Digital banks like Revolut and N26 are fine for daily life in Europe, but moving to Greece long-term usually still means getting a traditional Greek bank account.
Why? Strictly speaking, Greek taxes can be paid from any SEPA account (AADE publishes the IBANs and payment codes) and since September 2024 refunds can go to a foreign SEPA IBAN. In practice, EFKA contributions, utility direct debits, IRIS (Greece’s instant phone-number payment system) and some payroll systems work most reliably with a Greek IBAN. Refusing a foreign SEPA IBAN breaches EU Regulation 260/2012, but you will still run into it.
The short answer
- You need an AFM first. No Greek bank opens an account for a newcomer without one.
- Bring: passport (or EU ID card), recent proof of address, proof of income or profession, and a phone number in your name.
- Remote opening is possible through Alpha’s video-call programme (residents of selected countries, currently Germany, the UK, the USA, Canada, Switzerland, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, Cyprus and Israel) or Eurobank’s international app onboarding (if you live and work in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland and hold an ID or passport from there). Otherwise it is one branch visit.
- Neobank IBANs work for daily life, but EFKA, direct debits and IRIS run most smoothly with a Greek IBAN.
Prerequisite: you need an AFM
Before you approach a bank, get your Greek tax number (AFM). Banks must record a tax number for every customer, and in practice no Greek bank will open an account for a newcomer without one. Buying property? See AFM for property buyers and non-residents.
Under the Bank of Greece identification rules the bank must verify identity, address, phone number, profession and tax number, so bring:
- Your valid passport (EU citizens: national ID card also works).
- Recent proof of your home address: a utility bill from your home country, or your Greek rental contract as registered with AADE.
- Proof of income or profession: a recent payslip, employer letter, tax return, or business registration if self-employed.
- A phone number you can prove is yours (a phone bill). A Greek SIM is not a legal requirement, but it makes app setup easier: Alpha’s in-app onboarding, for example, asks for a Greek mobile number.
Foreign documents may need an apostille and a translation into Greek or English.
The four major Greek banks
Greece’s banking sector is consolidated into four systemic banks.
Piraeus Bank
- Best for: physical reach.
- Why: the largest branch network in the country (368 branches at end-2025), including islands and rural areas, and no monthly fee on payment accounts.
Alpha Bank
- Best for: opening an account before you arrive.
- Why: Alpha runs a remote onboarding programme for residents of selected countries, currently Germany, the UK, the USA, Canada, Switzerland, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, Cyprus and Israel: online form, document upload, a 30-minute video call, and account, e-banking and debit card typically ready within about two business days. Onboarding runs in English or Greek.
Eurobank
- Best for: people living and working in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland with an ID or passport from there.
- Why: its international app onboarding is open to people who live and work in a country on its document list (the 27 EU states, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland) and hold an ID or passport issued by one of them. You need that ID or passport, your latest tax return from your country of residence, proof of employment (freelancers: a recent social insurance certificate) and a utility or phone bill from the last six months, plus a short video call. The international customers unit runs a dedicated phone line, EuroPhone International Banking.
National Bank of Greece (NBG)
- Best for: tradition and stability.
- Why: the oldest bank in the country (founded 1841) with the second-largest network (305 branches). Bureaucracy can feel more rigid, and non-residents will usually need to visit a branch.
Can I open an account remotely?
Sometimes, and it depends less on your passport than on where you currently live.
- Most in-app onboarding is not for newcomers. The “open an account from your phone” flows at Piraeus and Alpha are built for people with a Greek ID card, TAXISnet login and Greek tax residency. Eurobank’s international onboarding is the exception, for people who live and work in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland and hold an ID or passport from there.
- Remote onboarding programmes: Alpha’s video-call route covers residents of selected countries, currently Germany, the UK, the USA, Canada, Switzerland, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, Cyprus and Israel. Greek citizenship is not required.
- Power of attorney: some banks let a representative in Greece, usually a lawyer, open the account on your behalf. Banks often insist on their own wording, and you may still need one visit to sign.
- Branch visit: for everyone else, a branch appointment with the documents above, often done in one visit.
Banking fees
Transaction fees dropped sharply in 2025 after government intervention, while three of the four big banks moved accounts into small monthly packages. As of 2026:
- Account maintenance: Eurobank charges €0.60/month and Alpha and NBG €0.80/month for their account packages; Piraeus charges nothing on payment accounts. Alpha and Eurobank waive the fee if your salary or pension is paid in or you hold €10,000 or more. In 2026 Athens courts found that Alpha and NBG had not informed customers properly before switching them to these packages; both suspended the charge pending new notices, and appeals are pending, so check what applies to your account.
- ATM withdrawals: since 11 August 2025, withdrawing at another Greek bank’s ATM is free if your card was issued by a Greek bank, and independent ATMs (Euronet and similar) are capped at €1.50 for those cards. Foreign cards (Revolut, N26, Wise) are not covered by either rule.
- Transfers: since January 2025, domestic transfers to other Greek banks up to €5,000 cost €0.50 for the sender and €0.50 for the receiver; instant transfers cost the same as standard ones.
- IRIS: instant phone-number payments between individuals are free, with limits of €1,000 per day and €5,000 per month since 15 January 2026. All businesses, including companies, have had to accept IRIS since 1 December 2025.
- Incoming wire transfers from outside the SEPA zone may still incur receiving fees.
What about neobanks?
Revolut, N26 and Wise give Greek customers foreign IBANs (Revolut’s are Lithuanian). They work for cards and most transfers, but not for IRIS, and occasionally get rejected by payroll or EFKA-related systems.
Two things are changing. Snappi, a Piraeus-backed digital bank licensed by the ECB, launched in September 2025 with Greek IBANs, initially for Greek taxpayers. And Revolut received approval for a Greek branch in July 2026, with Greek IBANs announced for “the coming months” but no launch date confirmed. Until they arrive, a traditional bank is the safe choice for your tax and EFKA setup.
Frequently asked questions
Can a non-resident open a bank account in Greece?
Yes. You need a Greek tax number (AFM), a passport or EU ID card, recent proof of address, proof of income or profession and a phone number in your name. Most non-residents open the account in one branch visit; some banks offer remote onboarding.
Do I need an AFM to open a bank account in Greece?
Yes. Greek banks must record a tax number for every customer, and in practice none will open an account for a newcomer without a Greek AFM.
Can I open a Greek bank account remotely?
Sometimes. Alpha Bank runs a video-call onboarding programme for residents of selected countries (currently Germany, the UK, the USA, Canada, Switzerland, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, Cyprus and Israel), and Eurobank’s international app onboarding is open to people who live and work in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland and hold an ID or passport issued there. Other in-app flows are built for Greek residents with a Greek ID and TAXISnet login.
Can I pay Greek taxes and EFKA from Revolut or Wise?
Greek taxes can be paid from any SEPA account, and refunds can go to a foreign SEPA IBAN. In practice, EFKA contributions, utility direct debits and IRIS payments work most reliably with a Greek IBAN.
Next steps
Secure your AFM first, then choose your route: Alpha’s remote onboarding or Eurobank’s international unit if you need an account before you arrive, a branch visit otherwise. Once your Greek IBAN is open and you start working, taxomade’s ongoing bookkeeping starts from €89/month: we prepare and file your myDATA submissions, VAT returns and annual tax return. Send us a message for a free compliance check.
Rules as of November 2026 (Bank of Greece Banking and Credit Committee decision 281/2009, 2025 bank-fee caps, banks’ published onboarding programmes).