Browse live programmes
Residency and citizenship by investment programmes that are currently open, with the qualifying routes for each country.
Head-to-head Comparison
Portugal vs Greece Golden Visa
Portugal's qualifying-fund route at €500K vs Greece's tier system at €250K–€800K. Stay requirements, tax, processing, and citizenship pathways compared.
Quick verdict
Greece has the lower minimum investment (€400,000+ against €500,000 for Portugal). Greece is usually quicker to process, 3–6 months against 6–8 months. Both reach 186 visa-free destinations, and both include a spouse and dependent children.
Portugal
Min. Investment
€500,000
Processing
6–8 months
Visa-Free
186 countries
Family
Included
Greece
Min. Investment
€400,000+
Processing
3–6 months
Visa-Free
186 countries
Family
Included
| Dimension | Portugal | Greece |
|---|---|---|
| Min. investment | €500,000 | €400,000+ |
| Processing time | 6–8 months | 3–6 months |
| Visa-free countries | 186 | 186 |
| Family included | Yes | Yes |
| Tax benefit | Yes | Partial |
| Citizenship pathway | After residency | After residency |
Citizen Sure verdict
These are Europe's two flagship Golden Visas after the Spanish exit. Portugal lost real estate but kept funds and donation routes — its 5-year citizenship pathway and the NHR-2.0 tax regime make it the superior tax-residency play. Greece is cheaper at €250K but the 7-year citizenship clock is longer, and the new tier system charges €800K in Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. Pick Portugal for the citizenship endgame and tax efficiency. Pick Greece for the lowest entry threshold outside the prime zones, with no minimum stay during the residency.
Pick Portugal when…
- Plan to convert to EU citizenship in 5 years
- Want NHR-2.0 tax exemptions on foreign-sourced income
- Fund-based investment matches your liquidity profile
- Need only 7 days/year on-shore presence
Pick Greece when…
- Lowest threshold (€250K outside Athens/islands)
- Real-estate-led investment preferred over funds
- No physical-presence requirement at all
- Long-term plan tolerates 7-year citizenship wait
Trade-offs to know
- Portugal's Golden Visa exited real estate in 2023; only funds and cultural donations qualify.
- Greece raised the prime-zone threshold to €800K in 2024; €250K and €400K tiers remain elsewhere.
- Both grant Schengen access; visa-free counts are identical at 186 countries.
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Read the country guides
Plain guides to each programme: requirements, documents, due diligence and the steps from application to approval.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Portugal or Greece?
It depends on what matters most to you. Greece has the lower minimum investment (€400,000+ against €500,000 for Portugal). Greece is usually quicker to process, 3–6 months against 6–8 months. Both reach 186 visa-free destinations, and both include a spouse and dependent children. These are Europe's two flagship Golden Visas after the Spanish exit. Portugal lost real estate but kept funds and donation routes — its 5-year citizenship pathway and the NHR-2.0 tax regime make it the superior tax-residency play. Greece is cheaper at €250K but the 7-year citizenship clock is longer, and the new tier system charges €800K in Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. Pick Portugal for the citizenship endgame and tax efficiency. Pick Greece for the lowest entry threshold outside the prime zones, with no minimum stay during the residency.
Portugal vs Greece: what is the cost difference?
Portugal starts at €500,000; Greece starts at €400,000+. The cheaper headline doesn't always reflect total cost, recoverable investments (Turkey, some real-estate routes) net out differently from non-recoverable donations.
Portugal vs Greece: which has the shorter processing time?
Portugal processes in 6–8 months; Greece processes in 3–6 months. Verify current timing with a senior advisor, published windows assume clean diligence files.
Can family members be included?
Portugal includes spouse and dependent children. Greece includes spouse and dependent children. Inclusion of parents and siblings varies, see each programme's detail page.
{{a}} vs {{b}} passport strength: which has more visa-free access?
Portugal grants visa-free access to 186 countries; Greece grants visa-free access to 186. Reach is a moving target, check current bilateral status before relying on it for travel planning.
Do these programmes lead to citizenship?
Golden Visa is residency, the citizenship pathway depends on naturalisation rules. Golden Visa is residency, the citizenship pathway depends on naturalisation rules.
Can I compare other programmes as well?
Yes. Open the compare tool to add up to five programmes side by side, or browse the other pair pages linked below.
Are the figures on this page up to date?
Each row is drawn from our programme records, which are reviewed when governments publish changes. Check the programme page and the changes log for the latest updates before you decide.
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