Also known as:Real-estate routeProperty route
Definition
A CBI / RBI investment route requiring purchase of approved real estate above a minimum threshold. The property can typically be resold after a 5–7 year holding period.
The Real Estate Route is the alternative to the donation / fund route in most CBI programmes and in many RBI programmes. The applicant purchases a unit in an approved development above a minimum threshold and must hold it for a statutory minimum period before resale.
Caribbean CBI minimum real-estate thresholds are typically USD 200,000–400,000 with a 5–7 year holding period. EU residency programmes that retained real-estate routes (Greece, Italy) operate similar structures at EUR 250,000–800,000 depending on location.
The key advantage over donation routes is recoverability — the asset can typically be sold after the holding period to the next CBI applicant in line. The disadvantages are lower liquidity, longer processing timelines, and execution risk on the developer.
Portugal closed its real-estate Golden Visa route in late 2023, and Spain closed its entire programme in 2025 — material reductions in available European real-estate routes.
Where Real Estate Route comes up
Answer
Is the Portugal Golden Visa still worth it after the real-estate route closed?
I had been planning to invest €500k in property in Lisbon for the Golden Visa. Since the real-estate route closed in late 2023, what are the realistic alternatives, and is Portugal still the best Euro
