You will receive a European Golden Visa if you purchase a property or make a large investment in a European country. EU Golden Visas are issued in the form of a temporary residence permit, which can be renewed continuously for as long as you maintain your investment (or until you become eligible for permanent residency).
You do not always have to live in the EU State to keep renewing your residence permit. However, to obtain permanent residence or citizenship, most States will require actual residency
Citizenship is not guaranteed if you receive a Golden Visa. In order to receive citizenship in a certain EU State via a Golden Visa, you must spend a specific amount of time actually living there. Requirements for citizenship by investment depend on each State separately, but you are usually looking at about seven to ten years of continuous residency.
Golden Passport to EU
Golden Passport programs are a facilitated way of obtaining an EU passport in return for an investment. Investors who are part of Golden Passport schemes do not need to live in the EU State in which they invested in order to obtain citizenship, but EU citizenship is not instantaneous. For example, Portugal (which is one of the most popular Golden Passport schemes in Europe) only grants citizenship five years after the initial investment.
Portugal and Bulgaria are the only EU Member States which offer the possibility of a second passport to investors who are not full-time residents.
Which EU Countries Offer Golden Visas and Investment Schemes?
EU countries that offer Golden Visas, Golden Passports, and other residency-by-investment schemes are:
Comparison between the most popular EU Golden Visa programs
| Portugal | Spain | Greece | Malta | Bulgaria | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum investment | €250,000 | €500,000 | €500,000 | €600,000 | €512,000 |
| Investment options | Real estate, investment fund, or capital transfer. | Real estate, the Spanish public debt, or company investment. | Real estate, capital transfer, or investment bonds. | National development fund. | Private equity funds, venture capital funds, real estate investment companies, stocks/shares. |
| Residency requirements to renew residence permit | Seven to fourteen days per year. | No residency requirements | No residency requirements. | No residency requirements. | No residency requirements. |
| Citizenship | After five years. No residency requirements. | After ten years of residency. | After seven years of residency. | After one year of residency. | After 18 months. No residency requirements. |
| Family members included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Investment holding time | At least five years. | At least five years. | At least five years. | At least five years. | 4 – 6.5 years, depending on the investment. |
| Visa-free travel to EU/Schengen Zone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Do Countries Outside the EU Offer Golden Visas?
Yes, several countries outside the European Union also offer Golden Visas. This includes:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Canada
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- Kitts and Nevis
- Lucia
- The United States of America
- Turkey
- United Kingdom