Residence by Investment in Europe: Choose the Route That Gives Your Family a Home in Europe
You want a European base for your family, and you want a route that is open today and fits your funds. Ten European routes are open and checked against official government pages, from EUR 250,000. Each gives you residence, not a passport, and the rules differ by country.
Ten routes, ten sets of numbers
Choosing a European route feels like comparing brochures that disagree. Every country sets its own amounts, family rules and conditions, and the numbers you read online often do not match the official page. A route can lose a rule or close while you are still comparing.
What it looks like from the outside:
- Routes that differ by amount, by what counts as an investment, and by what you must keep.
- Rules that have changed recently: Portugal's route list and nationality clock, Greece's property thresholds, Malta's contribution.
- Official pages in several languages with fees in tables that are hard to read.
How it feels:
- You worry about picking the wrong country and losing time and money.
- You feel unsure whom to trust when every source gives a different number.
- You fear moving funds on a rule that has already changed.
You do not have to compare ten countries alone
We know how hard it is to tell one European route from another. You want someone who has read each official page, tells you honestly when a route does not fit, and stays your point of contact from first question to filing.
What we have done:
- 35+ years in immigration and investment migration
- 25,000+ families guided since 1991
- 3rd Generation in the immigration industry
- 2026 Canadian Choice Award winner
What we believe:
- Honesty first: we tell you when a route does not fit, before you move money.
- Checked rules: every figure here comes from an official source and carries a date.
- Your plan, not a template: the right route depends on your goals, your family and your funds.
We believe a residence plan should rest on a rule you have checked, not a brochure you have read.
What you get
| Feature | Benefit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ten routes checked on official pages | You compare routes that are open, not routes from an old guide | You stop worrying about a closed door |
| A dated status board | You see what changed and when | You decide on current facts |
| Verified government fees | You see the government's own fees for each route we have read | You plan a real budget |
| Three route types in plain labels | You see whether a route is an investment, a business or an income test | You do not confuse residence with an investment you cannot recover |
| Family rules on each page | You see who can be included | Everyone you worry about is accounted for |
| One point of contact | You deal with us, and we bring in a local partner when your case is qualified | You never chase several firms in several countries |
Which route suits you?
Choose by your goal first, then by your funds. The table sorts the ten routes by what you put in and what the official page says you must do.
| Route | Type | Entry amount | What counts | One rule to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal Golden Visa | Investment residence | From EUR 250,000 | Culture, research, a non-real-estate fund, a company, or 10 new jobs | No real estate route. Stay 7 days in year one, then 14 days per two-year period |
| Greece Golden Visa | Investment residence | From EUR 400,000 or EUR 800,000 by area; EUR 250,000 for a listed building or conversion | Real estate | The property cannot be let short term |
| Italy Investor Visa | Investment residence | EUR 250,000 to EUR 2 million by route | Government bonds, company shares or bonds, or a public-interest donation | Bonds and company capital are held for at least two years; a Nulla Osta comes first |
| Malta Permanent Residence Programme | Investment residence | EUR 60,000 fee plus EUR 37,000 contribution, with property and capital tests | Rented or bought property, capital, donation | Applications go only through a licensed agent |
| Cyprus investor permit | Investment residence | From EUR 300,000 | Property, company shares or a Cyprus fund | Also needs a secure annual income of EUR 50,000 or more |
| Hungary Guest Investor permit | Investment residence | From EUR 250,000 | A real estate fund share, or a EUR 1,000,000 donation | No minimum stay; direct property purchase does not qualify |
| Portugal, passive income | Income-based | Income test, no investment | Proof of regular income from property, intellectual or financial assets, or a pension | Visa first, then the residence permit from AIMA |
| Portugal, independent work and entrepreneur | Business route | No fixed investment amount | A business or independent activity | Contract or investment proof, and documents from the consulate |
| Spain non-lucrative visa | Income-based | EUR 28,800 a year of means for you | Savings or regular income | No work of any kind, including remote work |
| UK Innovator Founder | Business route | No fixed investment amount | An endorsed, innovative business | Needs an endorsement letter first |
Not every route is an investment. Income-based and business routes depend on money shown or a business run, so each carries its own label.
Three route types.
- Investment residence is a residence permit you earn by putting money into something the law lists. Portugal, Greece, Italy, Malta, Cyprus and Hungary work this way.
- A business route is a permit for running a business, not for holding an investment. The UK Innovator Founder visa and Portugal's independent work and entrepreneur routes fit here.
- Income-based residence is a permit you earn by showing steady money, not by investing it. Portugal's passive income residence and Spain's non-lucrative visa fit here.
