What Countries Offer a Golden Visa in 2023?

Getting permanent residence or even a second passport is easy when you figure out what countries offer a Golden Visa. Whether you dream of living a lifestyle abroad or are making necessary tax moves and financial decisions, a Golden Visa may be the answer you’ve been searching for. 

These Golden Visas are offered worldwide to those who qualify for them. Along with getting residency and even citizenship, holders can take advantage of other benefits such as healthcare, the tax system, and opening businesses and investments. 

While a Golden Visa is for a select handful of people, it’s perfect for those who want to live a remote or expat lifestyle without having to find a job abroad or apply for temporary digital nomad visas.

In this article, we’ll go over what countries offer a Golden Visa and the requirements and benefits that come along with each one. 

What is a Golden Visa?

Firstly, we should start by defining exactly what a Golden Visa is. A Golden Visa allows permanent residence and sometimes citizenship by investment. 

This investment could be the purchase of real estate, a donation, or making other monetary contributions. The amount required to obtain a Golden Visa can be anywhere between $150,000 to millions of dollars. 

With many Golden Visa programs, you may include your family members. Some programs even allow extended family members such as parents and even grandparents. 

Countries that offer this type of residency or citizenship by investment are mostly in the Caribbean and Europe. 

Who is Eligible for a Golden Visa?

There are fairly loose requirements you must meet in order to be eligible for a Golden Visa. While each country has its own requirements, below are the basic fundamentals of what you must meet to be eligible. 

• Clean Criminal Record
• Meet Required Investment
• Hold Required Investment for Set Period
• Prove You Acquired Funds for Investment Legally
• Proof the Funds are Solely Yours

If you align with these requirements, then you’ll definitely want to keep reading to see what countries offer a golden visa. 

Will a Golden Visa Lead to Citizenship?

Some countries offer citizenship by investment allowing you to skip a required residency period in the country. 

However, some programs – not all – do allow you to apply for citizenship after holding residency in the country for either five or ten years. 

It’s important to note that just because you have a Golden Visa does not always lead a path to citizenship. 

What Countries Offer a Golden Visa?

As of 2022, there are 22 countries around the world that offer a Golden Visa program to investors. 

Anguilla

Investment Amount: $150,000 to $750,000

Processing Time: 3-4 months

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: After 5 years

The beautiful Caribbean island of Anguilla can grant you a Golden Visa when you make a mere $150,000 investment in a government-controlled fund. If you wish to invest in real estate, this amount increases to $750,000. 

Along with your investment, there are processing and due diligence fees you must pay with your application. It’s also important to note that you must submit your application to a licensed agent. 

After five years of residency, you may apply for British Overseas Territory Citizen status. This eventually opens the doors to getting British citizenship. 

If you aren’t sure whether or not you want permanent residency just yet, you may consider Anguilla’s digital nomad visa for a temporary stay. 

For a more in-depth explanation of the investment options, fees, and how to apply for the visa, read our guide about the Anguilla Golden Visa here.

Antigua and Barbuda

Investment Amount: $100,000 to $1.5 million

Processing Time: 3-4 months

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: Yes

Enjoy the white sandy beaches of Antigua and Barbuda and obtain citizenship through their investment program. 

There are a few investment options available to those who wish to obtain a Golden Visa.

• $100,000 to the National Development Fund (NDF)
• $150,000 in the University of the West Indies (UWI) Fund
• $400,000 in real estate
• $1.5 million in a business scheme

You don’t have to make these investments on your own, though. You can make a joint investment when choosing the business or real estate route with one other partner. 

Along with the investment, you can expect to pay around $30,000 in processing fees and $7,000 in due diligence. 

This is also one of the Golden Visas that allow you to bring your parents as long as they are over the age of 58. Of course, children and spouses may be included too. 

It’s important to note that citizens from North Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, Sudan, and Somalia are not eligible to apply.

In just three to four months, you could own a second passport that allows visa-free access to 150 countries, including the UK.

For more information about the eligibility requirements and application process, read our in-depth guide about the Antigua and Barbuda golden visa.  

Austria

Investment Amount: €2 million to €10 million

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: Yes

Austria has one of the most expensive European Golden Visa programs. They only accept 300 applicants to receive this visa after making one of the following investments. 

