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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 — file on or before 30 Sep 2026 to lock in grandfathering protection. 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 in weeks through real estate — the USD 300,000 property tier closes 15 Oct 2026, after which it rises permanently. From USD 300,000 in real estate (until 15 Oct 2026), per Panama government decree, as of June 2026 Panama Qualified Investor guide
Latvia Golden Visa An EU residence route via real estate with minimal presence — currently open but under parliamentary review, so timing matters. From EUR 250,000 in real estate plus state duty, per Latvian law, as of June 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.

The honest note. 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. US EB-5 grandfathering, Panama's property tier and Latvia's parliamentary review all have moving parts in 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 our regulated focus markets — Canada, Australia, the USA, the UK and New Zealand — work is delivered through CICC-, MARA- and IAA-registered professionals. 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 regulated immigration consultancy founded in Dubai in 2014, working through CICC-, MARA- and IAA-registered professionals, with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Hyderabad and Oakville. For residence and golden visa programs outside our regulated focus markets, 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 our credentials 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 tell you honestly which residence program fits your profile — even if the answer is none of them.

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