Is Europe right for you? Residence is not citizenship
A good fit if you want a European base and can document your funds. Residence lets you live in a country. Citizenship gives you its passport, and most European countries ask for years of legal residence first.
| A good fit if | Consider another route if |
|---|---|
| You want to live in Europe, travel and keep your first passport | You want a second passport within a few years |
| You can show where your funds come from | Your funds cannot be documented |
| You can keep an investment for the period the route needs | You need your money back on a fixed date |
Portugal is the example we have checked: 10 years of legal residence for most nationalities, or 7 years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU citizens, since 19 May 2026. For the full comparison, read Citizenship vs residency by investment.
Risks to read before you move any money
Every route has a rule that can end it or stop it before it starts.
- Funds that cannot be documented. Cyprus requires the money to come from abroad, and Greece requires full payment by cheque, bank transfer or card. A file without clean proof fails.
- Investments you must keep. Cyprus cancels the permit if you sell the investment without replacing it, and Hungary blocks the fund shares for five years. Greece cancels the permit if the property is resold during its validity. Italy asks you to hold bonds and company capital for at least two years.
- Rules about the property or the stay. Greece bans short-term letting of the investment property. Portugal asks for 7 days in year one and 14 days in each later two-year period. Cyprus ends the permit if you are absent for two years.
- Work limits. Spain's non-lucrative visa bans all work. Cyprus bars employment except as a director of the company you invested in.
- No guarantee. Residence is not a passport, and no route promises a result. We give no investment or tax advice.
What it costs, and what waiting costs
The investment is the larger cost, and the fees below sit on top. Set both against the cost of a wrong start: a file on a route that has changed, repeated fees and a delayed move. These are the government's own fees, not the investment and not professional fees.
| Route | Government fees we have verified |
|---|---|
| Portugal Golden Visa | EUR 842.80 analysis; EUR 8,418.90 grant; EUR 4,210.30 renewal (each with a 25% reduction for digital filing); the same grant and renewal fees apply to each family member |
| Greece Golden Visa | EUR 2,000 residence permit fee plus EUR 16 for the card (EUR 2,016); EUR 150 for each adult family member and EUR 16 for each card |
| Malta MPRP | EUR 60,000 administration fee; EUR 7,500 per dependant (some are exempt); EUR 37,000 contribution; EUR 500 per person for the card |
| Cyprus | EUR 500 for all persons in the application, plus EUR 70 per person who needs an alien registration certificate |
| Spain non-lucrative visa | USD 106 visa for most nationalities (USD 140 for US citizens) plus USD 13 for the residence permit, at the Washington consulate from 1 January 2026 |
| Other routes | Fee pages checked case by case, so none shown |
Your path in three steps
Three steps from your first answers to your permit.
- Step 1: Find your route. Use Find my program. You get a shortlist of routes and a cost view for your family in a few minutes.
- Step 2: We do the heavy lifting. We qualify your case and check your funds, family and documents. When your case is qualified, we bring in the right local partner in the country you chose, who files with the authority. You move the funds into the route you chose.
- Step 3: Your permit in hand. The authority decides, you keep the conditions, and you renew on time.
After you have the permit.
- Portugal: keep the investment, visit the required days, renew on time, and keep means, accommodation, tax and social security in order.
- Greece: the permits on the two EUR 250,000 procedures last 5 years, and resale of the property ends the permit.
- Hungary: the permit runs up to 10 years and can be extended once for up to 10 more. There is no minimum stay, and family reunification permits allow work.
- Cyprus: the residence right has no expiry and the card is renewed every 10 years. You send annual proof of the investment and a clean criminal record certificate every 3 years.
- Spain: the first residence card is valid for one year and is renewable.
Status: what changed and when
Reviewed 22 October 2026 on official government pages. Every route on this page is checked on an official source.
| Programme | Status | What the official source says |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal Golden Visa | Changed | No real estate route in AIMA's list. Naturalisation now 10 years (7 for some) under Lei Organica 1/2026, in force 19 May 2026 |
| Greece Golden Visa | Changed | Real estate minimum raised to EUR 800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands over 3,100 inhabitants, and EUR 400,000 elsewhere (Law 5100/2024) |
| Malta MPRP | Changed | Contribution is EUR 37,000 under L.N. 146 of 2025 |
| Cyprus | Open | Expedited procedure policy, 4th revision, in force 2 May 2023, posted 29 December 2025 |
| Hungary Guest Investor | Open | Official page updated 3 March 2026. Direct property purchase does not qualify |
| Italy Investor Visa | Open | Routes confirmed on consulate pages, including a July 2026 checklist |
| Spain non-lucrative visa | Open | Royal Decree 1155/2024 in force since 20 May 2025. Fees from 1 January 2026 |
| UK Innovator Founder | Open | Endorsement needed. Settlement after 3 years on the route |
| Portugal passive income and independent work | Open | Listed on Portugal's national visa portal |
What could change: thresholds, fees and nationality rules. What we do about it: we re-read the official page before each update and show the date.
