Which Countries Offer EU Golden Visas in 2024?

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If you’re looking for a Residency by Investment, you should consider EU golden visas as programmes worth investigating further. Why? Let’s find out in an article revealing the 4 European countries that provide this investment migration route to a residence permit.

1.) Malta

More commonly known as the Malta Permanent Residence Programme, the Maltese Golden Visa is a path to visa-free Schengen zone access. With a minimum €150,000 investment, you can pack your bags to relocate as soon as you like or never make the move if you prefer as there are no residency requirements.

Whether you live in Malta or not, having a Maltese Residence Card allows the convenience of travelling around Europe (without worrying about the EU’s forthcoming European Travel Information and Authorization Service).

Allow at least 6 to 8 months to complete the application process. You can include your family, such as your spouse or partner, dependent children, and dependent parents or grandparents. This real estate residency stipulates that you must maintain ownership or continue renting a Maltese property for a minimum of 5 years.

Our Malta Managing Partner, Ryan Darmanin, has assisted 100s of clients to realize a new residency in Malta. “Prepare for extreme vetting,” warns Darmanin. “The Residency Malta Agency conducts the most stringent due diligence in the world, so we only file applications of individuals with very detailed supporting documents that we have got to know inside out.”

“Even if I wasn’t Maltese born and bred, I’d still tell you that Malta is one of the most beautiful destinations in Europe. However long you stay, whether for a holiday or the making of a new life, you will soon feel at home especially as English is an official language.”

2.) Portugal

When it comes to EU golden visas, Portugal offers the original one. The Portuguese Golden Visa dates back to 2012 and, as this European Union state forms part of the Schengen area, you can travel freely through the zone as a resident. With an investment of €500,000 and a commitment to spend 7 days a year in the country, you can avoid having to use the dreaded EU Entry/Exit System (EES).

Processing time takes up to 24 months. But your 5-year countdown to become eligible for Portuguese citizenship starts from the submission of your application. Dependants you can add include your spouse, children, and parents aged 55 and over.

Jon Green is our Portuguese Residency by Investment specialist. “Many of us feared the Portuguese Golden Visa would lose its luster when they stripped out the real estate option,” concedes Green. “Yet the venture capital investment is attracting plenty of interest.”

“Unlike other EU golden visas, you have to spend time in Portugal to qualify for residency. However, this makes for a perfect European vacation with Lisbon and Porto two of the continent’s most beautiful cities and Madeira, for example, an island paradise.”

3.) Greece

The Greek Golden Visa, like the 3 other EU golden visas, guarantees visa-free travel throughout the 29 countries of the Schengen area. In that way, it’s the ultimate antidote to Schengen visa rejection in 2024. Currently, the minimum investment is a €250,000 property purchase and there is no physical residency requirement.

Applications take as little as 6 months and as much as a year to process. You can include dependants such as a spouse, children under 21, and parents and parents in law. All of you must have health insurance to cover the 5 years of the residence permit you’ll receive, a permit that is renewable and can lead to permanent residence or citizenship although the latter is quite difficult to qualify for.

Our Greek Residency by Investment expert, Ilana van Huyssteen-Meyer, advises investors to hurry now and relax later. “There’s plenty of time following approval for you to get horizontal on Greece’s white-sand beaches,” she counsels. “Now you must make haste as the clock is ticking when it comes to value for money Greek Golden Visa investment.”

”The robust Greek economy, combined with upward pressure on real estate values, has encouraged the Greek government to increase the minimum investment a second time in 2 years. Right now you can still secure a golden visa with a €250,000 investment, provided you pay your deposit before the end of August. After that, all of Athens, Thessaloniki, and most islands will require a €800,000 investment.”

4.) Spain

The last of the available EU golden visas, Spanish Residency by Investment has started to rival its Iberian counterpart, the Portuguese Golden Visa, in popularity. Why subject yourself to the agonizing wait for a Schengen visa when your residence permit doubles as a Schengen travel document? €500,000 investment in any real estate and active medical insurance secures you a golden visa in Spain.

The quickest programme for approval, you can claim residency as early as 5 months and as late as 7 months following the submission of your application. You’re eligible for Spanish citizenship after 10 years of residency (2 if you come from a Latin American country or the Philippines). Your spouse or partner, children, and parents also qualify for Spanish residency.

Our señor from Spain is David Regueiro Santalla. “The Spanish Golden Visa sells itself,” he insists. “Everybody has heard of Spain with its sangria as famous as its sunshine, and its appreciation of a good siesta as celebrated as its love of fiesta. ”

“What you shouldn’t sleep on, though, is the chance to invest in a Spanish residency. Rightly or wrongly, the Spanish Government is linking the lack of available housing in the country to the existence of the golden visa so its survival can not be assured.”

How to Choose the Right Option From This Selection of EU Golden Visas

After reading this guide, you still may not know which European Residency by Investment is right for you. Get a better understanding by talking to an investment migration authority such as RIF Trust. So, don’t delay and contact us today.