Golden Visa & Residency by Investment
Sorted by minimum investment. Requirements change frequently — verify with official program sources before acting.
🇺🇾
Uruguay
Min Investment
None required
Passive income ~$1,500/mo (no investment required)
Processing
3–6 months
Citizenship Path
3 years
Min Stay/Year
183 days
Tax benefit:Foreign income 0% for first 10 years (territorial tax system)
Cheapest/easiest residency option in this group. Safest country in Latin America.
🇦🇹
AustriaEU MemberUS Treaty
Min Investment
None required
Red-White-Red Card (skills/business based, no minimum investment)
Processing
4–8 months
Citizenship Path
6 years
Min Stay/Year
183 days
Tax benefit:Expat income exemption (Zuzugsbegünstigung): ~30% income exempt for qualifying arrivals
Red-White-Red Card categories include self-employed key workers and founders. Citizenship at 6 years (one of the faster EU paths). Austria does not allow dual citizenship in most cases — consult a lawyer on US passport implications.
🇪🇸
SpainEU MemberUS Treaty
Min Investment
None required
Digital Nomad Visa (~€2.3K/mo income) / Non-Lucrative Visa
Processing
1–3 months
Citizenship Path
10 years
Min Stay/Year
183 days
Tax benefit:Beckham Law: 24% flat on Spanish income, foreign income exempt, for 6 years (requires Spanish-sourced employment)
Digital Nomad Visa launched 2023 — one of the fastest processing times in EU. Non-Lucrative Visa (passive income holders) also accessible. Golden Visa (€500K property) still available in 2026 — check current status.
🇨🇿
CzechiaEU MemberUS Treaty
Min Investment
None required
Long-Term Residence / Business Visa (no minimum investment)
Processing
3–6 months
Citizenship Path
5 years
Min Stay/Year
183 days
Tax benefit:15% flat income tax (23% above ~€70K). No special expat regime — standard rates apply.
One of the most underrated EU residency options — top 10 globally for safety, low flat tax, and no minimum investment required. Business visa route requires demonstrating business activity in Czech Republic.
🇲🇹
MaltaEU MemberUS TreatyPerm Residency
Min Investment
€169,000
Contribution + property rent/buy
Processing
4–6 months
Citizenship Path
Not available
Min Stay/Year
None
Tax benefit:Foreign income not taxed (non-dom). No annual property tax.
This is permanent residency, not citizenship. Citizenship is separate: €600K–750K.
🇬🇩
GrenadaUS TreatyCitizenshipE-2 Access
Min Investment
$235,000
National Transformation Fund donation
Processing
3–9 months
Citizenship Path
Immediate
Min Stay/Year
None
Tax benefit:No income tax. E-2 Treaty with US — can apply for US E-2 investor visa.
KEY ADVANTAGE: Grenada passport allows E-2 visa application to US. Best dual-citizenship play for US entrepreneurs.
🇬🇷
GreeceEU MemberUS Treaty
Min Investment
€250,000
Real estate (restoration)
Processing
3–6 months
Citizenship Path
7 years
Min Stay/Year
None
Tax benefit:€100K/yr flat tax on global income for non-doms (income-independent)
Standard areas now €800K. Restoration properties still €250K. Strong property market recovery.
🇭🇺
HungaryEU MemberUS Treaty
Min Investment
€250,000
Real estate fund units
Processing
3–4 months
Citizenship Path
11 years
Min Stay/Year
None
Tax benefit:15% flat personal, 9% corporate (lowest in EU)
10yr residency renewable once. No stay requirement to maintain. Long citizenship path.
🇰🇳
St. Kitts & NevisCitizenship
Min Investment
$250,000
Donation or real estate
Processing
3–6 months
Citizenship Path
Immediate
Min Stay/Year
None
Tax benefit:No income tax, no capital gains tax, no wealth tax
Actual citizenship (not just residency). 150+ visa-free countries. Popular US entrepreneur exit play.
🇨🇾
CyprusEU MemberUS Treaty
Min Investment
€300,000
Real estate
Processing
2–3 months
Citizenship Path
5 years
Min Stay/Year
None
Tax benefit:0% on dividends and interest for 17yrs (non-dom). 12.5% corporate.
Fastest EU processing. Best for investors with dividend/interest income.
🇵🇹
PortugalEU MemberUS Treaty
Min Investment
€500,000
Investment fund
Processing
12–18 months
Citizenship Path
5 years
Min Stay/Year
7 days
Tax benefit:IFICI: 20% flat on qualifying income (new regime)
NHR ended Jan 2024. Real estate route closed 2023. 7 days/yr keeps you out of PT tax residency.
🇮🇹
ItalyEU MemberUS Treaty
Min Investment
€500,000
Startup / fund / govt bonds
Processing
3–6 months
Citizenship Path
10 years
Min Stay/Year
None
Tax benefit:€100K/yr flat tax on foreign income (same as Greece)
Lifestyle premium. Bureaucracy is slow. €1 home schemes in southern Italy for renovators.
Golden visa programs change frequently — minimums have increased multiple times in recent years (Greece went from €250K to €800K standard). Verify all requirements at official government sources before investing. Not financial or immigration advice.