Two possible futures
A year from now, you may still be comparing ten countries while the rules shift. You hold several brochures and no date on any of them.
Or your family has a permit in the country that fit, your route is one that exists, and your file went in clean. You feel relieved, and you chose on facts you could check.
The cost of staying put: routes and rules change, and each change can add cost or close a door.
Your ultimate success:
- Relieved: your family has a base in Europe
- Confident: you chose a route that is open today
- Protected: your family is covered together
- In control: you decided on your terms, with the facts
Which route fits your family?
Answer eight short questions and the finder ranks all 17 residence programmes against your goals, funds and family. You see your shortlist and the cost for your family first, and a form only if you want it emailed with a fact sheet.
Why clients choose Amir Ismail & Associates
35+ years of hands-on immigration experience and 25,000+ successful cases. 3rd generation in the immigration industry. We bring in qualified local partners in each country, so you deal with one accountable team from first question to filing.
One point of contact
We qualify your case first, then bring in the right local partner. You deal with us throughout.
A strategy built for your family
We match routes to your goals, funds and family, not a template.
Application accuracy
Document and source-of-funds review that prevents costly errors and refusals.
Timely updates
We track rule, fee and regulator changes across every program for you.
End-to-end support
From your first question to your permit in hand, we guide every step.
Proven track record
2026 Canadian Choice Award winner, trusted since 1991.
What our clients say
Real reviews from clients we have guided across borders.
Frequently asked questions
What is residence by investment?
Residence by investment is a residence permit granted because you invest in the country, run a business there, or show steady income. It does not make you a citizen. Each country sets its own amounts, conditions and family rules.
Which European route costs least to enter?
Four routes have an entry amount of EUR 250,000: Portugal’s culture and heritage route, Greece’s listed building or conversion case, Hungary’s real estate fund share, and Italy’s investment in innovative start-ups. Income-based routes like Spain’s non-lucrative visa need no investment but need steady income.
Can I still buy property for the Portugal Golden Visa?
No. AIMA’s list of qualifying routes has no real estate route. Portugal’s routes are job creation, research, culture and heritage, funds that do not invest in real estate, and company investment.
Can I still buy property for the Greece Golden Visa?
Yes. Greece accepts real estate from EUR 400,000, or EUR 800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands above 3,100 inhabitants. The property cannot be let short term, and reselling it ends the permit.
Is a residence permit the same as citizenship?
No. A permit lets you live in the country. For Portugal, you need 10 years of legal residence to apply for citizenship (7 for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU citizens) under the rule in force since 19 May 2026.
Can I work with these permits?
It depends on the route. Portugal’s investment permit and Hungary’s guest investor permit allow work. Spain’s non-lucrative visa bans all work, and Cyprus bars employment except as a director of the company you invested in.
Can my family come with me?
Yes, on most routes, with different rules for each. Portugal includes your spouse, children up to 17, unmarried children 18 to 25 who study, and dependent parents. Cyprus includes your spouse and children under 18, with a higher income test and, for adult children, a higher investment. Hungary lets family members apply for family reunification permits that allow work.
How long does it take?
Processing time depends on the authority and on how complete your file is. Cyprus states about two months to examine a complete application, and Hungary states a 21-day procedure time that excludes the time you take to supply proof. We walk you through each step and its timing before you commit funds.
Will my application be approved?
No route promises approval, and we make no approval claims. What we control is the file: a route that exists, documented funds and clean certificates. We tell you before you pay if your case does not fit.
What if the rules change after I apply?
It depends on the transition rule in each law. Portugal’s 2026 nationality law keeps procedures pending on 19 May 2026 under the previous wording. The status board shows the date we last read each source.
What do you do, and what does the local partner do?
We qualify your case, check your documents and stay your point of contact. When your case is qualified, we bring in a local partner in the country, who files your application. In Malta, the programme requires a licensed agent to file.
Can you help with property, a company or a bank account?
Yes, through local partners. For the property routes we introduce you to local property partners, and we arrange a company, a corporate bank account and tax registration with partners, so you deal with one point of contact. We give no investment advice and quote no returns, and local partners may pay AIA for introductions.
Why are some European programmes not listed?
Every route we list is checked on an official government page, and we add others as they pass that check.
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Last reviewed: 22 October 2026 · Last updated: 22 October 2026
