CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT BLOG

Will the EU lose the Portugal Golden Visa program? What options remain?

The general trend continues: immigration by investment programs into Europe are becoming more expensive and difficult.

On the heels of the September announcement from the Greek Prime Minister that he plans to double the price for the Greece Golden Visa, the prime minister of Portugal stated earlier this month that the popular Portugal Golden Visa is now under assessment for complete termination.

Speaking to a group of journalists, the PM said the Portugal Golden Visa might no longer be sensible given that its investment goals have been reached, and thus there would be no further justification for the program to be continued. No date has been set yet for the termination to take effect.

Applicants looking for alternatives to Portugal and Greece can still turn to the residency by investment programs of Spain and Malta.

However, whereas residents would have to live in Spain for 10 years full-time before becoming eligible for Spanish citizenship, applicants under the “Malta Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment Regulations” can qualify for Malta citizenship (the EU passport) after only 12 months of residency status with no requirement to live in Malta year-round.

As such, the Malta citizenship by investment regulation is the only remaining program in the European Union that provides qualified investors with this opportunity, and we encourage our clients to consider this option before it disappears.

Should you have questions about any of the Golden Visa programs, or if you would like to receive a quotation, please don’t hesitate to contact us; we appreciate the opportunity to be of service!


Because the Malta immigration by investment program details can change over time please contact us about the current rules and regulations.

Click here for the Malta citizenship by investment program. Click here for the Malta residency programs.

To start the application process online please register here.

For a detailed cost estimate or to schedule a confidential consultation please use our contact form.