• €3 million to a government fund
• €10 million in a business

If you’re investing in a business, it must also create job opportunities for Austrians and benefit the economy. 

While this Golden Visa has a hefty price tag, it comes with many benefits. One of these benefits is having visa-free access to the rest of the Schengen Area. 

It’s important to note that Austria does not allow dual citizenship. So, those obtaining Austrian citizenship must renounce their original citizenship.

It takes 36 months to process the application and to obtain Austrian citizenship.

Read more about the benefits and investment requirements for the Austria Golden Visa here.

Canada

Investment Amount: $1.2 million CAD

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: After 3 years

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) provides permanent residency to any applicant who meets the requirements and makes the necessary $1.2 million CAD investment to a government bond fund. 

To obtain Canadian citizenship through this residency permit and visa, you must live in the country for three years. During these three years, you must be present in Canada for at least 183 days each year. 

As a resident of Canada, you’ll not only have incredible natural views, but also valuable business opportunities and network connections. 

Cayman Islands

Investment Amount: $2.3 million

Processing Time: 3 months

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: After 5 years

The Cayman Islands offers a Golden Visa for those who want to invest their money in prime real estate. With this investment, you can obtain permanent residency on this tropical Caribbean Island and take advantage of its tax schemes. 

To apply for permanent residency by investment visa, you’ll have to invest at least $2.3 million in a real estate property in the Cayman Islands. 

You may also apply for long-term residency of 25 years if you earn at least CI$120,000 per year and invest CI$1 million in the Cayman Islands with at least CI$500,000 invested in developed real estate.

If you wish to reside on Little Cayman or Cayman Brac islands, the investment requirement decreases to CI$500,000 with CI$250,000 invested in developed real estate. You must also earn at least CI$75,000 per year.

You may also invest CI$1 million in one or multiple businesses in the Cayman Islands to be eligible for the golden visa.

You can also expect processing and application fees to be somewhere around $124,000 too. 

After holding permanent residency in the Cayman Islands for five years and having spent no more than 90 days away from the islands at a time, you may apply for British Overseas Citizenship. 

To learn more about the investment options and how to apply, read our in-depth article on the Cayman Islands Golden Visa here.

Germany

Investment Amount: 360,000€

Processing Time: 4 to 6 months for visa approval

Permanent Residency: After 3 years

Citizenship: After 8 years

The investor visa for Germany differs from the other countries that offer Golden Visas. Instead of making a required investment, you must first apply for a self-employed visa. 

You will then open a business in Germany on this visa. This business must create jobs for Germans and benefit the local economy. While there is no upfront investment, they do encourage applicants to invest at least 360,000€.

After living in Germany for three years, you may obtain your permanent residency. After eight years, you may apply for citizenship. 

You can check our step-by-step guide for how to apply for the Germany golden visa here.

Greece

Investment Amount: 250,000€ to 400,000€

Processing Time: 180 days

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: After 7 years

One of the most popular European Golden Visa programs is the Greece investment program. There are many opportunities for investors to obtain permanent residency and eventual citizenship in this gorgeous country. 

To be eligible for this visa, you must make one of the following investments:

• 500,000€ to purchase a real estate property
• 400,000€ invested in a Greek business
• 400,000€ to buy government bonds
• 400,000€ deposited in a Greek bank account
• Sign a 10-year lease in Greece for 250,000€

After living in Greece for seven years you may apply for citizenship. If you choose to simply keep your residence permit, you must renew it every five years. 

If you don’t have the funds right now to invest but still want to live on a Greek island, consider applying for Greece’s digital nomad visa instead.

You can check out our step-by-step guide on how to apply for the Greece golden visa here.

Grenada

Investment Amount: $150,000 to $220,000

Processing Time: 3-4 months

Permanent Residency: No

Citizenship: Yes

The beautiful island of Grenada offers citizenship by investment. This program completely skips the residency ad goes straight to giving you a brand new second passport. 

There are two investments you can make to receive your passport. 

• $150,000 to a National Transformation Fund
• $220,000 in real estate

If you decide to invest in real estate, the purchase must first be approved by the government to be eligible for the golden passport. 

Along with the investment, you can expect to pay processing fees and due diligence totaling around $8,000 per person. 

You can read more about the investment requirements and how to apply for the Grenada golden visa here.

