Analysis
Portugal D7 vs D8 Visa Explained (General Guide)
Portugal's D7 passive-income visa and D8 digital nomad visa compared: who each suits, the income requirement, accommodation, family and next steps.
Best for
European Citizenship.
Direct CBI is one route. Residency-to-naturalisation is the other. The realistic EU citizenship pathways ranked by time and cost.
Shortlist at a glance
Programmes ranked4
Countries4
From$465K
Fastest route6 wks
Top visa-free186
Recipe applied live to the Programmes collection, what you see is what is currently active.
Why investors trust this list
Independent
No developer commissions
Live data
Filtered from the Programmes collection
Senior-advisor reviewed
Every recipe signed off by a partner
Why these programmes
Best for european
EU citizenship is the single most valuable category in investment migration — full Schengen labour mobility, EU university access, descendant rights, and 186-country visa-free reach. There is exactly one direct CBI route: Malta. Everything else is a residency-to-naturalisation track that converts on a fixed timeline. Portugal converts in 5 years subject to language and presence; Greece in 7; Spain in 10. The decision rests on whether you can pay €600K of contribution for citizenship now (Malta) or you'd rather invest €250K–€500K of recoverable capital for residency now and convert in 5–10 years.
Ranked by editorial
Top picks
4 programmes ranked for european
1
Malta
Min. Investment
Closed (2025)
Processing
12–14 months
Visa-Free
186 countries
Family
Included
Editor pick: The only direct EU CBI. Full citizenship at the end — the residency-uplift period before grant is meaningful but not 5–10 years.
2
Portugal
Min. Investment
€500,000
Processing
6–8 months
Visa-Free
186 countries
Family
Included
Editor pick: 5-year naturalisation pathway with a 7 days/year minimum stay. NHR-2.0 tax regime alongside is the strongest EU stack.
3
Greece
Min. Investment
€400,000+
Processing
3–6 months
Visa-Free
186 countries
Family
Included
Editor pick: 7-year naturalisation pathway. Cheapest EU Golden Visa outside prime zones (€250K–€400K).
4
UAE
Min. Investment
AED 2,000,000
Processing
7–10 working days (Dubai)
Visa-Free
180 countries
Family
Included
Speak to a senior adviser
Not Sure Which Programme to Choose?
Book a one to one video consultation. We look at your goals, family and budget, then set out which programmes fit you, with the costs, timelines and next steps.
- Confidential, covered by an NDA
- Led by a senior adviser
- Final price shown before you book
Consultation
Programme Review
$200Fixed fee · usd
See available times
You review your booking and pay securely on the next step.
Frequently asked questions
Is Malta the only direct EU citizenship by investment?
Yes. Malta operates the only EU member-state CBI under formal statute. Cyprus suspended its programme in 2020 and has not reopened it.
How does Portugal's 5-year clock actually work?
The clock starts on grant of the Golden Visa residency permit. Citizenship application is filed at year 5 if the holder has met language proficiency (basic A2 Portuguese), no criminal record, and has not been continuously absent.
Can I include my family in EU naturalisation?
Spouse and dependent children are typically included on the same residency clock. Naturalisation is per-person — each adult applicant must meet language and presence requirements independently.
Which EU country is fastest to a passport overall?
Malta — citizenship at the end of the residency-uplift period (12–14 months). Among residency-track programmes: Portugal at 5 years.
Why is a programme missing from this list?
A programme only appears if it meets the criterion for this list and is currently active. Closed or suspended programmes are removed automatically.
Can I see the full details for each programme?
Yes. Every card links to the programme page with qualifying routes, eligibility, family rules, timelines and the latest changes.
Explore further
Programmes, guides, insights and tools related to this page.
Programme intelligence
Latest from our research desk
Market reports, regulatory alerts, and programme updates relevant to european.
Analysis
UK Global Talent Visa Explained (General Guide)
How the UK Global Talent visa works: endorsement by an approved body or an eligible award, the fields covered, flexibility to work and the path to settlement.
Analysis
UK Skilled Worker Visa Explained (General Guide)
How the UK Skilled Worker visa is structured: licensed sponsors, Certificates of Sponsorship, eligible jobs, salary and English requirements, and family.
Analysis
How to Choose an Investment Migration Programme for Your Family
A step-by-step framework for families choosing a residence or citizenship programme: goals, eligibility, dependants, budget, timeline and tax.
Programme perspective
More Citizen Sure perspective on european
EU citizenship is the practice's most-asked-about category. The single biggest source of delay is language testing — Portugal A2, Greece B1, Spain B2 are non-trivial milestones that need 18 months of preparation in many cases. The advisory we provide includes language-prep planning alongside the residency calendar so the year-5 (or year-7, year-10) filing isn't held up by an unrelated language deadline. Caribbean CBI as an interim mobility tool while the EU clock runs is a common pairing.