Estimate only — not legal, tax or immigration advice. Only the official authority's decision is binding.

EU golden visas by buying property: the four countries left

Updated 22 Oct 2026

Which European golden visas are still open in 2026?

Four EU countries still grant a residence permit for buying a home — Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Bulgaria — and twelve for an investment that is not property, such as fund units, company shares or bonds (Luxembourg's is being abolished), plus Malta's by renting a home. Closed: Spain on 3 April 2025, Portugal's property route on 7 October 2023, Hungary's property option in December 2024 and Latvia on 15 September 2026. The lowest standard entry by property is about €318,620 all in (Bulgaria); without property passive routes start at €250,000 and business routes lower.

Which European golden visas are still open in 2026 — amounts in euros (€)
Country	Route	Minimum	All in, one person, at the minimum	Legal basis
Greece	Home	€400,000 (€800,000 Athens area and big islands; €250,000 conversions only)	about €427,176	Migration Code (Law 5038/2023) art. 100; tiers Law 5100/2024
Cyprus	New home	€300,000 + VAT	about €361,720 at 19% VAT	Regulation 6(2), criteria of 2 May 2023
Malta	Home (or rent)	€375,000 + €99,000 programme fees	about €500,646	LN 310/2024, LN 146/2025
Bulgaria	Real estate	€306,775.13 (BGN 600,000)	about €318,620	Foreigners Act (EMN official answer)
Portugal	Funds / arts and heritage	€500,000 / €250,000	€509,261.70 / €259,261.70	Law 23/2007 (ARI), AIMA fees
Italy	Start-up / company shares	€250,000 / €500,000	€250,000 + fees not published / €500,000 + fees not published	Legislative Decree 286/1998 art. 26-bis
Greece	Funds / bonds or deposit	€350,000 / €500,000	€352,016 / €502,016	Migration Code art. 99
Hungary	Real-estate fund units	€250,000	€250,216.81	Guest investor permit (OIF factsheet)
Cyprus	Company or fund	€300,000	€300,570	Regulation 6(2)
Bulgaria	Company, less-developed region, 5 jobs / fund units	€127,822.97 / €511,291.88	€127,822.97 + fees not published / €511,291.88 + fees not published	Foreigners Act arts. 24 and 25
Latvia	Company (with a state payment)	€50,000 + €10,000	€60,160	Immigration Law in force 15 Sep 2026

All-in = the minimum plus taxes, notary, registry and the published government fees for one person (property), or plus the published government fees (other routes). Every non-property route: EU residency by investment, with a calculator.

Official rule: Latvia: the property route closed on 15 September 2026, when the new Immigration Law (adopted 20 August 2026) stopped granting residence permits to real-estate buyers and bank-deposit investors (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs); the new EUR 150,000 fund route is not yet operational. The old route needed EUR 250,000. (source, checked 2026-10-12)

Not a valid document. Estimate for information only — not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change often and errors are possible. Confirm every figure with a licensed lawyer in the country before you pay anything.

Information only, not legal or immigration advice; rules change often — confirm with a licensed lawyer in that country. Last checked: 12 Oct 2026. Figures marked verify come from law firms or commercial sources rather than an official tariff.

Not an EU citizen? In four of the 27 EU countries — Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Bulgaria — buying a home still gets you a residence permit. The lowest standard entry is about €318,620 all in (Bulgaria; Greece's €250,000 tier is only for converted or listed buildings), the highest about €500,646 (Malta). Latvia closed its route on 15 September 2026.

What a residence permit is — and is not

A residence permit is not citizenship. It lets you live in that one country. A passport comes only through ordinary naturalisation — usually years of actually living there and a language test.
It is not a right to live elsewhere in Europe. A permit from a Schengen country lets you travel in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180; it does not let you move to Germany or France.
Cyprus is not in Schengen. Its permit gives no Schengen travel at all until the Council lifts border controls — the earliest decision is expected in December 2026 verify.
Temporary or permanent. Greece and Bulgaria give a renewable temporary permit (five years and one year); Cyprus and Malta give permanent residence.
Not a tax residence. None of the four makes you tax-resident by itself.

The four countries side by side

The four countries side by side — EU · amounts in euros (€)
	Greece	Cyprus	Malta	Bulgaria
Minimum price	€400,000 (most of Greece); €800,000 Athens area, Thessaloniki, big islands; €250,000 converted buildings only	€300,000 + VAT, new build from a developer	€375,000 (or rent from €14,000 a year)	€306,775 (BGN 600,000)
All in, one person, at the minimum	about €427,176	about €361,720 at 19% VAT, €319,720 at 5%	about €500,646	about €318,620
Government / programme fees	€2,000 + small family fees	€500 + €70 per person	€99,000, non-refundable	not stated in any source
What you get	5-year permit, renewable	Permanent residence	Permanent residence	1-year permit, renewed yearly
Minimum stay	None	One visit every 2 years	None (biometrics visit)	Exempt from the 30-month rule (law firm)
Income or capital test	None	€50,000 a year + €15,000 spouse + €10,000 per child	Assets €500,000 (€150,000 financial) or €650,000 (€75,000)	Means ≥ minimum wage; ≤ 25% borrowed
Family	Spouse, children under 21, parents of both	Spouse, children under 18, students to 25; no parents	Spouse, children, parents, grandparents (€7,500 each beyond spouse and minors)	Not stated
Renting it out	Long-term yes; short-term banned	Allowed per law firms; loses 5% VAT	Disputed; not for AIP property	Not stated
Schengen	Yes	No (earliest decision Dec 2026)	Yes	Yes
Last change	6 Feb 2026 (Law 5275/2026)	2 May 2023 (criteria); 1 Jan 2026 (stamp duty)	22 Jul 2025 (LN 146/2025)	1 Jan 2026 (euro)

All-in totals include the price, taxes, notary and lawyer, registry and government fees for one person at the minimum price; they leave out an agent's commission and health insurance. Each country page has a calculator for your own price and family.

