Golden Visa Countries and Where to Find Them in 2024

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RIF Trust’s Golden Visa Overview

Mimoun A. Assraoui is our CEO. He explains the concept of golden visas: “Essentially, a golden visa is a Residency by Investment (RBI). Travel becomes easier with a golden visa, and other benefits include access to better education and healthcare.”

“Golden visas are typically available in Europe,” continues Assraoui. “But they’re also to be found elsewhere. On top of that, there are programmes that are golden visas in all but name. As you’ll discover below. ”

Golden Visa Countries

1.) Canada

The Canadian Start-Up Visa Program is effectively a North American Golden Visa with a C$275,000 price tag. It allows you to settle with your family and enjoy free education and universal healthcare. As a Permanent Resident, you’re obligated to reside in Canada for at least 730 days (2 years) within the first 5 years of signing up.

By living in Canada for 3 out of those 5 years (1,095 days), you qualify for Canadian citizenship. Our Canada Passport Ranking totals the amount of visa-free, visa-on-arrival, and eVisa countries you can visit. You can enter 117 countries without a visa, 37 by VOA, and 21 via eVisa.

2.) Greece

Given its name, Greek Golden Visa, this Residency by Investment establishes Greece as one of the true golden visa countries. Invest by Saturday, 31 August 2024 and you’ll have to pay at least €250,000 rather than the new minimum of €400,000 on Sunday, 1 September 2024. Other areas in the country will see rises from €500,000 to €800,000.

As a resident, you’ll enjoy visa-free travel within the Schengen area. Yet, after living in Greece for no less than 7 years, you qualify for Greek citizenship and passport. Our Greece Passport Ranking reveals visa-free travel to 120 destinations, 31 by VOA, and 27 via eVisa.

3.) Malta

While Malta is in Europe, its RBI is known as the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP). For a minimum investment of €150,000, you’ll experience the same ease of access to the Schengen zone as you do with the Greek Golden Visa. Yet there is no route to Maltese (and European) citizenship with the MPRP.

To become eligible for a Maltese passport, a better investment is Maltese Exceptional Investor Naturalization (MEIN). This requires an investment of at least €600,000. Our Malta Passport Ranking shows you can use this travel document to reach 118 countries without a visa, 32 via VOA, and 25 by eVisa.

4.) Portugal

Another of the European golden visa countries is Portugal. The Portuguese Golden Visa requires a minimum physical residence of 7 days a year in the country. Portuguese Residency by Investment is most popularly available by investing at least €500,000 in a national venture capital fund.

5 years later and you’ll be able to apply for Portuguese citizenship and passport. There is a language test to take. Our Portugal Passport Ranking outlines visa-free entry to 120 destinations, 31 by VOA, and 27 via eVisa.

5.) Spain

Spain completes our round-up of European golden visa countries. But hurry while Residency by Investment in Spain is still an option as the Spanish Government have pledged to abolish the Spanish Golden Visa. It nonetheless remains available through a minimum €500,000 real estate investment.

Live in Spain for 10 years (2 if you’re from Latin America or the Philippines) and you’re eligible for a Spanish passport. We rate this passport the 2nd best travel document in the world. Our Spain Passport Ranking details visa-free arrival in 126 countries, 30 through visa on arrival, and 24 by eVisa.

6.) United Arab Emirates

The UAE Golden Visa is the only officially titled golden visa outside Europe. As a UAE resident, you must visit at least twice a year. While, just like with Malta’s MPRP, citizenship is not an option you can benefit from visa-free entry to 18 countries with a resident’s card.

Investors steer clear of volatility. They want to establish a base on firmer ground. So the fact the UAE tops our

7.) United Kingdom

The UK Innovator Founder Visa is the closest Britain gets to offering a golden visa. This is distributed following a qualifying investment of a minimum £200,000. Spend 5 years as a Permanent Resident in the UK and you can then apply for a British passport.

Our United Kingdom Passport Ranking tallies visa-free, visa-on-arrival, and eVisa destinations. This adds up to a score of 177. That comprises visa-free travel to 118 countries, 37 with VOA, and 22 by eVisa.

8.) United States

The US EB-5 Investor Visa is the American version of a golden visa. Invest at least $800,000 to qualify. There are few more emblematic residency documents than a Green Card and you’ll receive a provisional one after 27 months of residency.

3-6 months down the line, you’ll get your hands on a conditional Green Card. After 5 years of lawful permanent residency, you can convert this to a US citizenship. Our United States Passport Ranking places the American passport in 8th place in the world’s best passports.

How to Get a Golden Visa in 2024

The concepts of golden visa and Residency by Investment are more or less interchangeable. To cut through the jargon and find the best programme for you, we suggest you consult an expert in the field such as RIF Trust. So, contact us now and we’ll show you which of the golden visa countries most suits your needs.