Golden visa

A golden visa, more formally a residence-by-investment programme, gives a non-citizen the right to live in a country, and sometimes to travel more easily within its region, in exchange for investing or donating a specified amount. Qualifying routes vary by country and have included buying property, investing in approved funds or government bonds, capital transfers, donations to public causes and setting up businesses that create jobs. Permits are typically granted for a few years and renewed as long as the investment is maintained and other conditions are met. Some programmes require little physical presence; others expect applicants to spend meaningful time in the country.

A golden visa is a right of residence, not citizenship, and it does not by itself make you tax resident; tax residency depends on separate rules, usually about where you actually live. Some programmes can lead to permanent residence or naturalisation after years of residence, often with language and presence requirements. The investment itself carries risk: property or funds bought to qualify may be illiquid, overpriced or hard to sell. Governments have closed, suspended or reshaped schemes, sometimes at short notice, over concerns about housing costs, money laundering and security, and EU institutions have scrutinised them closely. Rules, eligible investments and amounts change often, so check current official sources and take independent legal advice.