Searches for investment visa and residency by investment have exploded since 2024, with Google Trends data showing triple-digit growth for terms like “investment visa”, “residency by investment” and “Golden Visa”. At the same time, programs in Greece, Italy and Portugal are being reshaped around regulated funds and tax regimes rather than simple property purchases. This long-form guide combines everything: global rankings, tax angles, Portugal funds, private equity, UK pensions, US investors and the macro trends driving high-net-worth families into structured migration.
“Investment Visa”
+377% YoY*
Google Trends
“Residency by Investment”
+238% YoY*
Search interest
Market size
$30bn+
Investment migration
Core hub
Portugal
Fund-based GV
“The old model of “buy an apartment, get a Golden Visa” is being replaced by regulated funds, tax regimes and institutional-style investment migration. Families are no longer buying a passport; they are architecting a global life.”
In simple terms, an investment visa or residency by investment (RBI) program allows a foreign national to obtain the right to live in a country in exchange for a qualifying investment. That investment can be:
Golden Visa is simply a brand name - used most prominently in Portugal, Greece, Spain and a few others - for certain RBI schemes. The underlying concept is the same: align capital deployment, mobility and long-term security.
For a macro overview of the market and numbers, see our article Investment migration reaches $30 billion - new global momentum connects tourism, culture and investment.
Google Trends data for 2024-2025 show that “investment visa” and “residency by investment” are among the fastest-growing search terms in global wealth management:
| Search term | Annual increase* | 3-month surge* |
|---|---|---|
| Investment visa | +377.8% | +324.2% |
| Residency by investment | +238.3% | +252.5% |
| Citizenship by investment | +200%+ | +250%+ |
| Golden Visa | +90%+ | +40-50% |
*Illustrative figures based on October 2024-October 2025 trend snapshots.
In parallel, analysts estimate that the global investment migration market now exceeds $30 billion per year, with more than 80 countries offering some form of RBI or CBI structure. The real story is not only growth - it’s the shift from property to regulated funds, and from one-off purchases to portfolio construction.
We analyse the surge in the dedicated article Investment Visa 2025 - Global Surge, Top Countries, Tax Benefits & HNWI Strategies.
While marketing often focuses on “buy a property, get a visa”, the reality is more diverse. Most RBI frameworks now sit in one of four buckets:
These link residency to a minimum property purchase or lease—still common in Greece and parts of Southern Europe. They appeal to those who truly want a home in the destination country, but they concentrate risk in one illiquid asset.
Flagship example: Portugal. Instead of buying a flat, investors subscribe to regulated investment funds that deploy capital into diversified portfolios—private equity, venture, infrastructure or real-economy projects—while serving as the qualifying Golden Visa asset.
These require setting up or expanding a local business, hitting thresholds for capital invested and jobs created. They can be powerful for active entrepreneurs but require much more involvement.
Some Caribbean citizenship-by-investment routes still use pure donations or government bonds. In the EU, pressure from Brussels has pushed structures toward real economic activity instead.
No single ranking fits every investor, but based on search data, policy stability, tax regimes and quality of life, a 2025 short list often includes:
For a ranking focused purely on Golden Visas and RBI routes, see Best Residency and Golden Visa Programs 2025 - Global Ranking (Why Portugal Still Leads).
Portugal used to be known for relatively low property thresholds and postcard-worthy homes in Lisbon or Porto. That era is over. After regulatory reforms, the flagship route is now the investment fund option, which:
This shift has turned Portugal into the reference point for institutional-style investment visas. Instead of a speculative apartment, the qualifying asset can be a diversified portfolio—often with a clear track record and audit trail.
For an in-depth breakdown of how these funds work, read Portugal Golden Visa Investment Fund: Secure EU Residency with Passive, Regulated Returns and Why Golden Visa Funds Are Replacing Real Estate in 2025.
Google Trends data shows that Greece and Italy Golden Visas are the fastest-growing specific program searches. Two reasons stand out:
Greece still allows residency with property investments from around €250,000 in certain areas, paired with a Non-Dom regime offering a flat €100,000 annual tax on global income for eligible individuals. For investors who genuinely want a Mediterranean base and see value in property, it's a clear contender.
Italy's investor visa, combined with its well-known €100,000 flat tax on foreign income for new residents, appeals to entrepreneurs and family offices that want access to a large EU economy with a predictable top-level tax cap.
Both countries remain more property-and-tax-driven, whereas Portugal has repositioned the Golden Visa around funds and private equity.
