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Updated May 2026 • Independent Comparison

Golden Visa Countries in 2026: Costs, Closures & Value

Fourteen active programmes compared on minimum investment, citizenship timelines, tax, and stay requirements — plus the seven schemes that have closed since 2022.

14
Active programmes compared
7
Closed since 2022
$200k
Cheapest entry (Dominica)
5 yrs
Fastest EU citizenship

What is a golden visa?

A golden visa is a residency-by-investment programme that grants the right to live in a country in exchange for a qualifying investment — typically real estate, a government contribution, an investment fund, or business capital. Some programmes (especially in the Caribbean) go further and grant citizenship directly, which is more precisely called citizenship by investment (CBI).

The distinction matters. A residency programme like the UAE's gives you the right to live and work there but no automatic passport. A programme like Greece's or New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa offers residency first and a route to citizenship later. A Caribbean CBI programme delivers a second passport within months. Throughout this guide we flag exactly which outcome each programme provides, because "golden visa" is often used loosely to mean all three.

Key 2026 context: Golden visa programmes are shrinking, not growing. The EU has pushed members to wind down "passports for sale," Spain abolished its scheme in April 2025, and the European Court of Justice struck down Malta's citizenship route the same month. Many guides still list closed programmes — the comparison below reflects only what is genuinely open.

How we score: the Golden Visa Value Index

Rather than ranking purely by price, our Value Index (0–100) weighs what you actually get for your money. A high score means a strong balance of low capital outlay, a meaningful immigration outcome, light stay requirements, and a favourable tax and stability profile.

Minimum Investment25%

Total qualifying capital required, lower is better

Outcome (PR vs Citizenship)20%

Whether you gain residency, a path to citizenship, or a direct passport

Physical Presence20%

Days you must spend in-country to keep or upgrade status

Tax Treatment15%

Worldwide vs territorial taxation and headline rates

Mobility Gained10%

Visa-free travel and Schengen/regional access unlocked

Programme Stability10%

Track record and risk of closure or rule changes

Investment thresholds and rules verified against official government and immigration-authority sources in May 2026. Programmes change frequently — always confirm current figures before committing.

Golden visa countries compared at a glance

CountryRegionValue IndexMin. InvestmentReal Estate?Outcome
New Zealand flagNew ZealandOur Specialty
Asia-Pacific88NZD $5,000,000Residency → citizenship
United Arab Emirates flagUnited Arab Emirates
Middle East85AED 2,000,000Residency
Greece flagGreece
EU / Schengen82€250,000Residency → citizenship
Portugal flagPortugal
EU / Schengen80€250,000Residency → citizenship
St Kitts & Nevis flagSt Kitts & Nevis
Caribbean (CBI)76$250,000Direct citizenship
Dominica flagDominica
Caribbean (CBI)74$200,000Direct citizenship
Italy flagItaly
EU / Schengen71€250,000Residency → citizenship
Hungary flagHungary
EU / Schengen70€250,000Residency → citizenship
Malta flagMalta
EU / Schengen68€182,000Residency → citizenship
United States flagUnited States
North America66$800,000Residency → citizenship
Latvia flagLatvia
EU / Schengen64€60,000Residency → citizenship
Thailand flagThailand
Asia-Pacific62THB 650,000Residency
Singapore flagSingapore
Asia-Pacific60SGD $10,000,000Residency → citizenship

Sorted by Value Index. Minimum investment shows the lowest qualifying route; see each profile below for full conditions.

Golden visa programmes that have closed

This is where most older guides go wrong. A wave of high-profile programmes has shut down since 2022 under pressure over housing affordability, security, and EU policy. If you see these recommended elsewhere, the article is out of date.

Spain flag
SpainClosed April 2025

Golden visa abolished to address housing affordability.

Ireland flag
IrelandClosed February 2023

Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) closed to new applicants.

United Kingdom flag
United KingdomClosed February 2022

Tier 1 Investor visa scrapped over security and source-of-funds concerns.

Netherlands flag
NetherlandsClosed 2024

Wealthy-investor residence scheme ended.

Portugal (real estate) flag
Portugal (real estate)Closed October 2023

Property route removed; fund and donation routes remain.

Malta (citizenship) flag
Malta (citizenship)Closed April 2025

EU Court of Justice ruled citizenship-by-investment unlawful.

