Residence & Golden Visa Programs
One clear map of the world's leading residence-by-investment and golden visa routes — from US EB-5 to Portugal, Greece, Singapore and beyond. We assess your eligibility honestly, then coordinate the right specialists to prepare and file your case. No guesswork. No shortcuts.
Last updated: 12 June 2026 — figures reviewed against official program offices for 2026.
Free Eligibility Assessment — find out which residence or golden visa program actually fits your profile, budget and goals, before you commit to anything.
Get AssessmentKey Takeaways
- Residence-by-investment grants the right to live in a country in exchange for a qualifying investment — most of the programs below lead to permanent residence, and several can lead to citizenship over time.
- Investment thresholds are set by the governments that run each program, not by us — they range from USD 75,000 (Philippines SIRV) to SGD 10 million and up (Singapore GIP).
- Several 2026 dates have now passed or changed: the US EB-5 grandfathering cut-off for petitions filed on or before 30 September 2026 has passed, and Panama replaced its investor rules on 16 September 2026 (Executive Decree 17 of 2026), so the old 15 October 2026 property deadline no longer applies.
- Cosmos Immigration coordinates eligibility, documentation and case management; the applications themselves are prepared and submitted through government-authorised agents and regulated legal practitioners within our professional network.
- The honest first step is matching the program to your real situation — your profile is worth assessing before you choose a route.
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Choosing a residence-by-investment program from the UAE
Residence-by-investment programs let you and your family gain residence rights in another country by making a qualifying investment — in a government fund, real estate, a business, or a financial instrument the program allows. Some routes grant permanent residence immediately; others start with a temporary permit that renews toward permanence. A few can open a path to citizenship after several years of legal residence.
The right program depends on what you actually want: a second base, a mobility upgrade, an education route for your children, a business platform, or a long-term plan B. The pattern we see most across our assessments is that the cheapest program is rarely the right one — fit matters far more than headline price. Find out which route fits you — free assessment.
Residence & golden visa programs we coordinate
Each summary below is a starting point, not the full rulebook. Investment thresholds are set by the relevant government and change within a program year — every figure carries its as-of date. Tap any program for the detailed guide.
| Program | In one line | Indicative entry threshold (gov-set) | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| US EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa | A US green card route for investors who place capital in a job-creating project. The grandfathering cut-off passed on 30 Sep 2026; petitions filed now are not protected if the Regional Center Program lapses (authorised to 30 Sep 2027). | From USD 800,000 (targeted area), per USCIS, as of June 2026 | US EB-5 guide |
| Portugal Golden Visa | EU residence with one of the lightest stay requirements (around 7 days a year), now via the qualifying-fund route — property purchase no longer qualifies. | From EUR 500,000 (regulated fund), per the Portuguese authorities, as of June 2026 | Portugal Golden Visa guide |
| Greece Golden Visa | A five-year EU residence permit with no minimum stay, on a tiered real-estate system — the lower tier survives only via conversion and heritage-restoration properties. | From EUR 250,000 (conversion route) to EUR 800,000, per Greek government tiers, as of June 2026 | Greece Golden Visa guide |
| Malta Permanent Residence Programme | Permanent residence for life in an EU member state, with no minimum stay — a residence programme, not citizenship. | Government contribution from EUR 37,000 plus qualifying property and fees, per Residency Malta Agency, as of June 2026 | Malta Permanent Residence guide |
| Cyprus Permanent Residence | Fast-track permanent residence in an EU member state through qualifying property, with a light visit requirement. | From EUR 300,000 plus VAT in qualifying property, per Cyprus regulations, as of June 2026 | Cyprus Permanent Residence guide |
| Italy Investor Visa | An EU residence route where funds are committed only after the application is approved (the nulla osta), with no minimum-stay obligation. | From EUR 250,000 (innovative startup), per the Italian investor-visa programme, as of June 2026 | Italy Investor Visa guide |
| Panama Qualified Investor Visa | Permanent residence through real estate, securities or a bank deposit. Since 16 Sep 2026 (Executive Decree 17 of 2026), USD 300,000 applies to new-build property bought on first sale and USD 500,000 to resale property. | From USD 300,000 in new-build real estate (resale USD 500,000), per Panama Executive Decree 17 of 2026, as at 21 Oct 2026 | Panama Qualified Investor guide |
| Latvia Golden Visa | An EU residence route with minimal presence. Since 15 September 2026 the new Immigration Law closes the real-estate route to new applicants and keeps the company share-capital route with a 2-year permit. | From EUR 50,000 company share capital plus a EUR 10,000 state fee (2-year permit) under the Immigration Law in force 15 Sept 2026; the EUR 250,000 real-estate route is closed to new applicants, as at 21 Oct 2026 | Latvia Golden Visa guide |
| Singapore Global Investor Programme | Direct permanent residence for substantial business owners and family-office principals — a high-bar route for ultra-high-net-worth applicants. | From SGD 10 million into a business, per Singapore Economic Development Board, as of June 2026 | Singapore GIP guide |
| New Zealand Active Investor Plus Visa | A liberalised residence-by-investment route with very light presence requirements and the English-language test removed. | From NZD 5 million over three years (Growth category), per Immigration New Zealand, as of June 2026 | NZ Active Investor Plus guide |
| Philippines Special Investor Resident Visa | One of the most affordable residence-by-investment routes in Asia-Pacific, granting indefinite residence while the investment is maintained. | From USD 75,000 in approved investments, per the Philippine Board of Investments, as of June 2026 | Philippines SIRV guide |
Thresholds shown are program minimums set by the relevant governments — they are not Cosmos Immigration fees, and they do not include taxes, due-diligence, professional or government charges. Each program's own conditions apply.
