Greek AFM: Tax Code for Foreign Investors and the Registration Process

The Greek AFM (short for Arithmós Forologikoú Mitróou) is a 9-digit personal tax number issued by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue of Greece. It is the first mandatory financial identification document a Vietnamese investor must obtain before taking part in any civil or commercial transaction in Greece — including buying property, opening a bank account, signing a lease, registering for utilities, and, in particular, filing a Golden Visa application.

This article looks in detail at what the Greek AFM is, when it is mandatory, how to apply from Vietnam, the documents required, the processing timeline, and its relationship with the TAXISnet online tax filing system. All information is based on Law 4174/2013 (the Greek Tax Code) and the 2026 updated regulations of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue of Greece (AADE).

To understand the context of the Golden Visa programme in which the AFM plays an important role, readers should first refer to the overview article on Greece Golden Visa and the country profile Greece.

Overview of the Greek AFM and its role in the tax system

In essence, the Greek AFM is the equivalent of a personal tax code in Vietnam. Each individual — including foreigners with financial interests in Greece — is issued only one AFM, which is used for life and never changes. It is issued by the Local Tax Offices (known as DOY — Δημόσια Οικονομική Υπηρεσία) within the AADE system.

The AFM is used very widely, covering most official transactions within Greek territory:

Sector	Role of the AFM
Real estate	Required on notarised contracts and Land Registry registration
Bank	Required when opening personal and business accounts
Long-term property rental	Required on the lease contract registered with the tax authority
Utilities	Required when registering for electricity, water and internet
Securities investment	Required when opening a brokerage account
Tax filing	Required for all income tax, ENFIA and VAT filings

For Golden Visa investors, the AFM is also the basis for paying property-related taxes such as transfer tax (3.09% for existing properties or 24% VAT for new properties), the annual ENFIA tax, and rental income tax where applicable. Without an AFM, an investor cannot be named as the legal owner on title documents.

One important distinction: the AFM is different from the AMKA (Arithmós Mitróou Koinonikís Asfálisis), the social security number. The AMKA is used for the public healthcare and social insurance system and is not required for Golden Visa investors who do not use public healthcare services. The AFM is the necessary and mandatory requirement for every financial transaction.

When Vietnamese investors are required to have a Greek AFM

For Vietnamese investors joining the Golden Visa programme, the AFM must be registered before any property transaction is carried out. There are three mandatory points in the overall journey.

The first point is before opening a bank account. Every Greek bank — Piraeus Bank, Alpha Bank, Eurobank, National Bank of Greece — requires an AFM to open a personal account for a foreigner. Without an AFM, investment capital cannot be legally transferred from Vietnam to Greece.

The second point is before signing the property deposit contract. The deposit contract (Preliminary Agreement) must state the buyer’s AFM. This is required by the Greek notary to ensure the transaction can be traced for tax purposes.

The third point — and the most important — is before signing the final sale and purchase contract and registering with the Land Registry. The AFM is printed directly on the Title Deeds, becoming the permanent legal basis for the investment.

Beyond these three mandatory points, the AFM is also needed for supporting transactions such as registering electricity, water and internet at the property, taking out property insurance, or engaging ongoing accounting services. Having the AFM from the outset keeps the whole process continuous, without interruption.

Two ways for remote investors to register for a Greek AFM

Vietnamese investors have two main ways to register for an AFM without flying to Greece. Each has its own advantages and drawbacks, suited to different situations.

Method 1: Power of attorney to a lawyer or tax representative in Greece

This is the most common method among Golden Visa investors and is strongly recommended. The process works as follows: the investor draws up a Power of Attorney for a licensed Greek lawyer or accountant, which is notarised in Vietnam and legalised as required.

The Greek lawyer then submits the AFM application at the Tax Office dedicated to foreign residents (DOY Katoikon Exoterikou) in Athens. This office is located at Mesogeion 207, 115 25 Athens, and specialises in AFM applications for non-residents of Greece. The lawyer presents the investor’s original passport, the legalised Power of Attorney, and a declaration of the AFM’s intended use (buying property under the Golden Visa).

Processing time through this method is usually 2–5 working days. The AFM is then sent to the lawyer by encrypted email, together with the “access key” (κλειδάριθμος / Authentication Key) to activate the TAXISnet account.

Method 2: Registering via myAADElive — a live video call with a tax officer

Since 2023, AADE has run the myAADElive service, letting foreigners register for an AFM via video call without flying to Greece or granting anyone power of attorney. This is a cost-saving option, but it comes with some practical barriers for Vietnamese applicants.

The process includes: submitting an online application through the myAADE portal, choosing the “myAADElive” verification method, booking a video call appointment, and then joining the call with an AADE officer. During the call, the investor presents their original passport on camera and answers verification questions.