Australia flag
AustraliaClosed January 2024

Business Innovation and Investment Program (including the Significant Investor Visa) closed to new applicants.

What are the cheapest golden visa countries?

"Cheapest" depends on whether you want residency or a passport. Below are the lowest-cost options in each category — but remember that government fees, due-diligence charges, and family add-ons can raise the real cost by 20–40%.

Cheapest residency
  1. 1. Latvia — from €60,000
  2. 2. Thailand — from ~THB 650,000
  3. 3. Malta MPRP — from ~€182,000
Cheapest citizenship
  1. 1. Dominica — from $200,000
  2. 2. St Lucia — from $240,000
  3. 3. St Kitts & Nevis — from $250,000
Cheapest EU route
  1. 1. Latvia — from €60,000
  2. 2. Malta MPRP — from ~€182,000
  3. 3. Greece/Portugal/Hungary — €250,000

Golden visa countries in detail

Greece flag
GreeceEU / Schengen
The most popular EU golden visa still open to real estate — but thresholds doubled in 2024.
82
Value Index
€250,000
From
None
Stay required
Yes
Real estate route
Immediate (5-year renewable)
Residency

Investment requirement

€800k in Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos & Santorini; €400k in other high-demand zones; €250k for restoration/conversion projects

Real estateCapital transferGovernment bonds

Path to citizenship

7 years (with residence + language test)

Tax treatment

No worldwide tax unless you become a tax resident (183+ days). 7% flat tax on foreign pension income for retirees who relocate.

Portugal flag
PortugalEU / Schengen
Lowest physical-presence requirement in the EU and a 5-year citizenship path — but no more property route.
80
Value Index
€250,000
From
7 days/year average
Stay required
No
Real estate route
5 years
Residency

Investment requirement

€500k qualifying investment fund; €250k cultural/heritage donation. Real estate route closed October 2023.

Investment fundCultural donationJob creation

Path to citizenship

5 years (one of the EU's fastest)

Tax treatment

Golden visa itself creates no tax residency. The NHR regime closed to new entrants in 2024; a narrower 'IFICI' incentive replaced it.

Italy flag
ItalyEU / Schengen
No property route, but the flat-tax regime is built for high-net-worth global earners.
71
Value Index
€250,000
From
None
Stay required
No
Real estate route
5 years
Residency

Investment requirement

€250k innovative startup; €500k Italian company; €2M government bonds; €1M philanthropic donation

Startup equityCompany equityGovernment bondsDonation

Path to citizenship

10 years

Tax treatment

€200,000/year flat tax on all foreign income for new residents (the 'res non-dom' regime, doubled from €100k in 2024).

Malta flag
MaltaEU / Schengen
Still offers fast EU residency, but the EU's last citizenship-by-investment scheme was struck down in 2025.
68
Value Index
€182,000
From
None
Stay required
Yes
Real estate route
Immediate (MPRP)
Residency

Investment requirement

MPRP residency: ~€182k total (contribution + 5-year property lease) up to ~€375k for purchase. Citizenship route effectively ended after the April 2025 EU Court ruling.

Government contributionProperty lease/purchaseDonation

Path to citizenship

Closed — ECJ ruled Malta's citizenship-by-investment unlawful in April 2025

Tax treatment

Non-domiciled residents taxed on a remittance basis — foreign income not remitted to Malta is untaxed.

Hungary flag
HungaryEU / Schengen
The EU's newest entrant — the Guest Investor Programme relaunched in mid-2024.
70
Value Index
€250,000
From
None
Stay required
Yes
Real estate route
Immediate (10-year Guest Investor residence)
Residency

Investment requirement

€250k into an approved real estate fund, or €1M donation to a higher-education institution

Real estate fundDonation

Path to citizenship

8 years

Tax treatment

Flat 15% personal income tax; non-residents taxed only on Hungarian-source income.

Latvia flag
LatviaEU / Schengen
One of the cheapest entry points into the Schengen Area.
64
Value Index
€60,000
From
1 day/year
Stay required
Yes
Real estate route
5 years
Residency

Investment requirement

€60k–€100k subordinated bank capital; €250k real estate (plus state fee); €280k company investment

Bank capitalReal estateCompany investment

Path to citizenship

10 years (no dual citizenship)

Tax treatment

Residents taxed on worldwide income (20–31%); non-residents on Latvian-source income only.

