Best Countries for Real Estate Business Opportunities

Latvia, Greece, and Cyprus currently offer active residency-by-investment routes through real estate. Spain and Portugal have both closed their real-estate-linked Golden Visa routes — real, current changes worth knowing before comparing options. Conditions across all these programs are subject to change.

Latvia

An active Golden Visa program. Real estate investment grants residency, with a path to permanent residency after five years on a temporary residence permit, plus Schengen access.

The lowest investment threshold in this comparison. €250,000 — relatively affordable compared to many other EU real estate investment routes.

A growing market. Riga’s real estate market is seeing steady growth, supported by the country’s economic development and strategic location.

Greece

An active Golden Visa program with two tiers. The standard minimum investment is €400,000; higher-demand areas — central Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, and Santorini among them — require €800,000.

A genuinely attractive real estate market. Opportunities in major cities and popular islands including Crete and Santorini.

Residency benefits. Schengen access, plus Greece’s climate and lifestyle appeal.

Cyprus

An active residency-by-investment route through real estate. Grants a residence permit, not citizenship — Cyprus’s separate citizenship-by-investment scheme was suspended in 2020.

EU membership, without Schengen. Cyprus is an EU member state but not yet part of the Schengen Area — confirm what this actually means for your travel plans before assuming Schengen-wide access.

Investment threshold. Ask us for the current figure — this has changed over time and we confirm it directly rather than quoting a number that may be outdated.

Spain

Real-estate-linked Golden Visa: closed. Spain ended its real estate investment route to residency in 2024. Confirm current alternative routes before assuming this option is available.

Still a strong real estate market in its own right. From Madrid and Barcelona to the Costa del Sol and Balearic Islands, with an appealing lifestyle and strong rental yields.

General residency and quality of life. Spain remains attractive for its lifestyle and market depth, independent of the closed investment-visa route.

Portugal

Real-estate-linked Golden Visa: also closed. Portugal ended its real estate investment route to residency, similar to Spain. Other Golden Visa routes may still exist — confirm current options before planning around real estate specifically.

A market worth knowing regardless. Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve remain active real estate markets in their own right, independent of the residency-by-investment angle.

Confirm current alternatives directly. Golden Visa program rules change — we confirm what’s genuinely available before you plan around any specific route.

Summary

Latvia offers the most cost-effective active Golden Visa route in this comparison, at €250,000. Greece remains active too, but with two real thresholds to know: €400,000 standard, €800,000 in higher-demand areas. Cyprus offers a third active route via real estate, granting residency (not citizenship) — we confirm the current threshold directly. Spain and Portugal have both closed their real-estate-linked Golden Visa routes — their real estate markets remain strong, but not as a residency-by-investment path. Confirm current program status before planning around any of these.

BIZ TRP confirms current Golden Visa eligibility and handles company formation and the residency application process from start to finish.