GoldenVisa
Residence through investment
A general name for residence programs through a real estate purchase, a deposit, or an investment in funds. It grants the right to live in the country, to use the Schengen area (in the EU), and over time to obtain citizenship. Greece, Portugal, UAE.
- What it is
- A residence permit for a large investment — real estate, funds or a deposit
- Where it applies
- Greece, Portugal, the UAE, Hungary and other countries
- Cost
- From €250,000 (real estate in Greece) to €500,000+ (Portuguese funds)
- Duration
- Processing from a few weeks to 2-3 months
- Can you prepare
- Yes: choose the country and option, check the property, assemble the source-of-funds file
In plain words
Golden Visa is the general name for programmes that grant a residence permit for a large investment: a property purchase, an investment in funds or a deposit. In essence it is a type of RBI, but the term has stuck to the best-known European and Middle Eastern programmes — Greece, Portugal, the UAE.
What you get: the right to live in the country, and in the EU also to move freely within the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180. Most European Golden Visas do not require permanent residence — a few days a year is enough for the status to be renewed. Over time, if you start living in the country permanently, the road leads to citizenship.
Entry thresholds depend on the country and the type of investment. In Greece real estate costs from €250,000 to €800,000 depending on the region; in the UAE an investment from AED 2 million gives a 10-year visa. Processing is usually quick: from a few weeks to a couple of months. Spain closed its Golden Visa in 2025 — the market is changing, and windows sometimes slam shut.
Why people choose a Golden Visa
What a Golden Visa gives
- Principal applicant
- Spouse and children
- Sometimes parents and grandchildren
- Real estate
- Investment funds
- Deposit or government bonds
- Residence in the country
- Schengen up to 90/180 days (EU)
- Minimal presence per year
- Path to permanent residence
- Path to citizenship
- Tax planning
How to obtain a Golden Visa
- 01Choosing the country and option
- 02Due diligence check
- 03Investment and purchase
- 04Filing the application
- 05Receiving the residence card
What you need to know
- Conditions and thresholds change: Spain closed its Golden Visa in 2025
- Most EU programmes do not require permanent residence
- The property usually has to be held for the whole term of the status
- A Golden Visa is not citizenship: a passport comes only through naturalisation
- Schengen travel is limited (90/180) and gives no right to work in other EU countries
What a Golden Visa costs: thresholds by country
- Greecefrom €250,000Real estate. The threshold depends on the region: €250,000 in certain areas, €400,000-800,000 in Athens, Thessaloniki and the popular islands.
- Hungaryfrom €250,000Guest Investor Programme (relaunched in 2024): a stake in a real estate fund or a property purchase.
- UAEfrom AED 2,000,000About $545,000 in real estate — a 10-year visa. The country has no personal income tax.
- Portugalfrom €500,000Investment funds. The property purchase option has been closed since 2023.
Spain closed its Golden Visa in April 2025. Government fees, legal support and property taxes are added to the investment itself. We calculate the exact budget for the chosen country and family composition.
Timelines
- Processing time
- From a few weeks to 2-3 months (faster in the UAE, longer in the EU)
- Who issues it
- The country’s migration service
- What it depends on
- The country, the investment option, the check, the number of applicants
- Residence
- Usually minimal (a few days a year); actual residence for citizenship
Common mistakes
- Delaying the application: thresholds rise and programmes close (Spain, real estate in Portugal)
- Buying property without checking the title and eligibility for a Golden Visa
- Confusing a Golden Visa with citizenship and expecting a passport “straight away”
- Expecting to work in another EU country on this permit — Schengen gives travel only
- Selling the property early and losing the status
What this means for a BRIDGES client
We keep a finger on the pulse of Golden Visas in every country at once: where each threshold stands today, and where a programme is about to close or become more expensive. We will choose an option for your goal — Schengen, taxes or a second home — and take you through the property purchase and filing end to end.
View programs →Frequently asked questions
01 /Does a Golden Visa give citizenship straight away?
No. A Golden Visa is a residence permit. A passport may come later, through naturalisation, and only if you start living in the country permanently for the required number of years.
02 /Do you need to move to keep the status?
For most European Golden Visas, no. A few days a year is usually enough. Future citizenship, however, will require actual residence.
03 /Can I sell the property and keep the visa?
While the Golden Visa is in force, the property usually has to stay in your ownership — it is the basis of the status. Selling early may cost you the visa, so we check each programme’s conditions in advance.
04 /Which country has the lowest threshold?
At present Greece and Hungary — from €250,000. In Greece it is real estate (with a higher threshold in Athens and on the popular islands); in Hungary a stake in a real estate fund. In Portugal the entry is through funds — from €500,000.
05 /Can I work on a Golden Visa?
In the country that issued the visa — as a rule, yes. But in the Schengen area it gives travel only: this residence permit does not allow you to work in other EU countries.
06 /Who can be included in the application?
Usually the spouse and children (often under 18, sometimes up to 24-26 if dependent), and in some programmes parents and grandchildren. The exact family composition depends on the country.
07 /Is it true that Spain closed its Golden Visa?
Yes: since April 2025 the Spanish Golden Visa is no longer issued. Portugal removed the property purchase option back in 2023 but kept investment funds.
08 /Is a Golden Visa the same as RBI?
Essentially, yes. Golden Visa is the popular name for RBI (residence by investment) programmes that has stuck to the European and Middle Eastern ones. The opposite is CBI, where a passport is granted straight away.
See also
Read next
This material has undergone editorial review by BRIDGES.
Choose a Golden Visa for your goal?
We will tell you where the best threshold is today and where the programme is about to close, and take you through the property purchase and filing end to end.