What this means for you in 2026. Investment migration is not for everyone, and not every program is what its marketing suggests.
- Mobility benefits can change. Visa-free access tied to any residence or passport is set by other governments and can be revised — never choose a program on the promise of "lifetime" travel access.
- Some routes are time-boxed or under review. The US EB-5 grandfathering cut-off has passed, Panama replaced its investor rules on 16 September 2026, and Latvia's new Immigration Law took effect on 15 September 2026.
- For Indian nationals: these are residence programs, not citizenship — but if a route later leads to a second citizenship, India does not permit dual citizenship, and moving funds abroad is governed by RBI rules. We flag this clearly before anything begins.
How Cosmos coordinates these programs
For the residence and golden visa programs on this page, Cosmos Immigration's role is coordination, not direct filing. Applications are prepared and submitted through government-authorised agents and regulated legal practitioners within our professional network. Cosmos coordinates your eligibility assessment, documentation and case management — and stays accountable to you across the whole process.
In practice, that means we do the parts that decide whether a case is strong: an honest eligibility and source-of-funds review, a program-fit comparison across the options above, a document roadmap, and a single point of contact while the authorised specialists handle the filing in-country. You always know who is doing what. Message us on WhatsApp and we'll explain exactly how your case would be run.
- Honest eligibility and program-fit assessment
- Source-of-funds and document preparation roadmap
- Coordination with authorised agents and regulated legal practitioners
- Case management and milestone tracking through to a decision
For Canada, Australia, the USA, the UK and New Zealand, we work with CICC-, MARA- and IAA-registered practitioners and a US-licensed attorney. For programs outside those jurisdictions, the authorised-network model above applies.
Residence & golden visa programs — quick answers
What is the difference between residence-by-investment and citizenship-by-investment?
Residence-by-investment gives you the right to live in a country in exchange for a qualifying investment; you remain a citizen of your home country. Every program on this page is a residence program. Citizenship is a separate, later question that some routes can lead to after several years of legal residence, subject to each country's own naturalisation rules.
Which residence-by-investment program is the cheapest?
By government-set entry threshold, the Philippines Special Investor Resident Visa is among the lowest at USD 75,000, per the Philippine Board of Investments. Several European routes start around EUR 250,000–300,000. The cheapest program, though, is rarely the right one — the better question is which route fits your goals, family and source of funds, which is exactly what a free assessment answers.
Does Cosmos Immigration file these applications directly?
For these programs, Cosmos coordinates your eligibility assessment, documentation and case management, while the applications are prepared and submitted through government-authorised agents and regulated legal practitioners within our professional network. You always know who is handling each part of your case.
Can Indian nationals apply for these residence programs?
Yes — these are residence programs, not citizenship, so they do not affect Indian citizenship on their own. If a route later leads toward a second citizenship, note that India does not permit dual citizenship, and any funds moved abroad fall under RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme. This is general information, not financial or legal advice; consult a qualified chartered accountant or your authorised dealer bank before moving funds, and we will flag these points in your assessment.
Cosmos Immigration is a private immigration consultancy in Dubai, operating since 2014. We work with a team of registered practitioners: 4+ CICC-registered consultants for Canada and 3+ MARA-registered agents for Australia. We also work with an IAA-registered adviser for UK files. We have offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hyderabad and Oakville. For residence and golden visa programs outside the markets our registered practitioners cover, applications are prepared and submitted through government-authorised agents and regulated legal practitioners within our professional network. Don't take our word for it: verify the practitioners we work with on the official public registers in about two minutes, and run the same check on anyone else you're considering.
Cosmos Immigration is a private consultancy, not a government body. Program criteria and figures are set by the relevant governments and are subject to change; verified against official sources as of the date shown.
Start with a free assessment, not a sales pitch — or message us on WhatsApp. We'll show you which residence program fits your profile — and the next step to take.
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