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EU residency by investment · Portugal, Italy, Greece

Keep a door open to Europe. Portugal, Italy, Greece, residency included.

A golden visa gives you the right to live in an EU country without having to move there. We set out what each of the three asks of you, how little time you must spend there to keep it, and what holding it means if you mostly live somewhere else.

By Peter Hjortsoe and Simone Millward. Every rule checked against the official source, with the date we checked it.

Which golden visa fits you? (2 min) → Compare Portugal, Greece, Italy

Portugal, Italy or Greece

Which golden visa fits you?

7 questions · 2 min

Take the quiz Or compare Portugal, Greece and Italy
The three programs EU golden visas explained →
Portugal golden visa

A €500,000 fund, now that property no longer qualifies. Seven days there in the first year, fourteen in each later two year period.

Read the Portugal guide →
Italy golden visa

Four routes from €250,000 in a startup to €2 million in bonds. No continuity of stay required for the first five years.

Read the Italy guide →
Greece golden visa

The one country where a home still qualifies, from €250,000 to €800,000 depending on the area and the building. No minimum stay.

Read the Greece guide →
Side by side The full comparison →

Portugal, Italy and Greece golden visas (EU residency by investment) compared: the essentials. Sources last checked . All 11 rows on the full comparison.

ComparedPortugalItalyGreece
Main routeNon real estate investment fundSource: Lei 23/2007 · checked Startup, company or venture capital fund, government bonds, or donationSource: D.Lgs. 286/1998 Art. 26-bis, Law 193/2024 · checked One residential propertySource: Law 5100/2024 · checked
Minimum investment€500,000 in a non real estate Portuguese fundSource: Lei 23/2007 · checked €250,000 in a registered innovative startup (you must still show €1,000,000 of funds); €500,000 company or venture capital fund; €1 million donation; €2 million government bondsSource: D.Lgs. 286/1998 Art. 26-bis, Law 193/2024 · checked €250,000 for a converted commercial building or restored listed building; €400,000 for a home outside the high demand areas; €800,000 in the high demand areasSource: Law 5100/2024, Circular 9/2024 · checked
Minimum stay7 days in year one, 14 days in each later two year periodSource: DR 84/2007, AIMA FAQ · checked No continuity requirement for the first five yearsSource: D.Lgs. 286/1998 Art. 26-bis · checked NoneSource: Law 5100/2024 · checked
Permit length2 years, renewed for 2Source: Lei 23/2007 · checked 2 years, renewed for 3Source: D.Lgs. 286/1998 Art. 26-bis · checked 5 years, renewed for 5Source: Law 5100/2024 · checked
Family includedSpouse, minor children, dependent parents and dependent adult children in educationSource: Lei 23/2007, Lei 61/2025 · checked Spouse and minor children under ordinary family reunification, with income and housing tests; adult children only if fully disabledSource: D.Lgs. 286/1998 Art. 29 · checked Spouse, unmarried children under 21 and the parents of both spousesSource: Law 5100/2024 · checked
Citizenship timeline10 years legal residence (7 for Portuguese speaking and EU nationals), since 19 May 2026Source: Nationality Law 37/81, LO 1/2026 · checked 10 years legal residence, Italian at B1Source: Law 91/1992 · checked 7 years lawful and permanent residence, plus examSource: MITOS naturalization record · checked

Portugal

Main route
Non real estate investment fundSource: Lei 23/2007 · checked
Minimum investment
€500,000 in a non real estate Portuguese fundSource: Lei 23/2007 · checked
Minimum stay
7 days in year one, 14 days in each later two year periodSource: DR 84/2007, AIMA FAQ · checked
Permit length
2 years, renewed for 2Source: Lei 23/2007 · checked
Family included
Spouse, minor children, dependent parents and dependent adult children in educationSource: Lei 23/2007, Lei 61/2025 · checked
Citizenship timeline
10 years legal residence (7 for Portuguese speaking and EU nationals), since 19 May 2026Source: Nationality Law 37/81, LO 1/2026 · checked

Italy

Main route
Startup, company or venture capital fund, government bonds, or donationSource: D.Lgs. 286/1998 Art. 26-bis, Law 193/2024 · checked
Minimum investment
€250,000 in a registered innovative startup (you must still show €1,000,000 of funds); €500,000 company or venture capital fund; €1 million donation; €2 million government bondsSource: D.Lgs. 286/1998 Art. 26-bis, Law 193/2024 · checked
Minimum stay
No continuity requirement for the first five yearsSource: D.Lgs. 286/1998 Art. 26-bis · checked
Permit length
2 years, renewed for 3Source: D.Lgs. 286/1998 Art. 26-bis · checked
Family included
Spouse and minor children under ordinary family reunification, with income and housing tests; adult children only if fully disabledSource: D.Lgs. 286/1998 Art. 29 · checked
Citizenship timeline
10 years legal residence, Italian at B1Source: Law 91/1992 · checked

Greece

Main route
One residential propertySource: Law 5100/2024 · checked
Minimum investment
€250,000 for a converted commercial building or restored listed building; €400,000 for a home outside the high demand areas; €800,000 in the high demand areasSource: Law 5100/2024, Circular 9/2024 · checked
Minimum stay
NoneSource: Law 5100/2024 · checked
Permit length
5 years, renewed for 5Source: Law 5100/2024 · checked
Family included
Spouse, unmarried children under 21 and the parents of both spousesSource: Law 5100/2024 · checked
Citizenship timeline
7 years lawful and permanent residence, plus examSource: MITOS naturalization record · checked

How it works

  1. Take the quiz

    A few questions on budget, family, passport and how much time you expect to spend there. See which program fits.

  2. Compare and read

    Check the dated comparison and the country guide. Every rule links to its official source and the date we checked it.

  3. Talk to us

    Tell us what you need. If you want, we introduce you to a vetted visa or fund partner.

  4. The partner files

    Our partners handle the application. We do not file applications, and we are paid when we introduce you.

An independent guide by people who did it. We are paid when we introduce you to vetted partners. We don't file applications. How that works.

Holding the option The whole shelf →
The big question Keeping the permit while you live somewhere else What can cost you the permit in each country, and what the years count toward if you one day want citizenship. Read the piece →
Schengen time

What the permit changes about the 90 days in any 180.

Read →
Renewals and minimum stay

How many days, how often, and what you prove at renewal.

Read →
Tax residency traps

The permit does not make you tax resident. Time and a home there can.

Read →
Tools All tools →
QuizWhich golden visa fits you?Seven questions. Your best fit shows on screen before any email.Take the quiz → CalculatorWhat it costs, all inInvestment and state fees for your family size and the years you keep the permit.Open the calculator → GuideThe three-country guidePortugal, Italy and Greece side by side, with sources, to print or save.Get the guide → ChecklistThe golden visa checklistThe documents and steps, in order.Get the checklist →

Rule-change alerts

When a rule changes, you hear it from us, with the source.

Golden visa rules move: Portugal dropped property in 2023 and moved citizenship to ten years in 2026, and Greece set new property thresholds in 2024. When a rule, fee or threshold changes in Portugal, Italy or Greece, we write what changed, link the official source, and say what it means if you hold the permit or plan to.

Get rule-change alerts Or book a free 20-minute call