<\/p>\n
Malta<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\nMany may argue that Malta\u2019s Exceptional Immigrant Naturalization Program<\/a> (MEIN) is already better than its Portuguese counterpart.<\/p>\nThe MEIN provides a faster route to naturalisation. Depending on the donation amount, investors can obtain Maltese citizenship for themselves and their family within one or three years, making it the fastest route to becoming an EU citizen.<\/p>\n
There are three facets to the MEIN’s investment amount<\/span>, with real estate being one of them, and for an investor to qualify, they must invest as follows:<\/p>\n\n- Contribution:\n
\n- One year till naturalisation: \u20ac750,000, OR<\/li>\n
- Three years till naturalisation: \u20ac600,000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Real estate:\n
\n- Purchasing real estate for the amount of \u20ac700,000, OR<\/li>\n
- Renting real estate for the annual amount of \u20ac16,000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Donation of \u20ac10,000 to a pre-determined, approved NGO<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
If an investor chooses the lower contribution amount of \u20ac600,000, then the total investment would be around \u20ac690,000 with a holding period of 5 years, not much higher than the minimum \u20ac500,000 required under the Portuguese Golden Visa, but it does provide a much faster route to citizenship.<\/p>\n
But Malta\u2019s MEIN isn’t the only contender for top spot, as the country also boasts the Maltese Permanent Residency Program<\/a> (MPRP).<\/p>\nThe MPRP has a very affordable price tag that is also broken down into different facets as follows:<\/p>\n
\n- Investment options\n
\n- Real estate investment:\n
\n- An investment in real estate in the amount of \u20ac300,000 in the South of Malta\/Gozo or \u20ac350,000 in the rest of Malta; OR<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Renting a property for a minimum of \u20ac10,000 annually in the South of Malta\/Gozo or \u20ac12,000 in the rest of Malta<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- A government contribution of \u20ac28,000 if purchasing a property or \u20ac58,000 if leasing a property<\/li>\n
- An administrative fee of \u20ac40,000<\/li>\n
- A donation of \u20ac2,000 to an NGO<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
As the MPRP provides applicants with a permanent residency, it is already a step ahead of the other Golden Visas on the list that award successful applicants with temporary residency permits. The minimum initial outlay of \u20ac110,000 is also much lower than any Golden Visa, making the MPRP the best option for those looking to obtain an EU permanent residence permit for minimal investment.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Greece & Spain<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\nBoth Greece<\/a> and Spain<\/a> offer a like-for-like alternative to the Portuguese Golden Visa, but with the (now) additional perk of still having a real estate option.<\/p>\nGreece has also changed up its Golden Visa during this year, doubling the minimum real estate investment from \u20ac250,000 to \u20ac500,000 in high-demand areas such as most of Athens, Thessaloniki, Varo, Santorini, and Mykonos.<\/p>\n
The rest (and the majority) of Greece, though, remains steady at the \u20ac250,000 price point, making the Greek Golden Visa a more affordable alternative to the Portuguese one while providing investors the chance to obtain an EU residency through real estate investment.<\/p>\n
Spain\u2019s Golden Visa provides an alternative for the Portuguese Golden Visa as it does have a real estate option set with a minimum investment amount of \u20ac500,000.<\/p>\n
The higher price tag than Greece does put Spain in a lower affordability bracket, but for those already considering spending half a million in Athens, then Spain\u2019s option may prove feasible as well.<\/p>\n
Spain\u2019s price point, although historically higher, is now similar to that of Portugal\u2019s. While the Portuguese Golden Visa did have lower investment thresholds under its real estate category, reaching as low as \u20ac280,000, that is no longer an option, so Spain does fit the bill in terms of cost and investment type but misses out with its very long naturalisation process of ten years.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The MEIN provides a faster route to naturalisation. Depending on the donation amount, investors can obtain Maltese citizenship for themselves and their family within one or three years, making it the fastest route to becoming an EU citizen.<\/p>\n
There are three facets to the MEIN’s investment amount<\/span>, with real estate being one of them, and for an investor to qualify, they must invest as follows:<\/p>\n If an investor chooses the lower contribution amount of \u20ac600,000, then the total investment would be around \u20ac690,000 with a holding period of 5 years, not much higher than the minimum \u20ac500,000 required under the Portuguese Golden Visa, but it does provide a much faster route to citizenship.<\/p>\n But Malta\u2019s MEIN isn’t the only contender for top spot, as the country also boasts the Maltese Permanent Residency Program<\/a> (MPRP).<\/p>\n The MPRP has a very affordable price tag that is also broken down into different facets as follows:<\/p>\n As the MPRP provides applicants with a permanent residency, it is already a step ahead of the other Golden Visas on the list that award successful applicants with temporary residency permits. The minimum initial outlay of \u20ac110,000 is also much lower than any Golden Visa, making the MPRP the best option for those looking to obtain an EU permanent residence permit for minimal investment.<\/p>\n Both Greece<\/a> and Spain<\/a> offer a like-for-like alternative to the Portuguese Golden Visa, but with the (now) additional perk of still having a real estate option.<\/p>\n Greece has also changed up its Golden Visa during this year, doubling the minimum real estate investment from \u20ac250,000 to \u20ac500,000 in high-demand areas such as most of Athens, Thessaloniki, Varo, Santorini, and Mykonos.<\/p>\n The rest (and the majority) of Greece, though, remains steady at the \u20ac250,000 price point, making the Greek Golden Visa a more affordable alternative to the Portuguese one while providing investors the chance to obtain an EU residency through real estate investment.<\/p>\n Spain\u2019s Golden Visa provides an alternative for the Portuguese Golden Visa as it does have a real estate option set with a minimum investment amount of \u20ac500,000.<\/p>\n The higher price tag than Greece does put Spain in a lower affordability bracket, but for those already considering spending half a million in Athens, then Spain\u2019s option may prove feasible as well.<\/p>\n Spain\u2019s price point, although historically higher, is now similar to that of Portugal\u2019s. While the Portuguese Golden Visa did have lower investment thresholds under its real estate category, reaching as low as \u20ac280,000, that is no longer an option, so Spain does fit the bill in terms of cost and investment type but misses out with its very long naturalisation process of ten years.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
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<\/p>\nGreece & Spain<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n