Golden visas in 2026: which residence by investment programmes are still open

Residence by investment, often called a golden visa, gives a residence permit in exchange for buying property, investing in a company or funding a public project. Over the past few years several European programmes have closed and others have changed the rules, most often by removing property purchases or raising the price.

We checked seven well known programmes on official government pages and in published laws on 7 October 2026. This is not a complete list of investor routes, and amounts and conditions can change.

The programmes at a glance

Portugal: still open, but not for property

Portugal's investor residence permit still exists, but the rules changed with Law No. 56/2023. According to the AIMA, the agency that handles it, the investment cannot be directed, directly or indirectly, to real estate.

The routes listed on the AIMA page include a capital transfer of at least €500,000 into Portuguese investment funds that do not invest in real estate, €500,000 for scientific research, €250,000 for artistic production or the national cultural heritage, and €500,000 to set up or expand a company that creates at least five permanent jobs. Some amounts are lower in low density areas.

Greece: higher property thresholds

Greece still grants residence permits for property investment, but Law 5100/2024, article 64, raised the minimum. In the whole region of Attica, the Thessaloniki regional unit, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants, the threshold rose from €500,000 to €800,000. In other areas it rose from €250,000 to €400,000.

A separate route for listed buildings to be restored keeps a minimum of €250,000, according to the Greek government's services portal.

Italy: investment rather than property

Italy's Investor Visa does not involve property. According to the Italian consulate in London, applicants choose one of three options: at least €2 million in Italian government bonds; at least €500,000 in Italian companies' bonds or shares, reduced to €250,000 for innovative start-ups; or at least €1 million in projects of public interest, such as culture, education, research or heritage.

Malta: property, contribution and fees

The Malta Permanent Residence Programme combines several requirements. The official agency lists a property purchase of at least €375,000 or a rental of at least €14,000 a year, kept for at least five years; a government contribution of €37,000; a non-refundable administrative fee of €60,000; and capital assets of at least €500,000, of which €150,000 in financial assets, or €650,000, of which €75,000 in financial assets.

Closed programmes

Spain. Organic Law 1/2025, of 2 January 2025, emptied articles 63 to 67 of Law 14/2013, the articles that created the investor residence visas, including the one for buying property. Applications filed before the change are decided under the old rules, and permits that were valid keep their validity. Renewals of permits for property investors are decided under the rules in force when the first permit was granted.

Ireland. The government closed the Immigrant Investor Programme to further applications from 15 February 2023.

United Kingdom. The UK government states that you can no longer apply for a new Tier 1 (Investor) visa.

What to keep in mind

• Residence is not citizenship. These programmes give a residence permit. Citizenship follows the normal naturalisation rules, which our article on years to citizenship compares.
• Property is losing ground. Portugal and Spain removed property purchases; Greece kept them at a higher price.
• The investment amount is not the total cost. Fees, taxes and advisers add to the price, and some programmes require keeping the investment for years.

This article describes the rules as published on official pages on 7 October 2026 and is not legal or financial advice. Check the current rule with the country's immigration authority before committing money.

Country profiles: Portugal, Greece, Italy, Spain, Ireland and United Kingdom.