Residency
Golden visa
Also known as residency by investment, RBI
A golden visa is a residence permit granted in exchange for a qualifying investment — historically real estate, and increasingly a fund subscription, business investment or job creation. It confers residence rights, not citizenship, and does not change where the holder is tax resident.
In plain terms: Residence bought with an investment rather than earned through time or a job.
Why it matters
The category has contracted sharply since 2023. Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands closed their programmes, Portugal removed the property route, and Greece repriced. The routes that survived are built around productive capital rather than housing.
Common misunderstanding
Assuming the low presence requirement that keeps the permit alive also builds a path to citizenship. Permanent residence and naturalisation almost always demand real physical presence that an investor permit does not.
Read the full guideGolden visas are closing