Golden Visa Cost by Country: Real Numbers for Every Major Program in 2025

Portugal's golden visa no longer accepts real estate purchases in most areas. The cheapest qualifying route is a €500,000 investment fund contribution, with government fees adding roughly €5,000 to €7,000 per applicant on top. Greece still allows real estate in most of the country from €250,000, though Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, and Santorini jumped to €800,000 in 2023. Spain's program accepts real estate from €500,000 with no required hold period, and the full cost including legal fees and taxes typically lands between €550,000 and €600,000. Malta offers EU residency from roughly €150,000 in fees and contributions, but EU citizenship through its naturalisation program runs €690,000 to €990,000 all-in depending on route. For a detailed breakdown of how the Greek numbers actually stack up, see Golden Visa Greece: Real Costs, Requirements, and How It Actually Works.

The UAE golden visa costs between AED 4,000 and AED 15,000 in government fees depending on emirate, applicant category, and whether you use a typing center or go direct. The real estate route requires a minimum AED 2,000,000 property purchase (roughly $545,000 USD), and the property must be fully paid, not mortgaged below that threshold. Approval timelines run 2 to 8 weeks, which is faster than any European program. There is no annual renewal fee for the 10-year visa, making total lifetime cost substantially lower than programs that charge recurring fees.

The US EB-5 visa requires a minimum $800,000 investment in a targeted employment area through a USCIS-approved regional center, or $1,050,000 in a standard area. On top of the capital requirement, applicants pay an I-526E filing fee of $11,160, a DS-260 or I-485 adjustment fee, and typically $20,000 to $50,000 in legal fees. Total out-of-pocket cost including all fees runs $850,000 to $1,150,000 depending on route, though the capital investment is theoretically returned after project completion. Processing times are the worst of any program covered here, frequently running 3 to 5 years for visa issuance.

Panama's Qualified Investor Visa accepts a $300,000 real estate or securities investment and is processed in roughly 30 days, making it one of the fastest programs globally. Paraguay offers permanent residency for a $5,000 deposit and $70 in fees, with no investment required, though it is not technically a golden visa program. Mexico's Temporary Resident Visa for investors requires proving roughly $175,000 USD in financial assets, with near-zero government fees. None of these programs grant visa-free travel to Europe or the UK, which is a critical differentiator for passport-building strategies.

Every program has costs that appear nowhere in the official government fee schedule. Legal and advisory fees for European programs typically run €5,000 to €20,000. Property transfer taxes in Spain add 6% to 10% of purchase price on top of the €500,000 minimum. Annual property maintenance, insurance, and management fees for real estate-route programs add $5,000 to $15,000 per year. Translation, notarization, and apostille costs for supporting documents often add $1,000 to $3,000 per application. Budget the all-in number, not the headline investment figure, when comparing programs side by side.

The cheapest program is rarely the right program. If tax residency and zero income tax is the goal, the UAE delivers that with no minimum stay requirement for the first few years. If Schengen access and eventual EU citizenship is the goal, Portugal and Malta are the only realistic paths. If speed and simplicity matter most, Panama or UAE process in weeks while EU programs take 6 to 18 months. If you want a second residency with real estate upside and an eventual exit, Greece at €250,000 in non-premium zones offers the lowest capital entry into an EU property market. Match the program to the exit strategy, not to the lowest headline number.