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European Golden Visas – How to Get EU Permanent Residence by Investment

What Is a Golden Visa?

Golden Visa Scheme A Golden Visa is a citizenship by investment or residency by investment program. It is directed to wealthy foreign nationals who want to acquire residency in a certain country by investing a substantial amount of money or by purchasing a property.

If you apply for a Golden Visa, you and your immediate family members (spouse and children) will receive residence permits which can be renewed indefinitely as long as you maintain the investment.

In most cases, there is little to no requirement to actually be present in the country that issued the Golden Visa. This means that you do not need to relocate to another country unless you want to. But, to get permanent residence or citizenship by investment, most countries will require actual residency for about five to ten years.

A Golden Visa for an EU country is particularly desirable as it allows the holder (and their family members) freedom of movement throughout the entire Schengen Zone. If the Golden Visa eventually leads to EU citizenship, then the resulting passport will offer visa-free travel to over a hundred countries in the world, depending on the issuing State.

However, to be eligible for a Golden Visa in Europe, your investment should be quite substantial; we're talking about hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Considering the amount of money involved and the fact the investment is in a foreign country, it can be overwhelming.

Fortunately, consultancy companies, such as La Vida – Golden Visas, are a great resource when it comes to golden visa programs, since they have a range of experts on hand, offering consultations on international accountancy, investment property, and residency and citizenship abroad. Most potential investors abroad will need all these experts either way, so it's probably easier to just have them all in the same place.

Can You Get EU Permanent Residence by Investment?

Yes, you can get permanent residency by investment in an EU country after five years of living there*. Once you get a permanent residence permit, it is usually automatically renewable, although some specifics will depend on the issuing country.

You will still have to renew the residence permit, but not actually apply for a new one – similar to an ID card.

*Certain countries, such as Portugal, do not have any stay requirements to obtain a permanent residence permit.

Can You Get Citizenship by Investment in the EU?

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 ten years of continuous residency.

Some countries will offer citizenship after a shorter period of time (such as Greece, after seven years) or even without any stay requirements at all.

How Much Investment Is Required for a Golden Visa?

The amount of money you have to invest to be eligible for a Golden Visa depends on the country.

Some countries, such as Spain, Portugal, or Greece offer residence by investing in real estate, companies, government bonds, or certain industries in the country. In these cases, the amount of money required for investments usually does not exceed €500,000.

On the other hand, there are EU countries such as Switzerland, Italy, and Austria which require a much more active investment method, such as creating job opportunities. Investment requirements in these countries are higher.

The experts at La Vida – Golden Visas will guide you in the right direction on exactly what type of investment is the best for you.

Can You Get a Loan to Pay for a Golden Visa?

No, you cannot. If you intend to make an investment as a means of obtaining residency, you will need to prove that the money being invested is actually in your name, so no loans are allowed.

However, if you intend to purchase a property, a mortgage may be allowed, depending on the country. You still have to pay the minimum amount of money required upfront, and for anything over the minimum required amount, you can get a mortgage or loan. But remember, the exact rules change from country to country, so this may not always be true.

Requirements for Obtaining a Golden Visa

The eligibility requirements for a Golden Visa are different from country to country, but in general, you will have to prove the following:

That you own the money intended for investment
That the money was acquired legally
That you have no history of criminal records
That you can sustain yourself and family members for the period of time you intend to live there.

Which EU Countries Offer a Golden Visa?

EU countries offering Golden Visa programmes are:

Spain
Portugal
Greece
Italy
Malta
Switzerland
Austria
Belgium

Spain

The most common method of getting a Spanish Golden Visa is by investing in real estate. You need to purchase a property amounting to at least €500,000.

Conditions

To be eligible for a Spain Golden visa, you must make one of the following investments:

Invest in real estate amounting to at least €500,000
Invest in shares in a Spanish company or bank deposits of at least €1 million.
Invest in Spanish public debt, at least €2 million.

Benefits

There is no minimum stay requirement
All family members can make use of visa-free travel in Schengen
If you decide to live in Spain, you can get permanent residence in five years, and citizenship and an EU passport in ten years

>> Spain Golden Visa – Invest in Spain and Get the Residence Permit

Portugal

The Portuguese Golden Visa has investment options that start at €250,000. Holders of a Golden Visa can apply for permanent residence and citizenship after as little as five years.

Conditions

To be eligible for the Portuguese Golden Visa, you must make one of the following investments:

Purchase real estate amounting to at least €500,000
Purchase real estate in an urban regeneration area at least 30 years old amounting to min. €350,000
Make a capital transfer of at least €1 million
Create at least 10 job positions
Invest at least €350,000 in scientific research
Invest at least €250,000 in arts, culture, and heritage
Invest at least €500,000 in a small/medium business

Benefits

The investment options can start at €250,000
You only need to spend two weeks per year in Portugal to renew the visa.
You can apply for citizenship after five years, without needing to live in Portugal. Ties to Portugal and acquiring language is a requirement for citizenship, however.
You and your family members will enjoy the freedom of movement through the Schengen Zone.