Ireland

IMPORTANT: The Ireland Golden Visa Program is no longer active as of February 2023.

Investment Amount: 1€ million to 2€ million

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: No

Non-EU nationals can become a resident of Ireland with the Immigrant Investor Program (IIP) introduced in 2012. 

To qualify, you must make a 1€ million contribution to either an investment, enterprise, or real estate fund for at least three years. 

You may also invest 2€ million in real estate or REITs in Ireland to qualify for the visa as well. 

Lastly, you may invest (or rather donate) 500,000€ to an endowment in Ireland. If you choose to join three other people in this investment, the individual amount decreases to 400,000€. 

Ireland only accepts Golden Visa applications five times out of the year and only for a few days. Each year, the government announces these dates so make sure to keep your eye out. 

Malta

Investment Amount: 50,000€ to 350,000€

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: After 5 years

Malta offers one of the most affordable residency-by-investment programs available. Officially called the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP), applicants may choose between purchasing or renting a property for their qualifying investment.

The visa may also extend up to four generations for family reunification.

To obtain permanent residency, you must invest in the following opportunities:

• Pay a non-refundable administrative fee of €40,000
• Rent a property for a minimum of €10,000 in the South of Malta/Gozo or €12,000 in the rest of Malta; or
• Purchase a property for a minimum value of €300,000 in the South of Malta/Gozo or €350,000 in the rest of Malta
• Pay a Government contribution of €28,000 if purchasing a property or €58,000 if leasing a property
• Make a donation of €2,000 to a local philanthropic, cultural, scientific, artistic, sport or animal welfare NGO registered with the Commissioner of Voluntary Organisations
• Have capital assets of not less than €500,000, out of which a minimum of €150,000 must be financial assets

This permanent residency can transform into European citizenship if you live in Malta for five years and meet certain requirements. 

If you aren’t sure whether or not the Malta Golden Visa is the right place for your investment but still want to spend time there, you may want to consider Malta’s digital nomad visa for temporary residence.  

To learn more about the investment requirements and application process, read our article about the Malta Golden Visa here.

New Zealand

Investment Amount: $15 million NZD

Permanent Residency: After 4 years

Citizenship: After 5 years

The beautiful country of New Zealand offers the Active Investor Plus visa as their golden visa program to investors who would like residency and eventual citizenship. 

You must invest at least $15 million NZD in a qualified investment opportunity. These opportunities include listed equities, philanthropy, direct investment, and managed funds.

The weight of your investment can also vary depending on the investment option you choose. For example, $1 NZD will be worth $3 NZD when making a direct investment. Therefore the applicant can invest just $5 million NZD to satisfy the $15 million NZD investment requirement.

After receiving a preliminary approval, applicants have six months to make their initial investment. They must invest at least $7.5 million NZD (or its equivalent) in the first 18 months of their visa and the rest in 36 months of their visa term. They must maintain the investment for at least 48 months to qualify.

You can read more about the investment requirements and how to apply for the New Zealand golden visa here.

Portugal

IMPORTANT: The Portugal Golden Visa Program is no longer active as of February 2023.

Investment Amount: 250,000€ to 1€ million

Permanent Residency: After 5 years

Citizenship: After 5 years

Another one of the EU countries with an affordable investor program is the Portugal Golden Visa. There are a plethora of investment options with a large range in required amounts. 

The approved investments for this Golden Visa are as follows:

• 250,000​​€ to the reconstruction of Portuguese heritage or arts
• 500,000€ to research in science or technology
• 500,000€ in a qualifying investment fund
• 500,000€ in a property located in a high-density area
• 400,000€ in real estate located in a low-density area
• 350,000€ in real estate older than 30 years in a high-density area
• 280,000€ in real estate older than 30 years in a low-density area
• 1.5€ million deposited in a Portuguese bank account
• 500,000€ million invested in a Portuguese company that creates five full-time jobs for three years
• Open a Portuguese company and create ten full-time jobs in a high-density area
• Open a Portuguese company and create eight full-time jobs in a low-density area

These different investment options and amounts make this visa open to many people. 

When you apply and make your investment, you will receive a renewable two-year temporary residency permit. To achieve permanent residency or citizenship, you must renew the temporary permit for an additional three years to hold residency for a total of five years. 

