The US EB-5 and Europe’s golden visas both offer residence by investment, but they suit very different goals. The biggest difference is not cost, it is whether you actually have to live there.
A US green card expects you to make America your home: spend too long away and you can lose it. European golden visas were built for the opposite, to grant residence and mobility with almost no stay requirement. So the real question is not just the price, it is whether you want to relocate now or hold an option for later.
| Programme | Minimum investment | Min stay | Permanent residence | Citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program USA | $800k (Targeted Employment Area) OR $1.05m (standard) | 183 days/yr | Yes | — |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal Golden Visa Portugal | €500k fund investment (real estate route closed) | 7 days/yr | Yes | 5 yrs |
| 🇬🇷 Greece Golden Visa Greece | €800k (Athens/islands); €400k (other); €250k (conversio… | None | Residence only | 7 yrs |
| 🇲🇹 Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) Malta | €60k admin fee + €37k-€58k gov contribution + €2k NGO donation, plus property (buy €375k or rent €14k/yr) | None | Yes | — |
Figures are drawn from our live programme records and change as governments revise the rules. Open each programme for full detail and sources. Spain’s golden visa closed in 2025 and is not shown.
Mostly no. Portugal requires an average of about 7 days a year, and Greece and Malta effectively require no minimum stay. The US EB-5 green card, by contrast, requires you to make the US your genuine home, broadly 183 days a year, or you risk abandoning residence.
European routes are generally cheaper. Portugal and Greece start well below the US EB-5 minimum of $800,000 (targeted area) or $1.05m (standard). Malta uses a contribution-plus-property model rather than a single investment figure.
Portugal is notable: permanent residence and a citizenship application after about five years, with very low stay requirements. US naturalisation typically follows five years as a green-card holder, but with a real residence obligation throughout.
Choose the US if your goal is to actually live, work, or build a business in America. Choose a European golden visa if you want residence rights, Schengen mobility, and an eventual second passport without relocating your life straight away.