Outside the EU, two names keep showing up in investment visa conversations:
Dubai and Abu Dhabi anchor a model built around long-term residence visas, ease of doing business and very low direct taxation. For globally mobile entrepreneurs who don't need an EU base but want a dynamic hub, the UAE is often the default.
Malta blends EU membership, English language and stable institutions with residence and, for some, citizenship programs. It tends to appeal to those who prioritise a small, stable jurisdiction and a combination of EU rights with a tax system that can be optimised through professional planning.
One of the most important evolutions of the last decade is the convergence between:
Instead of using a single apartment as the qualifying asset, more sophisticated investors subscribe to regulated private equity or real-economy funds that:
This allows families to treat the investment visa not as a random expense, but as part of their overall private markets allocation.
For a step-by-step introduction to the asset class itself, see How to Invest in Private Equity in 2025 - Complete Beginner’s Guide.
Two groups dominate the inbound interest for EU fund-based investment visas: UK and US investors.
Post-Brexit, UK nationals qualify as non-EU applicants for programs like the Portugal Golden Visa. Many are:
Their planning usually combines:
See our focused guide UK Pensions, Double Tax Treaty & Portugal Golden Visa Funds - 2025 Guide.
Americans face a different challenge: citizenship-based taxation. Even if they move, the IRS moves with them. Yet many still pursue EU investment visas to:
For US investors, the emphasis is less on tax escape and more on mobility, diversification and long-term optionality.
At the top end, families don't just choose one program. They design a multi-country architecture:
“The question is no longer “which Golden Visa is cheapest?”. The real question is: “which jurisdiction and instrument give my family the best mix of safety, freedom and clarity for the next 20 years?”.”
Golden Visa is a type of residency by investment program, mainly in Europe. Residency by investment is the broader category that includes Golden Visas, investor visas and some talent-based schemes that still require capital commitments.
Regulators and public opinion have become more critical of property-only migration. Fund-based and business-based models direct capital into productive sectors, are easier to supervise, and look more like conventional investment than mere asset purchases.
They are different. A regulated fund brings diversification, professional management and institutional oversight, but also market risk and illiquidity. Property can feel tangible but often concentrates risk in one asset and requires more hands-on management. The right route depends on your profile and goals.
Many leading RBI programs start in the €250,000-€500,000 range for the core qualifying investment. In practice, families usually plan with a higher total budget once legal fees, taxes, extra investments and relocation costs are factored in.
In many jurisdictions, yes. Residency-by-investment can be the first step toward permanent residence and ultimately citizenship, subject to minimum stay, integration and language rules. Portugal is one of the best-known examples of a residency-first path to EU citizenship.
Whether you are exploring the Portugal Golden Visa for EU residency or you simply want to allocate capital to private equity funds in Portugal, our Investor Relations team can help. We will walk you through CMVM-regulated fund options, clarify how they work for residency and for pure investment, and coordinate with trusted immigration and tax advisers. Schedule your confidential, no-obligation strategy call today.
André Bandeira
ab@explorerinvestments.com
Maria Campos Silva
mcs@explorerinvestments.com
Portugal’s Golden Visa has shifted decisively toward CMVM-regulated investment funds. Learn how the €500,000 fund route works in 2026, the key benefits (Schengen mobility, family reunification, minimal stay), and a practical due diligence checklist—built for investors who think in private equity terms.
In an unstable world, investors build a mobility hedge. This SEO-first guide explains how Portugal’s fund-based Golden Visa strategy can act as a Plan B for EU optionality, family continuity, and Schengen mobility—aligned with a private equity mindset.
A 2026 guide for Americans comparing five of the easiest dual citizenship options – Portugal, Greece, Italy, Hungary and Latvia – with a special focus on Portugal’s Golden Visa, D7 and D8 residency routes as a long-term EU Plan B.
Get your complete, free guide to the Portuguese Golden Visa. Learn how to invest with confidence through Explorer Investments, the country's largest private equity fund.
André Bandeira
ab@explorerinvestments.comMaria Campos Silva
mcs@explorerinvestments.comCopyright © 2025 Explorer Investments
It is recommended to consult Chapter V of Decree-Law nº 162/2014, of October 31st, published in the Official Gazette, as well as its revision by Law nº 2/2020, of March 31st. The information included here is of a general nature, and therefore each potential investor should seek independent advice (e.g., legal, financial, tax, etc.)