If you don’t meet the investment requirements, you may consider Portugal’s digital nomad visa, also known as a passive income visa which can also lead to citizenship. 

You can read more about the investment requirements and how to apply for the Portugal Golden Visa here.

Singapore

Investment Amount: S$2.5 million SGD

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: After 2 years

You could soon live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world with the strongest passport for visa-free travel when you get the Singapore Golden Visa. 

Known as the Singapore Global Investor Program (SGIP) allows investors and entrepreneurs to live in Singapore and eventually obtain citizenship. 

To qualify you must make a S$2.5 million SGD investment (~ $1.8 million USD) in a business, approved fund, or a single-family office in Singapore. 

Your business must also have at least S$50 million SGD turnover the year following your investment and each year after. 

After living in Singapore for two years, you may apply for citizenship and receive a passport. It’s important to note that Singapore does not allow dual citizenship.

For a more in-depth explanation of the investment options, fees, and how to apply for the visa, read our guide about the Singapore Golden Visa.

Spain

Investment Amount: 500,000€ to 2€ million

Permanent Residency: After 5 years

Citizenship: After 10 years

The Spain Golden Visa is another very popular investment program that non-EU nationals love to take advantage of to obtain permanent residency and eventually citizenship. 

Upon initial approval, the government grants you a temporary residence permit in Spain. You may renew this for five years, and at this point, you can then receive permanent residency. 

The investment visa requirements are as follows: 

• 500,000€ in real estate investment
• 1€ million investment in a company
• 1€ million deposited into a Spanish bank account
• 2€ million investment in Spanish debt

With this visa, the family extends to elderly parents who are dependent on your care. 

After a decade of living in Spain, you can apply for your EU passport. Of course, there are other naturalization processes you must meet during this time. 

If permanent residency in Spain is too much for your situation, you may want to research Spain’s digital nomad visa with an emphasis on startups and entrepreneurs. 

To learn more about the details of the investment and tax obligations, read our in-depth article about the Spain golden visa here.

St. Kitts and Nevis

Investment Amount: $150,000 to $200,000

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: Yes

St. Kitts and Nevis’s program offers a Golden Passport immediately upon making the necessary investment to meet the requirements. With this passport, you will have visa-free access to 160 countries worldwide. 

When compared to other visa investment programs, St. Kitts and Nevis has a relatively affordable requirement. To qualify, you must make one of two investments.

• $150,000 in a Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF)
• $200,000 real estate investment in hotels or tourist attractions

There will be processing and due diligence fees equal to $12,500 for the main applicant. For each family member, including parents over the age of 55, the application fee is $4,000. 

You will skip the process of getting permanent residency and go straight to holding a new passport in your hands. This is definitely an opportunity you do not want to miss out on if your plan is to diversify yourself and your access to different countries.

For a more in-depth explanation of the investment options, fees, and how to apply for the visa, read our guide about the St. Kitts and Nevis Golden Visa.

St. Lucia

Investment Amount: $100,000 to $3.5 million

Processing Time: 90 days

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: Yes

You could own a second passport in just three months when you take advantage of St. Lucia’s citizenship by investment program. 

There are different tiers of investments that you can make to qualify for this Golden Visa opportunity.

• $100,000 investment in the National Economic Fund
  • $165,000 if applying with a spouse
  • $190,000 if applying with dependents
• $500,000 investment in government bonds
• $300,000 real estate investment in high-end boutiques, hotels, and resorts
• $3.5 million investment in enterprise that creates three permanent jobs

Along with your investment,  you can expect to pay around $9,500 in due diligence and processing fees as the main applicant. Each additional dependent and spouse is $6,000. 

You may also bring your parents if they are over the age of 55 and dependent on you and your siblings. 

One of the major benefits of becoming a St. Lucia citizen is the favorable tax schemes in the country. 

For a more in-depth explanation of the investment options, fees, and how to apply for the visa, read our guide about the St. Lucia Golden Visa.

Switzerland

Investment Amount: 200,000 CHF to 1 million CHF

Permanent Residency: After 10 years

Citizenship: After 12 years

There are two programs that will grant residency in Switzerland for investors and entrepreneurs.

The first program requires you pay a lump tax sum annually to the canton were you live. Depending on the canton, this amount can range from 200,000 CHF to 600,000 CHF per year. This program does not give you the right to work in Switzerland.

