Several popular EU golden visa programs have been terminated, affecting investors seeking residency and citizenship pathways through investment.
• Portugal’s Golden Visa, previously marketed with minimal residency requirements and a five-year path to citizenship (effectively closer to ten years in practice), has been completely scrapped. Existing filed applications are maintained, but no new applications will be accepted. • Ireland’s investor program, favored by Chinese and other Asian investors for access to EU and UK freedom, has been terminated, eliminating the route to an eventual Irish passport via investment. • Spain’s Golden Visa through real estate, used primarily by those not wishing to start a business, is also ending, removing the main path to Spanish citizenship for investors via property.
The closures reflect broader monitoring, surveillance, and regulatory pressures in these EU programs. Cyprus recently terminated 200 passports, highlighting the increased scrutiny around investor citizenship schemes.
The transcript suggests investors consider alternatives outside the EU:
• Mercosur countries in Latin America, offering faster, flexible, and more welcoming entry, with Spanish or Portuguese language requirements. • Certain African nations, where safety advisories are improving and economic opportunities are expanding, providing underutilized options for investment and residency.
Takeaway: Investors seeking residency or citizenship should reassess EU golden visa strategies and explore more flexible, safer, and economically promising alternatives in Latin America or Africa.
