Residency by investment
What does a golden visa really cost?
Headline thresholds are only the start. A single applicant on Portugal's €500,000 fund route pays roughly €6,650 in government fees on top, about €506,650 all-in. Pick a programme and family size to see the full figure, itemised.
The basis
- Programme rules change quickly. Figures reflect the published rules as of this page's updated date, always verify current status and fees with the official programme or a licensed immigration adviser before committing money.
- Portugal: the real-estate and capital-transfer routes ended in October 2023 (Law 56/2023, "Mais Habitação"); the surviving fund route requires €500,000 in qualifying non-real-estate funds. Government fees are approximately €605 analysis plus €6,045 on approval per applicant, charged per person including dependants. AIMA revises these periodically (aima.gov.pt).
- Spain is excluded because the programme ended on 3 April 2025 under Organic Law 1/2025, applications are no longer accepted.
- Greece: tiers in force since 1 September 2024, €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with over 3,100 inhabitants; €400,000 elsewhere (both with a 120 m² minimum property size); €250,000 anywhere for commercial-to-residential conversions or listed-building restorations. Permit fee €2,000 plus €16 card for the main applicant; family-member fees (modelled at €150 + €16 each) should be verified (migration.gov.gr).
- Malta (MPRP): property-purchase route under the rules revised from January 2025, €375,000 minimum property, €50,000 administration fee, €30,000 government contribution and €2,000 NGO donation (the €82,000 fee line), plus €10,000 per additional adult dependant. The rental route has different numbers, verify both with residencymalta.gov.mt.
- UAE: AED 2,000,000 in property for the 10-year golden visa. Fees modelled at about AED 9,884 for the main applicant (Dubai, in-country application) and about AED 5,500 per dependant, they vary by emirate and application channel (icp.gov.ae, gdrfad.gov.ae).
- Italy: investor-visa thresholds are €250,000 (innovative start-up), €500,000 (company shares), €1m (philanthropy) or €2m (government bonds); government fees are minimal, modelled at roughly €250 per person (investorvisa.mise.gov.it).
- Cyprus: permanent residence via €300,000 (plus VAT) in new residential property, with an annual income requirement from abroad; application fee modelled at €500 plus €70 per person for the permit card (moi.gov.cy).
- No currency conversion is applied, each result is shown in the programme's own currency. Professional fees (lawyers, due diligence), property transfer taxes and health insurance are excluded and can be substantial.
Golden Visa Calculator is an independent information site. It is not affiliated with any government or migration agency, and nothing here is immigration, legal, tax or investment advice, immigration advice is a regulated activity in several jurisdictions, including the UK. Programme rules and fees change frequently: verify current status with the official programme or a licensed adviser before committing funds.
Golden visa programmes compared, 2026
Last updated
Minimum qualifying investment, route and current status for the major residency-by-investment programmes, including the ones that have closed, which most comparison sites still list as open.
Compiled from official programme sources (AIMA Portugal, Greek Ministry of Migration, Residency Malta Agency, UAE ICP, Italy's investor-visa committee, Cyprus Ministry of Interior) as of the updated date above; closures dated from the legislation that ended them. Fee lines match the calculator's tables.
| Programme | Minimum investment | Route | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | €500,000 | Regulated investment fund (non-real-estate) | Open, real-estate route ended Oct 2023 |
| Spain | €500,000 (was) | Real estate | Ended 3 April 2025 |
| Greece | €800,000 | Real estate. Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, larger islands | Open |
| Greece | €400,000 | Real estate, rest of the country | Open |
| Greece | €250,000 | Commercial-to-residential conversion or listed restoration | Open |
| Malta (MPRP) | €375,000 property + €82,000 fees and contributions | Property purchase + government contribution | Open |
| UAE | AED 2,000,000 | Property (10-year visa) | Open |
| Italy | €250,000 / €500,000 | Innovative start-up / company shares | Open |
| Cyprus | €300,000 + VAT | New residential property | Open |
- Two major European golden visas have closed since 2023: Portugal ended its real-estate route in October 2023, and Spain ended its programme entirely on 3 April 2025.
- Greece's €250,000 conversion-and-restoration tier is the lowest major golden-visa threshold in Europe as of 2026, but standard property now costs €400,000, or €800,000 in Athens and the prime islands.
- Malta's MPRP property-purchase route costs about €457,000 up front once the €82,000 of government fees and contributions are added to the €375,000 minimum property.
Cite this page
“Golden visa programmes compared, 2026”, Golden Visa Calculator, https://goldenvisacalculator.com/ (updated 2026-08-14). Compiled from official programme sources (AIMA Portugal, Greek Ministry of Migration, Residency Malta Agency, UAE ICP, Italy's investor-visa committee, Cyprus Ministry of Interior) as of the updated date above; closures dated from the legislation that ended them. Fee lines match the calculator's tables.
Speak to a licensed adviser about your route
Programme rules change often. We'll introduce you to a licensed immigration adviser or law firm for the country you're considering.
We are not immigration advisers and do not advise on immigration; the introduction is to licensed professionals. Verify any adviser's licence with the relevant national regulator.
Go deeper
Each one cites where its numbers come from.
Golden visas that ended: Spain, Portugal property, UK, Ireland and more
Spain's golden visa ended in April 2025, Portugal's property route in October 2023. Closed residency and citizenship-by-investment programmes, dates, replacements.
UAE golden visa cost: AED 2m property route, fees and family sponsorship
UAE golden visa: AED 2,000,000 in property for a 10-year visa, plus roughly AED 10,000 in government fees per applicant. Other qualifying routes and family sponsorship.
Golden visas in Europe 2026: which programmes are still open, compared
Europe's open golden visas in 2026: Portugal's €500,000 fund route, Greece from €250,000, Malta MPRP, Italy's investor visa, Cyprus PR. Thresholds and residency compared.
Questions, answered directly
Does Spain still have a golden visa?
No. Spain's golden visa ended on 3 April 2025 under Organic Law 1/2025, no new applications are accepted, on any route.
Can you still get Portugal's golden visa by buying property?
No, the real-estate route ended in October 2023. Portugal's programme continues through the €500,000 investment-fund route, which costs about €506,650 all-in for a single applicant once government fees are added.
What is the cheapest golden visa in Europe?
Greece's €250,000 tier for commercial-to-residential conversions and listed-building restorations, in force since September 2024. Ordinary Greek property qualifies at €400,000, or €800,000 in Athens, Thessaloniki and the prime islands.
How much does the UAE golden visa cost?
AED 2,000,000 in qualifying property for the 10-year visa, plus roughly AED 9,884 in government fees for the main applicant and about AED 5,500 per dependant, fees vary by emirate, so verify before applying.
Do these totals include lawyers and taxes?
No. The calculator covers the qualifying investment plus government and processing fees only. Legal fees, due diligence, property transfer taxes and health insurance come on top and can add several percent.
Is a golden visa the same as citizenship by investment?
No. A golden visa grants residency, not a passport. Some programmes can lead to citizenship later. Portugal after five years of legal residence, for example, but that is a separate application with its own tests.
Compare programmes before you commit
Investment, fees and family costs, itemised per programme, closures flagged.
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