Golden Visa Minimum Investment by Country (2026)

Key Takeaways

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• A golden visa minimum investment is the smallest qualifying capital outlay a non-EU investor must commit to a government-approved route to be considered for residency.
• Headline minimums alone are misleading, because the same figure can mean a recoverable fund investment, a property purchase tied to tax residency, or a closed program.
• Among active EU programs in 2026, Portugal’s €500,000 fund route stands out for its light presence requirement and path to citizenship without relocation.
• Other programs either tie capital to property, require years of actual residence for citizenship, or have closed entirely, including Spain in April 2025 and Ireland in 2023.
• VIDA Capital guides investors through Portugal’s qualifying fund route and into the regulated VIDA Fund, an asset-backed hospitality investment audited by Deloitte.

Speak with VIDA Capital about the Portugal Golden Visa fund route.

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Why Minimum Investment Alone Misleads Investors

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Investors searching for golden visa minimum investment by country find headline figures quickly. Those figures do not show whether the same number buys a recoverable fund position, a property tied to years of tax residence, or a permit with no citizenship path. Comparing minimums without that context means comparing the wrong thing.

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This article compares thresholds by country, then explains what each threshold actually buys. It covers route type, capital recoverability, physical-presence requirement, citizenship timeline, and current program status, so the number becomes a basis for a decision.

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Secure your EU residency and a path to EU citizenship with a Portugal Golden Visa.

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Golden Visa Minimum Investment by Country (2026)

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The following comparison covers the principal active programs as of October 2026. Read it with one question in mind: does the headline number buy recoverable capital, a property you must hold, or a permit with no citizenship path at all? USD equivalents are approximate, and all figures should be verified with official sources and a qualified advisor before investing.

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Portugal

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• Minimum: €500,000 (approx. USD 545,000)
• Route type: Qualifying investment fund, capital invested rather than spent
• Physical presence: 14 days every two-year period
• Citizenship timeline: Under Portugal's new citizenship framework (approved October 2025 but not yet in force and subject to final approval and legal review), the residency requirement is expected to extend to 10 years, or 7 years for nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens
• Official authority: AIMA (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo)
• Status: Open, with several investment routes including a €500,000 qualifying non-real-estate fund, €500,000 for scientific research, €250,000 for arts and cultural heritage, and job-creation or company-investment options

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Greece

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• Minimum: €250,000 / €400,000 / €800,000 (approx. USD 272,000 / USD 435,000 / USD 870,000) depending on location and property type
• Route type: Property purchase
• Physical presence: No minimum stay to hold the permit; 7 years of living there required for citizenship
• Citizenship timeline: 7 years of actual residence
• Official authority: Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum
• Status: Open, with tiered thresholds since September 2024

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Italy

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• Minimum: €250,000 (approx. USD 272,000) in an innovative startup; €500,000 (approx. USD 545,000) in an Italian company; €1,000,000 philanthropic donation; €2,000,000 in government bonds
• Route type: Equity, donation, or bonds, depending on category
• Physical presence: No minimum stay requirement for the permit
• Citizenship timeline: 10 years of actual residence
• Official authority: investorvisa.mimit.gov.it
• Status: Open

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UAE

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• Minimum: AED 2,000,000 (approx. USD 545,000) in property or a qualifying fund or deposit
• Route type: Property or public investment
• Physical presence: No minimum stay; standard UAE visa lapse rules do not apply to Golden Visa holders
• Citizenship timeline: No standard path to citizenship
• Official authority: ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security)
• Status: Open, with 10-year renewable residency

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Saudi Arabia

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• Minimum: SAR 800,000 one-off (approx. USD 213,000) for unlimited-duration permit; SAR 100,000/year (approx. USD 26,700) for renewable annual permit; SAR 4,000,000 (approx. USD 1,067,000) via property; SAR 7,000,000 (approx. USD 1,867,000) via investor route
• Route type: Fee-based premium residency or property and investor categories
• Physical presence: Not publicly specified
• Citizenship timeline: No standard path to citizenship
• Official authority: Premium Residency Center (pr.gov.sa)
• Status: Open

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Hungary

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• Minimum: €250,000 (approx. USD 272,000) in a qualifying investment fund
• Route type: Investment fund (direct property purchase route abolished January 2025)
• Physical presence: No minimum stay requirement
• Citizenship timeline: Lengthy, and not a primary draw of the program
• Official authority: National Bank of Hungary (authorizes qualifying funds)
• Status: Open, fund route only since January 2025

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Cyprus

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• Minimum: €300,000 (approx. USD 326,000) plus at least €50,000 in annual foreign income
• Route type: Property or qualifying investment
• Physical presence: Visit at least once every two years
• Citizenship timeline: Citizenship-by-investment program closed in 2020; naturalization requires long-term residence
• Official authority: Civil Registry and Migration Department
• Status: Open for permanent residence; citizenship-by-investment closed

