom to Greece can go two ways. Road groupage runs a lorry down through France, Italy, and the Balkans or onto a ferry, taking roughly one to two weeks and suiting most household moves to the mainland. A sea container from a port such as Felixstowe or Southampton to Piraeus, the largest port in Greece and the gateway to Athens, takes longer but can be better value for a full home or for the islands.
Since the United Kingdom left the European Union, this is a third country move, which changes the customs picture. Greece grants relief from duty and VAT on used household goods under its transfer of normal residence rules, but you generally need a certificate of transfer of residence, the pistopoiitiko metoikesias, arranged through the Greek consulate in the United Kingdom before you move. Miss that step and the relief gets harder to claim.
Prices below are in pounds and indicative for 2026. Greece uses the euro, so plan for the far side too, from a rental deposit to setting up utilities. 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 the United Kingdom to Greece.
What it really costs to move a household from the United Kingdom to Greece in 2026, as indicative ranges by home size and method. For the mainland, road groupage is often the sweet spot on price and timing.
Indicative 2026 ranges in pounds, door to door, before full packing, premium insurance, and any storage. Road groupage to the mainland is usually cheaper and quicker than sea, while the islands add a ferry leg and cost. Summer is the peak.
Four levers move the number. Volume dominates, so a declutter before the survey is the best saving. Road versus sea trades cost against reach, with groupage lorries efficient to the mainland and a sea container better for a full home or the islands. Island delivery adds a ferry and handling to places like Crete, Rhodes, 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 collection.
Greece to the mainland moves quickly by road, so the certificate and the booking, not the transit, set your pace. Start the consular paperwork early.
Sort the visa and the certificate
If you are not an EU or EEA citizen, confirm your Greek residence route, and apply for the certificate of transfer of residence through the Greek consulate, since this underpins your customs relief.
Survey, quote, and book
Have movers run a video or in home survey, then compare road groupage and sea quotes like for like. Book your slot, because summer space to Greece fills up.
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, and your goods set off by road across Europe or by sea from a UK port to Piraeus. Keep your documents to hand for the Greek customs clearance.
Clear customs and settle
Your goods clear Greek customs against the relief and are delivered. Register for your AFM at the local tax office, your DOY, get your AMKA, and start your residence permit steps if you need one.
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.
Because the United Kingdom is now 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 area 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 the United Kingdom move to Greece.
Since Brexit, British citizens 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
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from the United Kingdom to Greece?
As indicative ranges for 2026, a 2 to 3 bedroom move runs roughly 2,800 to 4,800 pounds as shared groupage and 5,800 to 8,500 pounds for a sole use container, before packing, insurance, and any storage. The mainland by road is usually cheaper than sea, while the islands add a ferry leg. Get a binding quote from a survey.
How long does it take to move from the United Kingdom to Greece?
By road groupage to the mainland, expect about one to two weeks door to door. A sea container from a UK port to Piraeus takes longer, roughly three to six weeks, and the islands add a ferry. Booking lead time, not transit, usually sets the pace, so reserve your slot early in summer.
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. Since Brexit you generally need a certificate of transfer of residence from the Greek consulate. Verify the current conditions with the AADE before you ship.
Do British citizens need a visa to move to Greece?
Yes, for stays beyond ninety days in any one hundred and eighty British citizens now 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.
Is it better to ship to Greece by road or by sea?
For the mainland, road groupage is usually faster and cheaper, since a lorry can run door to door in one to two weeks. A sea container to Piraeus makes more sense for a full four bedroom home or for delivery to an island, where goods transfer to a ferry. A surveyor can price both so you compare like for like.
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 process promptly, and keep your transfer of residence certificate safe for the customs clearance.