Europe has always been considered a leading market for businesses. This situation explains why some European countries offer the Golden Visa to attract foreign investments to their country.

A European Golden Visa makes it much easier for a businessperson to develop his business. You may even want to spend your retirement in a country where the cost of living is lower than in the United States. You can obtain citizenship by staying in the country through a Golden Visa. Depending on the country, this process can take from five to ten years.

Here’s how you can get a European Golden Visa

Austria

If you want to obtain a Golden Visa in Austria, you must make a considerable investment in the Austrian economy. Specifically, you must invest 10 million euros in a company or contribute 3 million euros to the government’s development fund.

Belgium

Unlike other EU countries, Golden Visa applications are considered individually. The rules for the Belgian Golden Visa are therefore unclear. In general, you should invest in or as a business, not real estate. You must invest between 350,000 and 500,000 euros over the five years following a granted Golden Visa application. You can then obtain a residence visa for your family as well.

Spain

Spain launched its golden visa program in 2013. You need to invest €500,000 in real estate for you and your family members to obtain residency. You can renew your residency every two years without staying in Spain. You can apply for a Permanent Residenship (PR) after having lived in Spain for 5 years. You will be entitled to citizenship after spending 10 years in Spain. Spain is therefore a good option for those who only wish to obtain residency, but do not necessarily seek citizenship.

Bulgaria

Bulgaria offers the fastest way to become a citizen of an EU country. You will need to invest €512,000 to apply for Permanent Residence (PR). You have several investment options to contribute this sum. After the six months required for the PR procedure, you can apply for citizenship within five years. You can also speed up your citizenship application by investing an additional €512,000.

Germany

Germany is the economic engine of Europe. By investing just €360,000, you can get his Golden Visa. You can then get PR in three years, while your family members will get it after five years.

Greece

Greece offers the cheapest Golden Visa program in the EU. All you need to do is invest €300,000 (taxes included) to apply for the Golden Visa. You get your residence card only 40 days after submitting the application. You can renew the visa every five years if you maintain a real estate investment.

Ireland

You can obtain Irish residency by placing €1 million in an approved investment fund. You must have a clean criminal record, a good reputation, and a net worth of at least €2 million to be eligible for Irish residency.

Italy

As a national of a non-EU country, you can take advantage of one of the following investment options to be eligible for the Italian Investor Visa:

• An innovative startup
• A company incorporated and active in Italy
• A government bond issued by the Italian Republic
• A donation to a non-profit in areas of public interest such as culture, education, preservation of natural/cultural heritage, or scientific research.

Portugal

The minimum value of real estate investment required to obtain the Portuguese Golden Visa is 250,000 to 300,000 euros. The most interesting thing is that you can apply for PR and citizenship after five years, even if you do not reside in Portugal. You and your family only have to be there for two weeks every two years.

Switzerland

You do not need to buy real estate or invest in funds or government bonds to qualify for a Swiss Golden Visa. You only need to contribute between CHF 150,000 and CHF 1 million, depending on the canton. You can then obtain PR by living in Switzerland for at least ten years.

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