>> Portugal Golden Visa – Invest in Portugal and Get the Residence Permit

Greece

You can get a Greek Golden Visa by purchasing real estate worth at least €250,000 or another type of investment. Although there is no required minimum stay to renew the visa, if you want to acquire citizenship, you have to live in Greece for seven years.

Requirements

To be eligible for a Greek Golden Visa, you must make one of the following investments:

Purchase real estate worth at least €250,000.
Make an investment of at least €400,000 in Greek government bonds
Make an investment of at least €400,000 in a Greek company
Make an investment of at least €400,000 in bank deposits in Greece.

Benefits

No minimum stay requirements
Relatively low investment options
Visa can be renewed every five years if the investment is retained
You can get Greek citizenship after seven years of residence
Freedom of movement in the Schengen Zone for all family members
The visa can include the spouse, children up to 21 years of age, and both sets of parents

>> Greece Golden Visa – How to Get Permanent Residency and Citizenship

Cyprus

Cyprus offers two types of Golden Visas. One leads to citizenship whereas the other to permanent residency (indefinitely), and both have desired results.

To get a Citizenship by Investment in Cyprus, you must make an investment of €2 million. You must also make an additional donation of €75,000 to the Cyprio Research and Development fund and a €75,000 to the Land Development Organisation, for a total of €2,150,000.

You can get Cypriot citizenship within six months via this program.

To get Permanent Residence by Investment in Cyprus, you have to purchase property amounting to at least €300,000. The Residence Permit includes your family members as well, including children up to 25 years of age.

>> Cyprus Golden Visa – How to Get Permanent Residency and Citizenship

Italy

Italy does not offer a path to residency or citizenship via the purchase of a property. To get an Italian Golden Visa (Investor Visa), you have to actually invest in a company or make a donation.

Conditions

To be eligible for the Italy Golden Visa, you have to make one of the following investments:

Invest in a Government Bond issued by the Italian Republic.
Invest at least €500,000 company incorporated and operating in Italy.
Invest at least €250,000 in an innovative startup
Make a philanthropic donation in the fields of culture, education, immigration management, scientific research, preservation of cultural and natural heritage.

Benefits

Visa-free travel to Schengen Zone for yourself and your family members
Visa can be renewed every two years if you have maintained the investment
After five years of residency, you can apply for permanent residency
After ten years, you can apply for Italian citizenship

>> Investor Visa for Italy – Get Italian Residency & Citizenship by Investment

Malta

Similar to Cyprus, Malta offers two types of so-called Golden visas. One leads to citizenship whereas the other to indefinite permanent residency.

Conditions and benefits

To be eligible for a Malta Citizenship by Investment visa, you must fulfil the following conditions:

Invest at least €600,000 in the government's national development fund.
Purchase a property in Malta of at least €700,000 or sign a rental agreement for a minimum of €16,00/year for five years.
Donate at least €10,000 to an approved philanthropic, artistic, cultural, or scientific organisation.

Via this program, you can be eligible for Maltese citizenship after three years of residence. There is an expedited program that leads to citizenship after one year – the minimum investment requirement for the one-year scheme is €750,000.

To be eligible for Permanent Residence by Investment in Malta, you have to:

Invest a minimum of €98,000 into a government-approved fund.
Donate a minimum of €2,000 to a registered non-governmental organization in Malta.
Sign a rental agreement for €10,000/year for five years.

This program does not guarantee citizenship, but you will be allowed to live in Malta and have visa-free travel to the Schengen Zone. if you live in Malta, you can apply for naturalization as a Malta citizen after at least five years (provided you meet naturalization requirements.)

>> Malta Golden Visa & Passport – Malta Citizenship by Investment / Permanent Residency Programme

Switzerland

The Golden Visa program for Switzerland is much more rigorous than it is in most other countries. For one, to receive residency via investment in Switzerland, you would have to make one of the following investments:

Form a company that offers employment opportunities for Swiss nationals
Pay annual tax of between CHF 150,000 and CHF 1 million, depending on which canton you wish to settle.

Additionally, the required settlement period before you can receive permanent residency or citizenship is also higher. You need to live in Switzerland for at least 10 years to get permanent resident status and at least 12 years to get citizenship.

Austria

Similar to Switzerland, you cannot get an Austrian Golden Visa by purchasing real estate or similar non-active investments. In order to receive residency by investment in Austria, you would have to invest in something which would create jobs and have an impact on the Austrian economy.

The options include:

Investing at least €10 million directly into a business
Investing at least €3 million in the government development fund.

Belgium

Belgium does not offer a Golden Visa on the basis of purchasing a property – in this case also, the investment must be more active.

To be eligible for a Belgian Golden Visa, you have to create a company and invest €350,000 – €500,000 for a period of five years.

You can only receive citizenship in Belgium after five years of residency.

Do Countries Outside 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

If you are not sure which is the right country for your investment, you can contact the experts from La Vida – Golden Visas. They are a consultancy company, offering over 18 program options worldwide and can help you choose the best program for you, by taking into account your family structure, country of residency, and financing. Their range of experts and advisors can facilitate the procurement of residency and citizenship through international real estate investment.