The main barrier is the requirement to communicate in Greek or English throughout the video call. No interpreter or intermediary is allowed. For Vietnamese investors with limited English, this is a significant obstacle. In addition, the appointment booking process can involve a wait of 2–4 weeks due to high demand.

Practical advice: Vietnamese investors should prioritise Method 1 (power of attorney to a lawyer) to ensure speed and certainty. myAADElive suits younger investors who are fluent in English and want to save on lawyer’s fees for this step.

Documents required to register for a Greek AFM

The AFM registration document set is relatively simple compared with a full Golden Visa application, but it carries strict legalisation requirements for Vietnamese nationals.

The mandatory documents for an individual investor comprise six main items. The first is a copy of a valid passport, notarised and translated into Greek. The second is the standard AFM registration form (Form M1) issued by AADE.

The third is proof of address. Investors can use an electricity/water bill in Vietnam, a bank statement, or an official document showing their permanent address. Some Greek Tax Offices accept a self-declared address statement (Ypeuthini Dilosi) instead.

The fourth is the Power of Attorney (POA) if registering through a lawyer. The POA must be notarised in Vietnam and legalised as required. Before 11/09/2026, the POA had to go through the four-step consular legalisation process; from 11/09/2026 onward, according to the announcement by the HCCH (Hague Conference on Private International Law), only a single Apostille stamp issued by the Consular Department of Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required.

The fifth is a declaration of the AFM’s intended use (buying property, opening an account, investing, and so on). This declaration matters because AADE applies special monitoring for non-residents. The sixth is a working mobile phone number, required to receive the TAXISnet authentication code by SMS.

Where an investor registers AFMs for the whole family (spouse, children), each member needs a separate document set. There is no “family AFM” — each individual is issued their own code.

Activating TAXISnet and managing tax obligations through the AFM

After receiving the AFM, investors need to activate a TAXISnet account (now renamed myAADE) to manage their tax obligations online. This is AADE’s official tax service portal, integrating everything from tax filing to checking obligations.

Activating TAXISnet takes two steps. The first is registering as a new user on the myaade.gr portal with the AFM, email and the mobile number already registered. The second is receiving the Authentication Key through one of three channels: email plus SMS, a video call via myAADElive, or an in-person visit to the Tax Office.

Once activated, investors can access the main TAXISnet functions: checking the annual ENFIA tax statement, filing the E1 income tax return, managing declared lease contracts, registering for electronic services with public authorities, and updating personal details. This is the compliance-monitoring tool AADE uses to verify that the investment is maintained throughout the Golden Visa cycle.

For investors who do not reside in Greece, direct tax obligations are fairly light. Unless they earn income in Greece (such as from renting out the property), investors only need to pay the annual ENFIA tax on the property they own — typically €2 to €13 EURO per square metre depending on location and property characteristics. Having an active TAXISnet account allows the representative lawyer or accountant to track and pay taxes on time, avoiding a build-up of tax debt that could affect residence permit renewal.

Important notes and common mistakes when registering for a Greek AFM

Some special situations and common mistakes Vietnamese investors should note when registering for a Greek AFM.

The first mistake is inconsistent information across documents. Full name, date of birth and passport number must match exactly between the passport, the Power of Attorney and the declaration. Any discrepancy — including how the name is written (with or without diacritics, with or without a middle name) — can cause the application to be returned.

The second mistake is a phone number that cannot activate TAXISnet. The AADE system requires a number able to receive international SMS. Some Vietnamese mobile networks block international SMS by default — investors need to check with their carrier and enable international SMS reception before registering.

The third situation is when an investor already has previous Greek entries stamped in their passport and intends to reside long term. In this case, they may be asked to also present a residence permit or a valid Schengen visa. For investors who do not yet hold a Golden Visa but are at the AFM registration stage to buy property, this is not an issue — the Tax Office understands the sequence AFM → Buy property → Apply for Golden Visa.

One final note: the AFM does not expire. However, investors must update their personal details (address, marital status, phone number) via TAXISnet whenever they change. Outdated information can cause problems when filing a Golden Visa renewal or handling other tax procedures.

Summary and next steps

The Greek AFM is the core administrative asset every Golden Visa investor must hold before carrying out a property transaction. The registration process is not technically complex, but it requires accurate document preparation and choosing the right method (power of attorney to a lawyer or myAADElive) for one’s circumstances.

The Apostille reform, effective from 11/09/2026, will significantly simplify the step of legalising the Power of Attorney — for investors with a flexible timeline, delaying AFM registration until after this date can save 2–4 weeks of document preparation time.

The next recommended read is the 7-step Greece Golden Visa process to understand how the AFM fits into the overall investment journey, then refer to the article opening a Greek bank account — the mandatory next step after obtaining the AFM. To understand long-term tax obligations after investing, readers can refer to the article taxes in Greece.