Residence beyond property
Residency by investment beyond property in 2026
This guide covers residence routes that do not depend on buying a home. For property routes in the UAE, Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Portugal, see Best Golden Visa Programs.
Europe
| Route | Minimum | Permit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal, investment fund | €500,000 | 2 years, then 3-year renewals | Open. Citizenship now needs 10 years of residence for most nationals |
| Italy, investor visa | €250,000 in a start-up, €500,000 in a company, €1 million donation or €2 million in government bonds | 2 years, then 3 | Open |
| Hungary, guest investor | €250,000 in a real estate fund | 10 years | Open, but a draft bill would abolish it from 1 January 2027 (advisers report) |
| Latvia, company investment | €50,000 or €100,000 of company capital plus a €10,000 state payment | Up to 2 years | Property and deposit routes removed in September 2026 (law firm report) |
(Italian Embassy: investor visa checklist, Portugal nationality law 2026)
Americas
- United States, EB-5: USD 800,000 in a targeted employment area or USD 1,050,000 elsewhere, for a green card. The regional centre programme is authorised to 30 September 2027.
- United States, Gold Card: a USD 1 million gift plus a USD 15,000 fee per person. It has been live since December 2025, with few approvals so far and a court challenge pending (law firm report). (BAL)
- Canada: the start-up visa was paused on 1 January 2026, and a replacement has no start date. (Fragomen)
Asia-Pacific
- New Zealand, Active Investor Plus: NZD 5 million with 21 days in the country over the investment period, or NZD 10 million with 105 days. (Immigration New Zealand)
- Singapore, Global Investor Programme: S$10 million in a business, or S$25 million in a fund or a single family office, with a S$20,000 fee. (Singapore EDB)
- Thailand, Long-Term Resident visa: USD 500,000 of investment for a 10-year visa. (Thailand Board of Investment)
- Malaysia, MM2H: a fixed deposit of USD 150,000 to USD 1 million, depending on the tier, plus a home purchase, with 90 days a year in the country.
The Gulf
- UAE: AED 2 million in an approved fund or in company capital gives a 10-year golden visa without buying property.
- Saudi Arabia, Premium Residency: categories for entrepreneurs start at SAR 400,000, and the investor category at SAR 7 million. (Fragomen)
- Oman: investor residency at OMR 250,000 or OMR 500,000, for 5 or 10 years. (Fragomen)
Closed or paused
Spain closed its golden visa on 3 April 2025, Ireland its investor programme in February 2023 and Australia its significant investor visa in July 2024. Canada paused its start-up visa in January 2026. See our rule changes log for dates and sources.
Figures marked as reports come from law firms or advisers rather than official pages. Confirm the current rules with the government or a lawyer before you invest.