Greek Tax Number (AFM) and a Bank Account in Greece for Israeli Investors: How to Obtain Them, Remotely or in Person, and What About a Tax Representative

1What is an AFM, and why can't you proceed without one?

The AFM is every person's identification number in the Greek tax system. Without it there is no real estate transaction, no bank account and no tax payments. Even someone who is not a Greek resident and has no income there needs one from the moment they plan to buy a property.

We meet quite a few investors who reached an understanding with a seller and only then discovered they had no AFM. The result is a delay of weeks, precisely at the stage when the seller is waiting for the deposit. Professional sources in Greece note that a tax number is required for real estate transactions, opening a bank account, purchasing a car and conducting business activity. Later on you will also use it to pay ENFIA, to file the annual property declaration (E9), to report rental income and, in the case of an inheritance, to receive the estate.

2What routes exist for an Israeli resident to obtain an AFM?

There are three main routes: attending the tax office in Greece in person, filing through an attorney-in-fact, and remote identification by video call with the Greek tax authority (AADE). What suits you depends on whether you plan to be in Greece soon and how much flexibility you need.

As to the video route, it is important to be precise: according to a February 2026 publication, the service is intended only for those acting on their own behalf, with no representation by a third party. An application also will not progress if the identity document is not valid or cannot be verified. We recommend checking, just before you apply, whether the service is available in your specific case, as a resident of a country that is not a member of the European Union. Anyone who cannot complete video identification is referred to the tax office.

3How do you prepare a power of attorney in Israel that will be accepted in Greece?

A power of attorney signed in Israel will be accepted in Greece if it is duly authenticated: signature before a notary, an apostille stamp and a Greek translation. An alternative is authentication of the signature at a Greek consulate. Professional sources describe these three routes as accepted: a power of attorney signed in Greece before a Greek notary, a power of attorney signed in the country of residence with an apostille, and signature authentication at a Greek consulate.

1. A valid passport. In Greece, a citizen of a non-EU country is identified by passport. Make sure the Latin spelling of your name is identical in the passport, in the power of attorney and in every other document. A mismatch of a single letter is enough to delay the application.
2. Proof of address. According to professional sources, an address in Greece is not required, and you may declare your address in Israel. It is customary to attach a recent document showing the address.
3. A precise power of attorney. We recommend a focused power of attorney: obtaining the AFM, issuing digital access codes, representation before the tax office and opening a bank account. For signing the purchase transaction itself, it is preferable to have a separate, detailed power of attorney that identifies the property and the terms of the deal.
4. Apostille. Israel and Greece are parties to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, so an apostille replaces consular legalisation.
5. Greek translation. The power of attorney and the apostille must be translated by a certified translation in Greece, or by a translation that the Greek lawyer confirms is accepted.

4What is the difference between the AFM number and the digital access codes?

The AFM is the number. The access codes are what allow you to actually act in the tax authority's online systems (myAADE and Taxisnet). In Greece almost every tax action is now carried out in these systems: filing the E9, paying ENFIA, reporting lease agreements, filing the annual return and applying for discounts. A number without access codes is therefore only half the job.

According to a February 2026 publication, anyone who receives a new AFM automatically receives a security code as well, and the remaining credentials arrive by email. It is worth checking the spam folder too. If a lawyer in Greece is handling matters for you, agree in advance who holds the codes and how they will be passed on to you. The codes belong to you, and you need independent access to your own account status.

5Must an Israeli investor appoint a tax representative in Greece?

As a rule, yes, but an alternative exists. According to the PwC tax summary (updated September 2026), a non-resident appoints a tax representative who is a Greek tax resident by power of attorney, and a corporation cannot serve as a representative. According to another professional source, since September 2024, following a tax authority circular, it is possible to waive the appointment of a representative if you formally declare that you will receive all notices directly at your own contact details.

In practical terms, we recommend a representative. Notices arrive in Greek and refer to Greek law, and the deadlines to respond are short. A notice that is not read in time can turn into a fine, an unchecked charge or a block on a certificate you will need on the day of sale. A good representative, usually an accountant who knows your property, forwards every notice to you with an explanation and a recommended course of action.

6How do you open a bank account in Greece as a non-resident?

First you obtain the AFM and only then approach the bank, because banks in Greece require a tax number to open an account. Beyond that, each bank sets its own know-your-customer requirements. For non-residents they are usually stricter.

• Documents worth preparing: passport, AFM certificate, proof of address in Israel, documents on the source of income or wealth (for example payslips, an annual return or confirmation of the sale of a property), and a written explanation of the account's purpose, such as buying a property, paying taxes and receiving rent.
• Presence: some banks allow part of the process remotely, while others require attending a branch at least once. It is worth coordinating this with the bank in advance and combining the visit with the same trip in which you view properties.
• Joint account: if the property will be registered in the names of two spouses, consider a joint account. That way both the payment receipts and the income will match the ownership structure.
• Online access: make sure you have active online banking from Israel, including an authentication method that works with an Israeli phone number.

7Why is it important to document the inflow of money into Greece?

Because buying a property in Greece may be treated as an "expenditure" that requires showing where the money came from. Someone who does not report income in Greece therefore needs documents proving that the money arrived from outside Greece. Professional guides describe a bank certificate of the inflow of foreign currency into Greece as the accepted means of proof. Without such proof there is a risk that the tax authority will assume the purchase was financed from unreported income. Professional reports also mention a recent ruling of the Greek Council of State that broadens the exposure of non-residents on this issue.

1. Transfer the money from an account in your own name in Israel to an account in your own name in Greece. Do not transfer through a third party, a family member or an undocumented trust account.
2. Keep the international transfer confirmation (SWIFT) and the account statements at both banks.
3. Ask the bank in Greece for a certificate confirming receipt of the funds from abroad, and keep it together with the purchase file.
4. Make sure the amount transferred also covers the taxes and ancillary costs, not just the price of the property.
5. On the Israeli side, the bank may ask about the purpose of the transfer. Prepare the draft agreement or a letter from the lawyer.

8What else should you take into account regarding timing, as of October 2026?

In September 2026 the Greek government announced that the transfer tax on the purchase of a residential property by citizens of countries outside the European Union or the EEA who do not hold permanent resident status will rise from 3% to 15% (about 15.45% including the municipal levy). According to reports, the planned effective date is 1 July 2027. The exemptions that have been published include, among others, EU citizens and holders of permanent resident status. This is an announcement and not a law: as of the date of writing no legislative text has been published, and until it is, the existing rate applies.

An Israeli without a European passport falls within the group at which the announcement is aimed. Even if the date may still move, it is clear that anyone considering a purchase should not lose months on technical preparation. The AFM, the access codes and the bank account can and should be arranged in advance.

9What is the recommended order of actions, and when?

10What to do before signing, and how we accompany the process

Before you sign anything in Greece, it is worth closing off the groundwork: an ownership structure chosen deliberately, an AFM with access codes that are under your control, a tax representative you trust, an active bank account and an orderly file documenting the source of funds. We prepare the power of attorney in Israel so that it is accepted in Greece without rounds of corrections, coordinate with the local lawyers and accountants, and check the expected timing of tax changes against current law. That way the transaction itself begins with the entire technical side already behind you.

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The information in this guide is general in nature and does not constitute legal or tax advice on any specific transaction. Every transaction is assessed on its own facts.