Client story
Client's Story
Where they started
The Russian couple came with a clear objective—a Greek residence permit through investment. They were ready to invest, select a property, and pass all checks. But they hit a wall that many discover too late: since 2022, Greece has suspended acceptance of new Golden Visa applications from Russian and Belarusian citizens applying with Russian or Belarusian passports. The issue is not with the individual—the entire route under that citizenship is closed.
Why the standard route did not work
It is important to understand the essence of our work. BRIDGES does not solve the question "which apartment to buy," but rather "how to obtain status when the direct route is unavailable." The legal solution is known: the restriction is tied to the applicant's citizenship. If a person holds a passport of another non-sanctioned country, they apply for the Golden Visa as its citizen—and the suspension for Russians does not apply to them. In other words, the task reduces to legally obtaining an appropriate second passport.
What BRIDGES had to solve
Kyrgyzstan was ideal for this couple. Both spouses were born during the Soviet era on the territory of the former USSR, and Kyrgyz legislation provides a simplified procedure for obtaining citizenship for those born in the Kyrgyz SSR and former Soviet citizens—without the requirement to reside permanently in the country, requiring only a couple of short visits (to submit documents and collect the passport). This is a real, legal route by right, not a "purchase." We confirmed their grounds with birth certificates and guided both through the procedure.
Why a standard answer would not do
Upon obtaining Kyrgyz passports, the spouses became citizens of Kyrgyzstan for Greece—a country without Golden Visa restrictions. Next, we conducted the standard part: investment in real estate according to the program thresholds and application for residence permit on the Kyrgyz passport. The real estate became a pleasant asset, but the essence of the case lies in the fact that we legally opened a door that was closed for the Russian passport.
We wanted a Greek residence permit and were ready to invest, but it turned out that new Golden Visa applications are simply not accepted with a Russian passport since 2022. A dead end. At BRIDGES, they explained that it is a matter of citizenship: with a passport of another non-sanctioned country, you apply without issues. We were both born in the USSR, and we obtained Kyrgyz citizenship through a simplified procedure—legally, by right of birth, requiring only a couple of short trips. And with Kyrgyz passports, we applied for Greece's Golden Visa and obtained a residence permit. For us, the main point was not the property, but that we were found a legal path where there was no direct way.
