Establish a Subsidiary in Greece: Registration Guide

Learn how a subsidiary differs from a branch in Greece and what setting one up involves. Our incorporation experts can help you establish a subsidiary in Greece.

Quick Facts
Applicable legislation (home country/foreign country)	Greek commercial law, Greek and EU tax laws.
Best used for	Investors can establish a subsidiary in Greece for the following purposes: – expanding on a new market, by incorporating a legal entity that is regulated under the rules of the respective country; – obtaining the tax benefits and other advantages available for local businesses, since the company is Greek based; – separating the parent company from the Greek based company (from a liability/responsibility point of view); – allowing the Greek company to establish its separate management strategy; – limiting the risks of the parent company associated with expansion on new markets.
Minimum share capital	The capital for a subsidiary in Greece depends on the legal entity selected by investors (the first 2 are the preferred options by large companies): – public limited company – EUR 25,000; – limited liability company (E.P.E.) – no minimum (freely set, shares of at least EUR 1); – private capital company (I.K.E.) – EUR 1.
Time frame for the incorporation (approx.)	1 week to 1 month (depending on the selected legal entity).
Documents to be filed by parent company	In order to establish a subsidiary in Greece, the following documents are necessary: – the articles of association, memorandum or other statutory documents (depending on the legal entity) issued in the home country; – the certificate of registration issued by the Commercial Registry operating in the home country; – personal documentation of the company’s shareholders and directors; – the decision to set up a subsidiary overseas.
Management (local/foreign)	Local
Legal representative required (Yes/No)	Yes
Local bank account (Yes/No)	Yes
Independence from the parent company	The subsidiary is an independent structure from its parent company.
Liability of the parent company	Limited to the amount of shares owned.
Corporate tax rate	22%
Annual accounts filing requirements	Companies in Greece must submit corporate income tax returns, value added tax returns and financial statements. Audit is also necessary provided that the company reaches certain thresholds in terms of assets held, revenue and number of employees.
Possibility of hiring local staff (Yes/No)	Yes
Travel requirements for incorporating branch/subsidiary	Foreign investors can establish a subsidiary in Greece without personally arriving in the country. They can complete the procedure with the assistance of our team, if they grant the power of attorney.
Double tax treaties signed in Greece	58

What is a subsidiary in Greece?

A subsidiary is a company where most of the capital is owned by a foreign company, but it is still considered a legal entity, independent from the parent company. It is incorporated as one of the business forms that have legal personality, in accordance with Greek commercial law.

Why open a subsidiary company in Greece in 2026?

Here are some of the best reasons why entrepreneurs are interested in opening a subsidiary in this Mediterranean country:

protect the divisions of your business - a good way to use a subsidiary company is to separate the responsibilities of each of the divisions of your company (this is a good plan to cover yourself against any inconvenience and not to compromise your whole structure);
it is a cheap way to enter Europe - the prices and costs of operating a business in Greece are lower than in most EU countries, and this is one of the most popular reasons to start a Greek company;
access to new markets - opening a subsidiary in Greece allows you to take advantage of the benefits of doing business within the EU area and it is also an ideal export platform;
tax optimization - the creation of subsidiary companies allows, in many cases, to obtain greater tax benefits, especially in terms of tax payments.

What company types can I choose for my Greek subsidiary?

Subsidiaries in Greece are usually formed as private companies (private company – IKE and limited liability company - EPE) and public limited company.

What are the main steps of incorporation for a subsidiary in Greece?

If you want to establish a subsidiary in Greece, you simply need to follow the standard incorporation steps that are imposed for the registration of local Greek business forms. For this purpose, you need to take into consideration the following:

select a trade name that is available in the Greek territory;
draw up and sign the bylaws for the company type you have selected;
open a corporate bank account;
subscribe the minimum share capital in accordance with the company type you have opted for;
find a suitable business address (it is a mandatory requirement for all those who open a company in Greece);
register with all the competent authorities – the Commercial Registry, the Tax Authority, etc.;
obtain a tax identification number;
appoint a director; etc.

What are the main incorporation costs if I opt to register a subsidiary as an IKE?

One of the main company types available for incorporation for those who want to establish a subsidiary in Greece is the IKE (one of the private companies that can be set up here). In the list below, our consultants present the main costs our team charges for the process of company incorporation in Greece for this legal entity:

EUR 2,400 – company registration fee;
EUR 460 – compliance check for companies set up by up to 2 shareholders;
EUR 650 – compliance check for companies that are incorporated by more than 2 shareholders;
EUR 1,700 – assistance in setting up a corporate bank account;
EUR 950 – assistance in securing a registered address.

What are the fees for the registration of an EPE company?

The EPE company refers to the limited liability company, which has similar traits to the IKE company. For the EPE, we provide the same company registration services as mentioned above, and we charge the same fees, the exception being that our company registration fee is EUR 2,600 in this case. We recommend you address our team for further advice on our fee policies.

What are the tax reporting obligations for a subsidiary?

The subsidiary is also required to prepare and submit annual tax returns and VAT returns. There can be differences in reporting based on the selected company type, which is why we strongly recommend you address our team of consultants for in-depth assistance on the tax obligations your subsidiary will have in Greece.

In the infographic below, investors can observe some of the main requirements that must be met by those interested in how to set up a Greek subsidiary in 2026:

What is the difference between subsidiaries and branches?

The main difference is that the parent company controls and directs the branches directly, while in the case of the subsidiary, the local company incorporated in Greece is an autonomous structure that can make its own business decisions.

We invite you to watch a short video on how to establish a subsidiary in Greece:

Contact us for more information about our company formation services in Greece.