Top Countries Offering Golden Visa Programs
The Golden Visa program is a great tool for investors that want to invest in real estate or business in Europe. However, many people are unaware of this great opportunity because they don’t know where the best countries offering the Golden Visa Program are located. In this article we will discuss some of the most popular European countries that offer these programs and how it works.
Portugal - Golden Residence Permit
The Golden Residence Permit is a fast-track residence visa program that allows investors to obtain permanent residency in Portugal. To qualify for this program, you need to make a minimum investment of €500,000 (about $557k) or €1 million if you are investing in real estate.
This program offers many advantages over other programs because it allows you to apply for citizenship once you've lived there for five years instead of 10 years like most countries require. In addition, there are no language requirements and only one visit per year by an immigration officer is required as opposed to other countries where it's more frequent or even monthly visits depending on the country's requirements after receiving your golden visa status
Spain - Golden Visa
Spain has a Golden Visa program that allows investors to obtain a residence permit in exchange for buying property worth €500,000. The minimum investment amount is €500,000, and it is possible to invest in real estate or government bonds.
Malta - Investor Program
Malta's investor program is still relatively new, having been launched in 2014. The minimum investment required to qualify for this visa is €650,000, which must be invested in a Maltese government bond or fund. The investor must also have a clean criminal record and financial history as well as tax record.
Cyprus - Golden Visa Program
Cyprus is a European Union member state, located in the Eastern Mediterranean. The country is known for its sunny weather and beautiful beaches, which draw many wealthy tourists from Russia and the Middle East every year. Cyprus has a well-developed financial system and real estate market, as well as low taxes on income and property purchases.
Austria - Investors Program
The Austrian Investor Program was launched in December 2014 and has been very popular with investors. The minimum investment amount is EUR 250,000 (approx. $280,000), which can be invested over a maximum period of five years. Investors are required to hold their investments for at least two years before they can apply for citizenship.
The Austrian government offers several different tax benefits for those who qualify:
Tax exemption on profits from the sale of real estate or other assets after one year; previously there was no tax exemption offered on capital gains from these sales
An increase in the amount that can be written off against income tax - from EUR 50,000 per year to EUR 100,000 per year
Bulgaria - Residence Permit for Investment
Bulgaria offers a residence permit for investment. The investor must invest at least €500,000 in Bulgaria and live in the country for three months per year. The investment can be used to purchase real estate or government bonds, or it can be used to establish a new business venture in Bulgaria.
The Golden Visa program was launched in 2012 and has facilitated investments worth more than $1 billion since then.
Takeaway:
When you're looking to buy a home, it's important to know your options. The golden visa program is an excellent way to achieve citizenship in Europe--and there are many countries offering this type of program.
To help you decide which country has the best deal on offer, here are our top picks:
Spain offers investors a quick and easy route into Spanish citizenship with its Golden Visa program. In fact, Spain was one of the first countries to introduce such an initiative back in 2012. Investors must invest at least 500k euro (or $560k) into real estate or businesses within two years; they don't have to live there during that time but can later apply for residency once they've met all requirements
We hope that this list of countries offering Golden Visa programs has given you some insight into the world of residence permits. If you're looking to invest in property abroad and want some help finding the right country, we can assist with that too!