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Turkey

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• Minimum: USD 400,000 in property (single contract, held 3 years) or USD 500,000 via capital transfer, bank deposit, government bonds, or funds
• Route type: Citizenship-by-investment, rather than a conventional golden visa
• Physical presence: Not required for the citizenship route
• Citizenship timeline: Direct citizenship, without a prior residency stage
• Official authority: Turkish government
• Status: Open

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Spain

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• Status: Closed, program ended April 3, 2025

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Ireland

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• Status: Closed, program ended February 2023

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With the survey out of the way, the rest of this article examines the routes that still work, starting with the one that fits most US investors.

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Portugal First: What the €500,000 Fund Investment Actually Buys

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Portugal removed property from Golden Visa eligibility in October 2023 and set the qualifying fund investment minimum at €500,000. That figure is capital allocated into a regulated investment fund, where it remains the investor's asset rather than a fee paid to the government. The money can be exited at fund maturity, subject to the fund's terms and market performance. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns.

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VIDA Capital is the advisory firm that guides investors through this process and into the VIDA Fund. The VIDA Fund is an asset-backed fund that acquires and transforms undervalued hospitality businesses in Portugal, giving these assets a second life rather than building them from scratch. The VIDA Fund is regulated by the Portuguese Securities Market Authority and audited bi-annually by Deloitte.

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On residency mechanics, the Golden Visa grants legal residency with a minimum physical stay of just 14 days every two years. That residency applies only in Portugal, not across the European Union, although holders may travel visa-free within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The temporary permit is valid for two years and is renewed for two additional two-year periods. After that stage, applicants can apply for permanent residency. Because the approval card issuance usually takes a year, most investors only complete a single renewal during the five-year period.

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Having a lawyer accompany the applicant through every step of the process is essential. The process usually spans 12 to 18 months.

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On citizenship, Portugal's Parliament approved a new framework in October 2025 introducing longer timelines. The law has not yet entered into force and remains subject to final approval and potential legal review. According to legal analysis from CCLex, the new Portuguese citizenship law, once formally enacted, is expected to extend the residency requirement to 10 years, or 7 years for nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens; it has not yet entered into force and remains subject to final approval and legal review. The new law is expected to apply to future applicants once formally enacted, while those who already submitted a citizenship application before publication should remain under the previous framework.

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Portugal is currently one of the only countries in Europe that offers access to citizenship without the need to relocate. The presence rule described above makes it a standout Plan B for investors who want to keep their lives in the US while securing an EU foothold. Portugal's Golden Visa provides a pathway to citizenship without the need to relocate, through qualifying investments in regulated funds.

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Speak with VIDA Capital about the Portugal Golden Visa fund route.

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Greece: Tiered Minimums and the Seven-Year Catch

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Greece runs Europe's main property-based golden visa on a tiered scale. High-demand areas such as Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, and Santorini require €800,000. Most other regions require €400,000 for a single property of at least 120 square meters, and €250,000 applies only to qualifying commercial-to-residential conversions or listed-building restorations. Every route is a property purchase, so capital is tied to a single asset whose liquidity depends on finding a buyer.

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The critical trade-off is the citizenship path. Greece requires seven years of actually living there and paying taxes to qualify for long-term residency and citizenship. For an investor who wants a European Plan B without relocating, that requirement makes Greece a poor structural fit. Greece suits buyers who want Schengen access and are comfortable holding property in the country, but it is designed for people prepared to build a life there.

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Italy: How the Investor Visa Works and What €250,000 Buys

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Italy's Investor Visa offers four qualifying categories. The cheapest is €250,000 into an innovative startup; the others are €500,000 into an Italian limited company, €1,000,000 as a philanthropic donation, and €2,000,000 in government bonds. The visa is a two-year renewable permit with no minimum-stay rule. However, citizenship requires 10 years of actual residence in Italy. Italy suits investors who want European exposure through equity or bonds and are open to eventually living in the country, but the citizenship timeline is long and requires genuine relocation.

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Outside Europe, the UAE runs a very different kind of program.

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The UAE: AED 2,000,000 and No Citizenship Path

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The UAE Golden Visa investment amount is AED 2,000,000 (approximately USD 545,000). That capital can be placed in qualifying property, a financial deposit with an approved investment fund or national bank, or capital in a UAE-registered company. The ICP administers a 10-year renewable residency with no sponsor required and no minimum-stay obligation. Holders can sponsor family members including spouses, children, and parents.

