Guide
Golden visas in Europe 2026: which programmes are still open, compared
Updated
Spain has gone and Portugal no longer takes property money, but five meaningful European routes remain. Here is how they compare on price, what you must buy, and how much time you must spend in the country.
The open programmes at a glance
| Country | Minimum | What you invest in | Physical presence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greece | €250,000–€800,000 | Real estate (tiered by location; €250k conversions/listed) | None required to renew |
| Portugal | €500,000 | Qualifying non-real-estate investment fund | Average 7 days per year |
| Malta (MPRP) | ≈ €457,000 all-in (purchase route) | Property + government contribution and fees | No minimum stay |
| Italy | €250,000–€2,000,000 | Start-up, company shares, philanthropy or bonds | No minimum for the permit |
| Cyprus | €300,000 + VAT | New residential property | Visit at least once every two years |
Greece: cheapest entry, tighter rules
Since 1 September 2024 Greece prices by location: €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with over 3,100 inhabitants; €400,000 everywhere else, both with a 120 m² minimum property size, and €250,000 anywhere for commercial-to-residential conversions or listed-building restorations. Golden-visa properties can no longer be used for short-term lets (migration.gov.gr).
Portugal: funds only, but a path to citizenship
Portugal's surviving route is €500,000 into a regulated investment fund that is not real-estate linked. Its draw is the citizenship clock: legal residence can lead to a Portuguese passport application after five years, with a famously light physical-presence requirement of an average seven days a year (aima.gov.pt).
Malta, Italy and Cyprus
Malta's MPRP is permanent residence bought with a bundle: €375,000 minimum property purchase plus €82,000 in administration fee, contribution and donation under the 2025 rules, and €10,000 per additional adult dependant (residencymalta.gov.mt). Italy's investor visa starts at €250,000 for an innovative start-up and needs no minimum stay for the permit itself (investorvisa.mise.gov.it). Cyprus grants permanent residence from €300,000 plus VAT in new residential property, with a foreign-income requirement (moi.gov.cy). Hungary also reopened a guest-investor residence in 2024 built around a €250,000 fund route, newer and less tested, so verify it directly before relying on it.
Run your own numbers, programme, route and family size, in the calculator. Every threshold above matches its tables.