Contents
AFM, Taxisnet Access Code & Greek Bank Account
Before anything in a Greek property purchase can move, three things must be in place. This is how you get them.
Before buying property in Greece, you will need a Greek tax number (AFM) and a Taxisnet access code. A Greek bank account is how most buyers hold their purchase funds — but it is not a legal requirement. This guide explains how to obtain all three, why the order matters, and when a foreign account may work instead.
No deed can be signed without an AFM. No transfer tax can be paid without a Taxisnet account. No Taxisnet account without an access code. No access code without an AFM. A Greek bank account is how most buyers hold their purchase funds — not a legal requirement, but the practical default. If you plan to use a foreign account, raise it with your notary before the pre-contract.
1. The AFM: Your Legal Identity in Greece
The AFM is Greece's tax registration number — the equivalent of the UK's UTR, Australia's TFN, or the US ITIN. As a property buyer, nothing you need to do in Greece is possible without one:
Property Purchase
No notary can draw up a purchase deed without your AFM. It is a mandatory element of the deed.
Payment of Transfer Tax
Transfer tax is paid electronically via Taxisnet. To access Taxisnet, you need an access code — and to get the access code, you need an AFM first.
Opening a Greek Bank Account
If you open a Greek bank account, every bank will require your AFM. Most buyers do — it is the simplest way to hold purchase funds and pay transfer tax. A foreign account is an option; discuss it with your notary before the pre-contract.
Golden Visa Application
The electronic Golden Visa application through Enterprise Greece is linked to your AFM. Full guide to the Golden Visa →
For a dedicated guide on obtaining an AFM, see: Obtaining a Greek tax number from abroad →
How is an AFM obtained from abroad?
The application goes through myAADE, Greece's tax authority platform. Identity verification is by video call — your representative appears before a tax officer online; no visit to a tax office is required.
What documents are required?
- Valid passport (copy — for EU nationals, a national identity card is sufficient).
- Home-country tax identification number — UK: UTR or National Insurance number; Australia: Tax File Number (TFN); USA: SSN, EIN or ITIN.
- Full overseas residential address and email address.
- Specific authorisation of a representative for obtaining an AFM and applying for an access code — in a single document. Issued by a Greek notary or Consulate.
- Declaration of acceptance by the representative (via gov.gr or a Citizens' Service Centre, with certified signature authentication).
2. Tax Representative: Optional in Law, Essential in Practice
Until recently, a tax representative was compulsory for every overseas taxpayer. Decision A.1069/2024 changed this: you can now skip the representative if you agree to receive tax authority notifications directly — in which case your file moves to KEFODE Attica, the central non-residents office.
- Competent tax office: the central KEFODE Attica, without personalised assistance.
- Tax authority notifications arrive directly to you — in Greek.
- Requires personally monitoring Taxisnet from abroad.
- Any change of address or contact details must be updated solely by you.
- Competent tax office: the one covering the representative, typically in Attica.
- Notifications are received by a professional who understands them and acts immediately.
- Continuous Taxisnet monitoring without requiring your daily involvement.
- Continuity of service even if you change country of residence.
The tax representative deals with the Greek tax authority and nothing else: receiving notices, filing declarations, liaising with KEFODE. They cannot sign contracts, move funds, or act for you in any other capacity. Anything beyond that requires a separate power of attorney.
3. Powers of Attorney: What Each Requires
One document can cover both purposes — but only if it is drafted that way from the start. The tax authority and the bank have different requirements. Get it wrong for one and you go back to the Consulate. For the full chain to work, the power of attorney must cover both from the outset.
Tax Authority — Core Requirements
- Explicit authority: "to represent me for the purposes of obtaining an AFM and appointing a tax representative".
- Full identification of the principal: full name, passport details, father's/mother's name, overseas residential address.
- Contact details: email/phone, if you opt not to appoint a representative for notifications.
