Investment Migration
Property & Investment Visas
Golden visas, residency-by-investment and citizenship-by-investment programmes let you gain residency — or a second passport — by investing in a country, often through property. This guide compares the leading routes in 2026, shows exactly how property fits each one, and flags the programmes that have recently closed or changed.
Golden visa & investment programmes compared (2026)
Sixteen live routes to residency or citizenship by investment. Property-linked routes are marked Direct; Optional means property is one of several routes; Restricted means property does not qualify on its own.
| Country | Programme | Type | Minimum investment | Property link | Minimum stay | Route to citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇷 Greece | Golden Visa | Residency | €250k–€800k (property, tiered) | Direct | None | After 7 years of actual residence |
| 🇨🇾 Cyprus | Permanent Residence by Investment | Permanent residency | €300k + VAT (new property) | Direct | Visit once every 2 years | Naturalisation after 7 years of residence |
| 🇲🇹 Malta | Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) | Permanent residency | €375k buy or €14k/yr rent + contributions | Direct | None | No (separate naturalisation regime) |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Investor Visa | Residency | €250k startup – €2m govt bonds | Restricted | None | After 10 years of residence |
| 🇱🇻 Latvia | Residence by Investment | Residency | €50k–€150k (business / state fund) | Restricted | Keep the investment in place | Naturalisation after ~10 years |
| 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Golden Visa (Investors) | Residency | AED 2m (~US$545k) property | Direct | None | None (residency only) |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | Thailand Privilege Visa | Long-stay | THB 650k–5m membership fee | Restricted | None | None |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | My Second Home (MM2H) | Residency | US$150k–1m deposit + property RM 600k–2m | Direct | Cumulative days per year | None |
| 🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis | Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | US$250k fund / US$325k+ property | Optional | None | Immediate citizenship |
| 🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda | Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | US$230k fund / US$300k property | Optional | 5 days in first 5 years | Immediate citizenship |
| 🇩🇲 Dominica | Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | US$200k fund or property | Optional | None | Immediate citizenship |
| 🇬🇩 Grenada | Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | US$235k fund / US$270k property | Optional | None | Immediate citizenship |
| 🇱🇨 Saint Lucia | Citizenship by Investment | Citizenship | US$240k fund / US$300k property | Optional | None | Immediate citizenship |
| 🇺🇸 United States | EB-5 Immigrant Investor | Permanent residency | US$800k (TEA) / US$1.05m | Restricted | Maintain US residence | Green card → naturalisation |
| 🇲🇺 Mauritius | Property Development Scheme (PDS) | Residency | US$375k+ approved property | Direct | Hold the property | PR / naturalisation over time |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | Active Investor Plus | Residency | NZ$5m–10m (approved assets) | Restricted | 21–105 days over the term | Residence → citizenship |
Programmes by region
Europe
- 🇬🇷GreeceGolden Visa€250k tier now limited to change-of-use/listed conversions; €400k most areas, €800k prime zones.
- 🇨🇾CyprusPermanent Residence by InvestmentCyprus abolished its citizenship-by-investment scheme in 2020; this is a fast-track PR route.
- 🇲🇹MaltaPermanent Residence Programme (MPRP)Combines property purchase or rental with a government contribution and donation; grants Schengen access.
- 🇮🇹ItalyInvestor VisaNo real-estate route — investment must go into startups, companies, bonds or philanthropy.
- 🇱🇻LatviaResidence by InvestmentThe property route (€250k) is abolished under the 2026 Immigration Law — company/fund routes remain.
Asia
Caribbean
- 🇰🇳Saint Kitts and NevisCitizenship by InvestmentThe world's oldest CBI programme (1984); passport typically within months.
- 🇦🇬Antigua and BarbudaCitizenship by InvestmentFamily-friendly pricing; UWI Fund option for larger families.
- 🇩🇲DominicaCitizenship by InvestmentOne of the lower-cost CBI routes; real estate held 3–5 years.
- 🇬🇩GrenadaCitizenship by InvestmentUnique benefit: Grenadian citizens can apply for the US E-2 investor visa.
- 🇱🇨Saint LuciaCitizenship by InvestmentFlexible routes including a government-bond option.
Africa & Indian Ocean
What is a golden or investment visa?
A "golden visa" is shorthand for a residency-by-investment programme: you make a qualifying investment — often buying property, sometimes a fund, business or government contribution — and in return receive the right to live in the country, usually renewable and often with no or minimal stay requirement.
Citizenship-by-investment (CBI) goes a step further, granting a passport rather than a residence permit. The Caribbean nations are the best-known CBI destinations, offering a second citizenship within months. Most European programmes grant residency first, with citizenship possible only after several years of genuine residence.
Residency vs citizenship by investment
The distinction matters for what you actually get. A residency-by-investment visa lets you live (and often work and study) in the country and travel within its bloc — for EU/Schengen programmes, that means visa-free movement across the Schengen Area. Citizenship-by-investment gives you a passport, the strongest and most permanent status, with visa-free travel to many countries and no need to maintain an investment or residence.
