04/04/25
EU: EU Golden Visas More Popular Than US $5 Million Residency Scheme, Experts Claim
As published on: schengen.news, Friday 4 April, 2025.
The interest for European Golden Visa Programs surpasses that of the recently-introduced US $5 million Residency-by-Investment scheme, according to the experts.
The main reason, according to them, is that European Golden Visa Programs are more budget-friendly, Schengen.News reports.
A new report from Property Wire revealed that online search interest for Donald Trump’s Gold Card declined rapidly just days after its introduction, as people shifted their focus toward more economic choices, eyeing particularly European Golden Visa Programs.
Besides, the same notes that even at its peak, the US Gold Card never surpassed the interest collected by the European Golden Visa Program, particularly those offered by Malta, Hungary, Portugal, and Greece with Greece’s scheme being the most famous one at present.
US Golden Card’s Price “a Bargain”
In February this year, the US President, Donald Trump, announced the introduction of the Gold Card, offering permanent residency in exchange for investments worth $5 million (€4.65 million) or more.
The new program replaces the permanent residency US EB-5 scheme, which had a significantly lower minimum requirement for investment starting at $800,000 (€744,000).
In spite of being the world’s most expensive program, the US President, Donald Trump, considered the minimum requirement for this program “a bargain”, stressing that it would sell like crazy.
Recently, the US Secretary, Howard Lutnick, said that a total of 1,000 golden visas were sold in the US within a day.
The US Secretary, Howard Lutnic, said that there are a total of 37 million people in the world capable of obtaining golden visas in the US, with the US President expressing his belief that a million Gold Cards can be sold.
$5 Million Price Tag Far Too High
But the business development director and head of Ashtons’ Cyprus office, Denis Kravchenko, told Property Wire that the $5 million price tag is likely too far. He said that because of that, not enough people will choose this scheme.
As a result, according to him, it probably won’t bring enough money to help reduce the US national debt, which is among the main goals of this scheme.
Kravchenko said that the US President may be subject to further challenges after there are other countries worldwide that offer “more accessible” programs, mentioning Malta’s Citizenship by Investment scheme as one of them.
Investors can, for example, qualify for Maltese citizenship through exceptional naturalization for an investment of around 1 million euros, for which an investor can obtain citizenship to an EU member state in an average of 1.5 years without the need for permanent relocation.
The business development director and head of Ashtons’ Cyprus office, Denis Kravchenko
He also mentioned a new residency program introduced by Hungary last year, which offers residency in exchange for investments that start from €250,000.
Portugal also offers various options through its Golden Visa Program, in spite of ending its most famous route of this scheme, the real estate investment option, in a bid to manage the housing crisis.
Spain’s Golden Visa Program offered residency to wealthy non-EU nationals for investments of €500,000, however, it was abolished yesterday, April 3, 2025.
Greece’s Golden Visa Most Popular of All
The business development director and head of Ashtons’ Cyprus office, Denis Kravchenko said that “it’s Greece’s Golden Visa opportunities that are proving most popular of all”.
The minimum amount required for the Hellenic Republic’s Golden Visa Program is €250,000, reaching €800,000 in some of the most famous parts of the country.
Kravchenko said that “somewhat ironically, it’s young Americans who are driving the recent surge in demand for Greek Golden Visas”.
Last year alone, Greece received 9,289 applications for its Golden Visa Program.
Tags
EU Golden Visa Citizenship by Investment