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The UAE Golden Visa grants residence only; there is no standard naturalization pathway for most nationalities. It suits investors who want a Gulf base, a tax-efficient environment, and long-term residency without any presence requirement, and who are not seeking an EU passport.

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Which Golden Visa Programs Have Closed or Changed?

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Program status is the most frequently outdated information in golden visa comparisons. Several programs that appear in search results are no longer accepting new applications.

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Three of the programs in the list above have already changed shape. Spain's program closed to new applicants in April 2025 under Organic Law 1/2025, and Ireland closed its Immigrant Investor Programme in February 2023. Portugal removed property from its Golden Visa in October 2023 and moved to the €500,000 fund route, and Greece adopted a tiered threshold structure effective September 2024, raising minimums significantly in high-demand zones. Any comparison page that still lists Spain as open, or Portugal with a property route, is presenting stale information. Verify program status before shortlisting a jurisdiction; it is the first step in any comparison.

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Portugal vs Greece: Minimum vs Total Cost of Ownership

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Portugal and Greece are the two most commonly compared EU golden visa programs for US investors. On capital treatment, Portugal's €500,000 goes into a regulated investment fund, so it remains the investor's asset, subject to market performance, and can be exited at maturity. Greece's €400,000 to €800,000 goes into a property purchase, tying capital to a specific asset whose liquidity depends on finding a buyer.

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On presence, Portugal's rule described earlier is the lightest in the EU. Portugal Golden Visa applicants need only spend 14 days in Portugal every two years to maintain eligibility. Greece has no minimum stay to hold the permit, but requires seven years of living there and paying taxes to access citizenship. That citizenship-without-relocation path, described earlier, is what separates Portugal from Greece. For an investor whose life is in the US, Portugal's presence rule makes it the only program in this comparison that functions as a genuine Plan B, combining EU residency with a citizenship path.

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How to Choose

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Three questions determine which program fits, and they build on each other. Start with presence, because it eliminates the most options: if you want to live in the country as little as possible, Portugal is the only EU program with the residency rule outlined above. That narrows the field before you reach the second question, which is what happens to your capital, and separates Portugal's recoverable fund from property routes that lock money into a single asset or donation routes that spend it outright. The third question is how important a citizenship path is, because it decides whether the program you picked actually delivers the outcome you wanted.

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For the investor who wants EU residency, a path to an EU passport, and the ability to keep their life in the United States, Portugal and the VIDA Fund provide that combination.

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Compare your Portugal Golden Visa options with VIDA Capital.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Which Country Has the Lowest Golden Visa Minimum Investment?

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Among active EU programs in 2026, Italy's startup route starts at €250,000, Greece's conversion route starts at €250,000, and Hungary's fund route starts at €250,000. However, the lowest number is not the most useful comparison. Italy and Greece both require years of actual residence for citizenship. Portugal's €500,000 fund route is higher in headline cost but keeps capital invested rather than spent, relies on the light presence rule described earlier, and offers a citizenship path without relocation, which makes it the most cost-effective option for investors who do not want to move.

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Is Spain's Golden Visa Still Available?

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No. Spain's Golden Visa program ended on April 3, 2025, under Organic Law 1/2025. New applications are no longer accepted. Existing holders can renew under the previous framework, but the program is closed to new investors.

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How Much Is the Portugal Golden Visa Minimum Investment?

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The current minimum for the qualifying investment fund route is €500,000. Portugal's €500,000 Golden Visa investment is separate from additional costs such as government fees, legal fees, and fund subscription fees. The €500,000 is capital deployed into a regulated fund, rather than an immigration fee, meaning it remains the investor's asset subject to the fund's performance and terms. Portugal removed property from the program in October 2023, so the fund route is the principal capital-based option available to new applicants.

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Do You Have to Live in the Country to Keep Residency?

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It depends on the program. Portugal's presence rule, covered above, is the lightest in the EU. Greece has no minimum stay to hold the permit but requires seven years of living there and paying taxes to access citizenship. The UAE has no minimum stay requirement. Italy has no minimum stay for the permit but requires 10 years of actual residence for citizenship. For investors who want to maintain their primary life in the United States while holding EU residency, Portugal is the only program that makes that possible without sacrificing a citizenship path.

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Can Family Members Be Included?

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Under Portugal's Golden Visa, a spouse, economically dependent children, and parents or in-laws who are either above 65 years of age or financially dependent on the main applicant can be included in the same application. Children must be full-time students and not working, and cannot be married at any time during the residency program until the Golden Visa application. Document-wise, a marriage certificate or other proof of relationship, such as for a common-law partner, can be presented. Family members included in the application share the same residency rights and presence requirements as the main applicant, and the €500,000 investment amount does not increase with family size, though government fees are charged per person.

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Ask VIDA Capital how to include your family in a Portugal Golden Visa application.