Investment Residency — Cross-Country Comparison
Definition
Investment residency — residence permits granted in exchange for qualifying investment (real estate, funds, business, government bonds, or bank deposits). Also known as Golden Visa or RBI (Residence by Investment). Unlike citizenship-by-investment, this grants residence rights only — citizenship is a separate process requiring physical presence and language. Programs range from €250,000 (Greece conversion tier) to €2,000,000+ (NZ Active Investor). Minimum physical presence is often relaxed (7 days/year in Portugal, none in UAE/Greece).
Current State
59 countries in the wiki offer investment residency programs, though quality varies dramatically. The EU is tightening: Spain closed its Golden Visa (Apr 2025), Netherlands ended its investor visa (2024), Ireland's IIP is closed. Portugal's real estate route closed (Oct 2023) — fund-only now. Greece remains the most affordable EU option (€250,000 conversion tier). Caribbean CBI overlaps with this category but grants citizenship directly — see citizenship-by-investment. Malta's MPRP grants permanent residency from day one (rent or buy options). Panama's Qualified Investor Visa gives direct PR from $300,000 (rising to $500,000 Oct 2026).
Cross-Country Comparison
| Country | Official Program | Key Threshold | Duration | Citizenship Path | Community Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| portugal | ARI / Golden Visa | €500,000 investment fund (real estate closed since Oct 2023) | 2 yr, renewable; 7 days/yr stay | 10 yr (7 EU/CPLP); A2 Portuguese | Works well |
| greece | Golden Visa (B.5, Law 5038/2023) | €250,000 conversion / €400,000 standard / €800,000 prime real estate | 5 yr, renewable; no min stay | 7 yr with 183 days/yr actual residence | Works well — cheapest EU GV |
| italy | Investor Visa (Golden Visa) | €250,000 startups / €500,000 companies / €1,000,000 philanthropy / €2,000,000 bonds | 2 yr, renewable; PR after 5 yr | 10 yr; B1 Italian | Mixed — low uptake |
| spain | Golden Visa (CLOSED) | Closed 3 Apr 2025; existing holders retain rights | N/A | N/A for new applicants | Closed |
| malta | MPRP (Permanent Residence) | Rent route: €10,000-12,000/yr lease + ~€100,000 fees; Buy: €300,000-350,000 property + €68,000 fees | Permanent from day one | 7 yr residence; Maltese/English | Works well — rare direct-PR |
| united-kingdom | Innovator Founder Visa | Innovative business; endorsed by approved body | 3 yr; ILR after 3 yr | 5 yr + 1 yr ILR → citizenship | Mixed |
| france | Talent Passport — Economic Investor | €300,000+ business investment; 30%+ equity; create/save jobs | 4 yr, renewable | 5 yr; B1 French | Mixed — active mgmt required |
| canada | Quebec Immigrant Investor (QIIP) | CAD $2,000,000 net worth; CAD $1,000,000 investment + $200,000 non-refundable; French level 7 | PR on approval | 3 yr physical presence out of 5 yr | Mixed — high bar |
| united-states | EB-5 Immigrant Investor | $1,050,000 (or $800,000 TEA); 10+ jobs | Conditional 2 yr → permanent | 5 yr PR → naturalization | Works well — expensive but direct |
| australia | BIIP (CLOSED) | AUD $5,000,000; 40 days/yr | CLOSED to new applicants | N/A | Closed |
| new-zealand | Active Investor Plus | NZD $5,000,000–$15,000,000; 117 days over 4 yr | 4 yr (temporary) → PR | 5 yr residence | Mixed — very high bar |
| uae | Golden Visa — Investor | AED 2,000,000 (~$545,000) real estate or investment fund | 5–10 yr; no min stay | No citizenship path for expats | Works well |
| panama | Qualified Investor Visa | USD 300,000 real estate (→$500,000 Oct 2026) / $500,000 securities / $750,000 bank deposit; hold 5 yr | Direct permanent residency | 5 yr PR → citizenship | Works well |
| costa-rica | Residencia — Inversionista | USD 200,000 real estate, business, or reforestation | 2 yr → PR after 3 yr | 5–7 yr | Works well |
| turkey | Short-term residence (property) | Any property; no minimum for residence; CBI for citizenship at $400,000 | 1 yr, renewable | 5 yr continuous residence | Works well — see citizenship-by-investment |
| mauritius | Residence by Investment | $375,000 real estate; hold 5 yr | Permanent | 5 yr residence → citizenship | Works well |
| ireland | Immigrant Investor Programme (CLOSED) | CLOSED Feb 2023 | N/A | N/A | Closed |
| south-africa | Financial Independence Permit | ZAR 12,000,000 net worth; ZAR 120,000/yr application fee | Permanent | 5 yr → citizenship | Works well |
| colombia | Type M — Inversionista | ~350× min wage (~$120,000) real estate or business | 1–3 yr, renewable | 5 yr (Ibero-American 1 yr) | Works well |
Not available in: Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Austria (no dedicated investor visa — self-employment only), Switzerland, Japan, and ~30 others.