Bank — Stricter Requirements
- Explicit banking authority: "to open, operate, and close bank account(s) in my name", with express reference to deposits, withdrawals, and transfers. Where the bank provides a standard POA template, use it — deviation is the most common reason a document is rejected.
- Full details that the bank typically checks: occupation, source of income/funds, and permanent residential address — not merely a name.
- Valid passport: banks rarely accept alternative identification documents that the tax authority may accept.
One Draft, Covering Both
We prepare a single draft that covers both — tax authority and bank — and send it electronically to you or your nearest Greek Consulate. Ready within 48 hours of receiving your details.
Request a Draft Power of Attorney4. The 4-Step Chain
Transfer tax is set at 3.09% of the purchase price. The one exception — where the property's official assessed value is higher than the agreed price — is uncommon.
Unlike Stamp Duty, Transfer Duty, or their US equivalents, Greek transfer tax must be paid before the deed is signed, not after. It can only be paid through Taxisnet, which is why the AFM and access code must be in place first.
Most buyers hold their purchase funds in a Greek bank account. A foreign account is not prohibited — but discuss it with your notary before the pre-contract, not after.
The 4-Step Chain
Step 1
AFM
myAADE
1–3 days
Step 2
Access Code
Taxisnet
same day
Step 3
eGov
Bank
verification
Step 4
Account
Greek
Bank
Each step depends on the one before it. The sequence does not change.
| Stage | Where | What you need | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. AFM | myAADE / Non-Residents Tax Office | Specific representative authorisation, passport, home-country TIN | 1–5 working days |
| 2. Access Code | myAADE (online) | AFM + Greek mobile number for SMS | Same day |
| 3. eGov | Digitally (within the bank's app) or at a branch | Taxisnet credentials for the bank to retrieve your details automatically | Same day |
| 4. Account | Greek bank (branch or online) | AFM, passport, proof of residence, power of attorney (if acting through a representative) | 1–3 working days |
What requires travel — and what does not
Steps 1 and 2 require no travel to Greece. For Step 4, banks require either your physical presence at the branch for the first visit, or a notarial power of attorney with explicit banking authority. If you are in Athens, we can schedule signing at our office; Eurobank, Alpha Bank, and Piraeus Bank can typically open an account the same or following day. Prepare your KYC documents — identity, address, source of funds — before you arrive; that is where delays happen. Full guide to buying property in Greece →
5. The Notary's Role: The "Draft"
The Draft is the document we prepare — worded precisely for the tax authority, the bank, and the property purchase — and send abroad for your signature. If you are in Athens for any reason, signing at our office is faster: no apostille required.
Greece maintains consular posts in most countries. Taking the Draft to your nearest one is the simplest route — the consular stamp is sufficient. Where no post is accessible, a local notary can execute the document, which must then be apostilled under the Hague Convention.
Our Process
- Drafting: We produce the document within 24–48 hours of receiving your details, correctly worded for both the Greek tax authority and your chosen bank.
- Delivery: Sent electronically to you and directly to your nearest Greek Consulate or local notary, with instructions for signature and authentication.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
One document can cover both — provided it is drafted to do so from the start. The tax authority and the bank have different requirements; knowing which bank you will use before we draft means we can request their template and match it exactly.
From drafting to AFM issuance: typically 5–10 working days. The video verification step — myAADElive — usually takes 1–3 working days. Having all documents ready before we begin is the only variable that affects the timeline.
No. The tax representative deals with the Greek tax authority only — correspondence and compliance. For anything else, a separate power of attorney is required.
The change is made electronically via myAADE by filing a new representative appointment. Notify the outgoing representative in writing and confirm the new registration has been accepted by the tax authority before considering the handover complete.
Yes. The system accepts a ten-digit number without an international prefix — a Greek mobile number. If you do not have one, the tax representative can use their own to receive the code during registration.
All intellectual property rights belong exclusively to pachounotary.gr. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