United Arab Emirates flag
United Arab EmiratesMiddle East
Zero income tax and no minimum-stay rule, but residency only — not a path to a second passport.
85
Value Index
AED 2,000,000
From
None (no minimum stay to keep status)
Stay required
Yes
Real estate route
10-year renewable residency
Residency

Investment requirement

≈ $545,000 in property; or AED 2M in an investment fund; or business/talent categories

Real estateInvestment fundTalent/entrepreneur

Path to citizenship

Citizenship rare/by nomination only

Tax treatment

0% personal income tax, 0% capital gains, 0% inheritance tax.

United States flag
United StatesNorth America
A genuine route to a US green card, but high physical-presence and global-tax exposure.
66
Value Index
$800,000
From
Substantial (green card abandonment rules apply)
Stay required
No
Real estate route
Conditional green card, then permanent after 2 years
Residency

Investment requirement

$800k in a Targeted Employment Area; $1.05M elsewhere. Must create 10 jobs (EB-5).

EB-5 regional centreDirect enterprise

Path to citizenship

5 years from permanent residency

Tax treatment

Worldwide income taxed once you hold a green card — the US taxes on residency and citizenship.

New Zealand flag
New ZealandAsia-PacificOur Specialty
The Active Investor Plus visa pairs one of the world's lowest stay requirements with no CGT — our specialty.
88
Value Index
NZD $5,000,000
From
Growth: 21 days over 3 years; Balanced: 105 days over 5 years
Stay required
No
Real estate route
Resident visa, then permanent resident after meeting conditions
Residency

Investment requirement

NZD $5M Growth category (higher-risk direct investment) or NZD $10M Balanced category over 5 years

Direct/managed investmentBonds & equitiesPhilanthropy (up to 20%)

Path to citizenship

5 years

Tax treatment

No general capital gains tax, no inheritance tax. A 4-year transitional exemption on most foreign income for new migrants.

Considering New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa?

New Zealand isn't the cheapest option, but it scores highest on our Value Index for its combination of political stability, no capital gains tax, a 4-year foreign-income exemption, and a path to citizenship in 5 years. We specialise in guiding investors through the entire AIP process.

Check Your EligibilityView AIP Requirements
Thailand flag
ThailandAsia-Pacific
The cheapest long-stay 'golden visa' style programme in Asia, though it grants long-stay rights, not residency.
62
Value Index
THB 650,000
From
None
Stay required
No
Real estate route
Long-stay visa, not PR (LTR is 10 years)
Residency

Investment requirement

Privilege (Elite) membership from ~THB 650k (≈ $18k) for 5 years; LTR visa for high earners/investors

Privilege membershipLong-Term Resident visa

Path to citizenship

Very difficult (10+ years, restrictive)

Tax treatment

Territorial — foreign income remitted to Thailand became taxable from 2024; unremitted foreign income remains untaxed.

Singapore flag
SingaporeAsia-Pacific
The most expensive programme here, aimed squarely at family offices and serial entrepreneurs.
60
Value Index
SGD $10,000,000
From
Significant (PR renewal scrutiny)
Stay required
No
Real estate route
Immediate permanent residency
Residency

Investment requirement

Global Investor Programme: SGD $10M business, or SGD $25M into an approved fund/family office (≥ SGD $200M AUM)

Business investmentApproved fundFamily office

Path to citizenship

2 years from PR (must renounce other citizenships)

Tax treatment

No capital gains tax; territorial system on most foreign income.

St Kitts & Nevis flag
St Kitts & NevisCaribbean (CBI)
The world's oldest CBI programme (1984) — a passport, not just residency, with no stay requirement.
76
Value Index
$250,000
From
None
Stay required
Yes
Real estate route
Citizenship granted directly
Residency

Investment requirement

$250k Sustainable Island State Contribution; or $325k+ approved real estate

Government contributionReal estate

Path to citizenship

Direct citizenship in 4–6 months

Tax treatment

No personal income, capital gains, wealth or inheritance tax.

