Golden Residency: Golden Opportunities to Start a New Life

1. Short-term European visas

These are European visas granted to citizens who intend to enter Europe and stay from a week to several months, and are divided between a Schengen visa granted for a specific period and European visas for the purpose of a temporary event such as attending a conference or event.

2. Temporary European residence

These are European permits granted for a purpose and linked to that purpose, as they come with conditions and end at the end of the purpose for which they were granted, including work permits, student permits, permits for those conducting research within European institutions, family reunification permits, and humanitarian permits granted in exceptional circumstances.

3. European permanent residence

It is a type of residence that is granted based on higher requirements than the previous two types, and includes golden residence by investment, permanent residence and European citizenship after holding golden and permanent residence for a specific period.

 How do Golden Residency Programs help you start a new life?

In the current technological era, living and enjoyment are no longer limited to geographical and economic borders, as visa-free entry helps you reside in all Schengen countries without thinking about paper application mechanisms or problems of delaying or rejecting Schengen visas.

European countries are characterized by the most important factors that investors and family owners around the world are looking for, which are stability, security, studying in prestigious European universities, or enjoying an advanced European health system.

Since residency is available to your family members with the main investor, you will be able to choose the best place to reside between the Golden Residency country or living in your other place of residence, as these programs only require you to stay there for very short periods annually.

The pivotal role of Golden Residency for the business owners

The Golden Residency Program plays a major role in achieving economic and tax benefits for investors by accessing the European market represented by more than 400 million consumers, with the help of the Golden Residency that gives you the right to travel in Europe without a visa, and then expand and open your business in these new environments.

In addition to expanding your business, you can open a company in Europe with easy and uncomplicated procedures, and then you can manage it through physical presence or remotely, and some European countries provide facilities, grants and guidelines to support emerging and innovative companies.

It can also be said that many European countries provide facilities regarding taxes due on personal income and on the registered company, with other tax exemptions, especially during the first years of residence. You can also benefit from tax agreements between European countries and other countries in order to avoid double taxation.

Europe is considered one of the most stable countries in terms of market and investment, as you can invest in bonds and stocks on safe European stock exchanges, and you can also invest in real estate to obtain long-term returns.

So, where can I get a golden residency?

Golden residency programs are currently available in 4 countries after many countries have cancelled these programs, starting with Greece, which offers the cheapest European residency program in terms of investment costs, which was established in 2013. 

To qualify for the Greek residency program, you must invest in real estate in the amount of 250 thousand euros in some areas, with the possibility of renewing the residence permit once every 5 years, and it is best to apply for this program as soon as possible because the Greek government is seriously considering raising the investment costs. 

Malta also offers two investment programs, the Malta Permanent Residency Program and the Maltese Citizenship Program, and although the investment requirements are slightly higher than the other three countries, which give you the right to choose between real estate investment or the rental option with a contribution to Malta’s infrastructure, since both programs are permanent, it can be said that they are worth the effort. 

Portugal offers the best residency by investment, which offers several investment options to choose from, ranging from investing in bonds to contributing to several different areas between 350 and 500 thousand euros. After 5 years of residency in Portugal, you can apply for permanent residency. 

We conclude the programs with the Spanish Golden Visa, created for businessmen and those looking to travel and reside in 27 Schengen countries. To qualify for it, you must either invest €500,000 in real estate or set up a company based in Spain. After 5 years, you will be eligible for Spanish permanent residency. 

Did you like the article? Read the rest of our articles on European residency and second citizenship, and you can speak to one of our consultants directly via the contact page on this link, as we are an approved office for obtaining residency and citizenship by investment.