The second program requires an investment of 1 million CHF to start a new business or contribute to an existing business in Switzerland. 

The difference between this Golden Visa opportunity and other EU countries is you won’t be eligible for permanent resident status until after a decade of living in the country. 

For a more in-depth explanation of the investment options, fees, and how to apply for the visa, read our guide about the Switzerland Golden Visa.

Turkey

Investment Amount: $250,000 to $500,000

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: After 3 to 6 months

With Turkey’s Golden Visa program, you can obtain a second passport simply by investing in real estate in the country. It’s one of the fastest golden passports you can get in Europe, and it doesn’t require you to live there. 

You must meet at least one of the Golden Visa requirements to be eligible for this program.

• $400,000 real estate investment
• $500,000 deposited in Turkish bank (held for three years)
• $500,000 invested in government bonds (held for three years)
• $500,000 in capital investment (held for three years)
• Establish a business that requires 50 employees in Turkey

If you decide to invest in real estate, it’s helpful to note that property taxes are quite low and range from 0.1% to 0.6%. 

You can review the investment requirements and how to obtain Turkish citizenship from our in-depth article about the Turkey Golden Visa here.

United Arab Emirates

Investment Amount: 1 million AED to 2 million AED

Permanent Residency: 5 to10-year residence permit (renewable)

Citizenship: No

Unlike other Golden Visa programs, the UAE Investor Visa only offers long-term residency, not permanent. However, this ten-year residence permit is renewable.

To be eligible for this investor visa, you must meet one of the following requirements:

• 1 million AED establish a startup in Dubai
• 2 million AED real estate investment

There is also a ten-year residence permit for those of special skills and talents such as doctors, researchers, and more. However, if you’re a businessperson, this is definitely a visa you may want to look into. 

If you aren’t ready to make a large financial commitment to the UAE, you might be interested in Dubai’s digital nomad visa, allowing you to live in the country temporarily.  

You can review the full investment requirements and eligible categories in our in-depth article about the UAE Golden Visa here.

United States of America

Investment Amount: $900,000 to $1.8 million

Processing Time: 20-26 months

Permanent Residency: Green Card

Citizenship: After 7 years

The United States of America offers the EB-5 investor visa for those who would like to establish residency and eventual citizenship in the country. 

This Golden Visa requires an investment of $900,000 in a Targeted Employment Area (TEA) or $1.8 million outside of a TEA. The goal of this investment is to create jobs for Americans in rural or areas of high unemployment rates. 

Your investment should create at least ten job positions for Americans two years after you have made the investment. 

After living in the United States for at least seven years and spending at least 183 days of each year in the country, you may turn your Green Card into citizenship and obtain a US passport. 

Vanuatu

Investment Amount: $130,000 to $200,000

Processing Time: 30 days

Permanent Residency: Yes

Citizenship: Yes

Located in the South Pacific, the island of Vanuatu offers an excellent and relatively affordable Golden Visa to investors. In fact, this program is citizenship by investment, so you will walk away with a brand new passport in your hand after everything is said and done. 

You’ll have two options of investments to obtain a Vanuatu passport:

• $130,000 in a government fund 
  • $150,000 investment when applying with a spouse
  • $165,000 investment when applying with a family of three
  • $180,000 investment when applying with a family of four
  • $25,000 investment for each additional family member
• $200,000 in pre-approved real estate property

While the initial investment may seem quite affordable to high-earning investors, the processing fees and due diligence are almost equal (sometimes more) than the actual investment.

When you obtain citizenship through investment, you will have limited rights in the country. This means you won’t have the right to vote in elections. 

However, there are no tax requirements when you become a citizen of Vanuatu. You can also easily apply for visas to visit Australia with this citizenship too. 

For more information about the eligibility requirements, investment amounts, and application process, read our in-depth Vanuatu golden visa guide.

Is a Golden Visa Right for You?

We’ve just listed over 20 countries that offer Golden Visas worldwide. Some of these countries have minimal investments of $100,000 and others require up to £10 million. You will receive permanent residency that can lead to citizenship or a brand new passport immediately.

Finding the right Golden Visa for you and your financial goals and situation can be time-consuming and confusing. 

To decide on the perfect opportunity, we suggest working with a professional immigration lawyer who specializes in residency and citizenship by investment schemes. 

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