- Residency by investment: Greece, Cyprus, Malta, UAE, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand
- Citizenship by investment: St Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia
- Permanent green card → citizenship: USA (EB-5)
How property fits: direct, hybrid or restricted
Not every "investment visa" is a property visa. It helps to group them by how directly a property purchase qualifies you:
- Direct (property is the qualifying investment): Greece, Cyprus, Malta, UAE, Mauritius, and the property route of the Caribbean CBI programmes.
- Hybrid (property is one option among several, or paired with a deposit/contribution): Malaysia MM2H, the Caribbean CBI fund routes.
- Restricted / not property: Italy, the USA (property alone does not qualify, though real-estate development projects do), New Zealand, and Thailand (a membership fee, not an investment).
Aligning a mortgage with a visa: the strongest routes for property buyers
If your goal is to buy property and secure residency or citizenship in one move, the cleanest options have a clear price threshold, strong international demand and a direct link between the purchase and your immigration status:
- UAE (Dubai) — AED 2m property → 10-year Golden Visa, no income tax
- Greece — tiered property investment → renewable residency with no minimum stay
- Cyprus — €300k new-build property → fast-track permanent residency
- Mauritius — US$375k approved property → residence permit while owned
- Caribbean CBI — approved real estate → citizenship within months
Programmes that recently closed or changed
Investor-migration rules move quickly. These well-known routes have closed or dropped their property option — worth knowing before you compare.
United Kingdom — Tier 1 (Investor) visa
Closed to new applicants · 17 February 2022
The UK closed its £2m investor visa with no like-for-like replacement. The Innovator Founder route exists but is a business, not a passive-capital, visa.
Portugal — Golden Visa (property route)
Property route removed · October 2023
The Mais Habitação law (Law 56/2023) removed real estate as a qualifying investment. The programme continues for funds, cultural and other qualifying investments — but not residential property.
Spain — Golden Visa
Abolished · Effective 3 April 2025
Spain ended its residency-by-property-investment scheme entirely. New golden-visa applications are no longer accepted.
Ireland — Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP)
Closed to new applications · 15 February 2023
Ireland closed its investor-migration programme to new applicants.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a golden visa and citizenship by investment?
A golden visa (residency by investment) gives you the right to live in a country while you hold a qualifying investment, with citizenship possible later after years of residence. Citizenship by investment (CBI) grants a passport directly, usually within months, without a residence requirement — the Caribbean nations are the main CBI destinations.
Which programmes are truly property-based?
Greece, Cyprus, Malta, the UAE and Mauritius let you qualify directly by buying property, and the Caribbean CBI programmes all offer an approved-real-estate route. Italy, the USA and New Zealand are not property visas, and Thailand’s Privilege Visa is a membership fee rather than an investment.
Can I align a mortgage with a golden visa?
Yes, in several jurisdictions. The UAE explicitly allows mortgaged property to qualify for the Golden Visa provided the bank confirms the AED 2m threshold has been paid, and off-plan purchases can count too. Greece, Cyprus and Mauritius are also built around a property purchase. Always confirm financing rules with a local lender and the programme authority.
Which golden visas lead to an EU passport?
None grant an EU passport instantly. Greece, Cyprus and Malta grant residency (Malta and Cyprus, permanent residency), and citizenship is only possible after several years of genuine residence and, usually, language and integration requirements. Malta’s separate citizenship route has faced EU legal challenge.
Which investor programmes have closed or changed recently?
The UK closed its Tier 1 (Investor) visa in February 2022, Ireland closed its Immigrant Investor Programme in February 2023, Portugal removed the property route from its Golden Visa in October 2023, and Spain abolished its golden visa with effect from 3 April 2025. Latvia is removing its property route under a 2026 reform.
Is the USA EB-5 a property visa?
No. EB-5 requires an at-risk investment of US$800,000 (in a targeted employment area) or US$1.05m that creates at least 10 US jobs. Simply buying a home does not qualify, but many investors participate through real-estate development projects run by Regional Centers.
Do Caribbean citizenship programmes still offer visa-free travel to Europe and the UK?
Caribbean passports still offer broad visa-free travel, including much of the Schengen Area, but arrangements are kept under review and change over time — for example, the UK withdrew visa-free access for some Caribbean nationals. Check the current position for the specific country before applying.
Which is the cheapest route to a second passport?
Among the Caribbean CBI programmes, Dominica’s fund and property routes start around US$200,000, making it one of the lowest-cost options, with Grenada, Saint Lucia, Antigua & Barbuda and St Kitts & Nevis close behind after the 2024 minimum increases.
Official sources
Figures are researched from official government and programme sources. Always confirm current thresholds on the official page for your chosen programme before applying.