Dominica flag
DominicaCaribbean (CBI)
The cheapest second-passport route in this guide — citizenship without ever visiting.
74
Value Index
$200,000
From
None
Stay required
Yes
Real estate route
Citizenship granted directly
Residency

Investment requirement

$200k Economic Diversification Fund contribution; or $200k approved real estate (3-year hold)

Government fundReal estate

Path to citizenship

Direct citizenship in ~3–6 months

Tax treatment

No worldwide income, capital gains or inheritance tax.

EU, Schengen and golden visas: what you actually get

A common misunderstanding is that an EU golden visa lets you live anywhere in the bloc. It does not. Residency is granted by a single country — your Greek or Portuguese residence permit lets you live in that country and travel visa-free across the 29-nation Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but it does not grant the right to live or work in other member states.

Full EU free movement only comes with citizenship. That is why the citizenship timeline matters so much: Portugal's 5-year route and Greece's 7-year route are valuable precisely because they eventually unlock the right to settle in any EU country. The Caribbean passports, by contrast, offer strong global mobility (St Kitts and Dominica both provide visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to the Schengen Area and the UK) without any EU residence rights.

Bottom line: If your goal is the right to live anywhere in Europe, you need a path to EU citizenship, not just an EU golden visa. If your goal is travel freedom and a tax-efficient base, a Caribbean passport or a UAE/New Zealand residency may serve you better for less commitment.

Frequently asked questions

How many countries offer a golden visa in 2026?

Around 25 countries run residency- or citizenship-by-investment programmes in 2026, but only about 14 are widely used and genuinely open. Several high-profile schemes have closed — Spain (2025), Ireland (2023), the UK (2022) and the Netherlands (2024) — so the practical shortlist is smaller than older articles suggest.

What is the cheapest golden visa country?

For a residency programme, Latvia starts at around €60,000 in subordinated bank capital and Thailand's Privilege visa from roughly THB 650,000 (≈ $18,000). For a direct second passport, Dominica's citizenship-by-investment starts at $200,000. Greece, Portugal, Italy, Hungary and Malta cluster around the €250,000 mark.

Which European countries still have a golden visa?

Within the EU and Schengen Area, Greece, Portugal, Italy, Malta, Hungary and Latvia still run active programmes in 2026. Spain closed its scheme in April 2025, Ireland in 2023, and Portugal removed its real estate route in 2023. Greece is now the main EU option that still accepts property investment.

Which golden visas still allow real estate investment?

In 2026, real estate routes remain open in Greece, Malta, Hungary, Latvia, the UAE, St Kitts & Nevis and Dominica. Portugal, Spain and Italy no longer offer a property-based route. Greece is the most popular EU property option, though minimum thresholds rose to €400,000–€800,000 in its highest-demand areas in 2024.

Does a golden visa lead to citizenship?

It depends on the country. Residency programmes like Greece (7 years), Portugal (5 years) and New Zealand (5 years) offer a path to citizenship if you meet residence and language conditions. Caribbean programmes such as St Kitts & Nevis and Dominica grant citizenship directly. The UAE and Singapore generally grant residency, not an easy passport.

Which golden visa has the lowest physical-presence requirement?

The UAE, Greece, Italy, Malta and Hungary effectively require no minimum stay to maintain residency. New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa requires just 21 days over three years in the Growth category. Portugal asks for an average of seven days a year. The US (EB-5) and Singapore demand substantial presence.

Weighing up your golden visa options?

New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa tops our Value Index for stability, tax treatment, and a clear path to citizenship. Take our 2-minute assessment to see if you qualify.

Check Your EligibilityExplore the AIP Visa

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Sources and methodology

Investment thresholds: Official immigration-authority and government sources for each country (accessed May 2026)

EU policy: European Commission infringement notices on investor citizenship; Court of Justice of the EU ruling C-181/23 (Malta, April 2025)

New Zealand: Immigration New Zealand, Active Investor Plus visa criteria (2025 reforms)

Caribbean CBI: St Kitts & Nevis CIU, Commonwealth of Dominica CBIU, official fee schedules

Tax treatment: National tax authority guidance and OECD country profiles

Last updated: 29 May 2026. Golden visa rules and investment amounts change frequently. This guide is for general information only and is not immigration, tax, or financial advice — always verify current requirements with official sources and a qualified adviser before investing.