Greece — from €400,000 (€250,000 for conversions)Five-year permit, renewable, no minimum stay. About €427,176 all in at the €400,000 tier (one person, resale).Cyprus — €300,000 + VATPermanent residence, income test, visit once every two years. Not in Schengen.Malta — €375,000 + €99,000 feesPermanent residence in Schengen, no minimum stay; about €500,646 all in.Bulgaria — €306,775.13 minimumOne-year permit renewed yearly; about €318,620 all in, the lowest of the four; thinnest official detail.

What takes longer than expected

The legal deadline covers only the decision. The family documents (Apostille or legalisation, then official translations), the bank account and the purchase come first — and documents from the UAE, Qatar or Kuwait need full legalisation, because those countries are not in the Apostille Convention. Each country page has the details.

What takes longer than expected — EU
	Legal or official time	What people report (whole journey)	Local bank account	Agent or lawyer required?
Greece	2 months from a complete file	About 4–6 months for a clean file; 9–12 months or more once bank, registry and correction delays are included verify	Needed in practice — the price goes through a bank in Greece	No
Cyprus	About 2 months, after the purchase	6–12 months verify	Not required — the money must come from abroad	No rule found
Malta	Target 4 to 6 months, currently slower	8–14 months verify	Not asked for	Yes — a licensed agent files every application
Bulgaria	14 days by law verify	2–4 months after the purchase verify	Yes — a Bulgarian bank certificate verify	No rule found

All 27 EU countries

“Never had one” means the country never offered a residence permit for buying a home. Croatia and Slovenia have no programme, but an owner who actually lives in the home can apply for ordinary temporary residence (EMN). The buying column is for an ordinary home bought by a non-EU citizen who does not live there; details and the buyer's tax for every country: can I buy a home in …?

All 27 EU countries — amounts in euros (€)
Country	Residence permit by buying a home (12 Oct 2026)	Can a non-EU citizen buy a home? Approval needed	Schengen
Austria	Never had one	Permit from the provincial authority, even for flats	Yes
Belgium	Never had one	Free	Yes
Bulgaria	Open — about €306,775	Flats and buildings free; land only through a company	Yes
Croatia	No programme (owner-occupier stay only)	Ministry of Justice consent + reciprocity	Yes
Cyprus	Open — €300,000 + VAT	Council of Ministers permit (usually a formality)	No
Czechia	Never had one	Free	Yes
Denmark	Never had one	Ministry of Justice permission; strong ties needed	Yes
Estonia	Never had one	Flats free; land restricted	Yes
Finland	Never had one	Ministry of Defence permit (housing-company flats exempt)	Yes
France	Never had one	Free	Yes
Germany	Never had one	Free	Yes
Greece	Open — €250,000 / €400,000 / €800,000	Free, except border areas (committee approval)	Yes
Hungary	Closed (Act LXXXIV of 2024)	Government-office permit, routine for homes	Yes
Ireland	Never had a property route	Free	No
Italy	Never had one	Reciprocity test by the notary	Yes
Latvia	Closed 15 Sep 2026	Flats and buildings free; land needs municipal consent	Yes
Lithuania	Never had one	Flats and buildings free; land only for EU/NATO/EEA/OECD nationals	Yes
Luxembourg	Never had one	Free	Yes
Malta	Open — €375,000	AIP permit outside Special Designated Areas	Yes
Netherlands	Never had one	Free	Yes
Poland	Never had one	Flats free; houses and land need an Interior Ministry permit	Yes
Portugal	Closed 7 Oct 2023	Free	Yes
Romania	Never in force (bill withdrawn Dec 2025)	Buildings free; land only through a company	Yes
Slovakia	Never had one	Free	Yes
Slovenia	No programme (owner-occupier stay only)	EU/OECD/EFTA free; candidate states by reciprocity; others cannot	Yes
Spain	Closed 3 Apr 2025	Free, except defence zones	Yes
Sweden	Never had one	Free (a permit is proposed, not enacted)	Yes

Routes that closed

Latvia — closed 15 September 2026. A new Immigration Law (adopted 20 August 2026) dropped buying property as a ground for a permit; it had needed €250,000. Applications filed by 14 September are decided under the old law verify. Latvia's own migration page still shows the old route without a closure notice — do not rely on it.
Spain — closed 3 April 2025 (Organic Law 1/2025); Portugal — closed 7 October 2023 (Law 56/2023); Hungary — the property option was removed by Act LXXXIV of 2024 (EMN).
Luxembourg — its investor permit is being abolished (bill 8586, first vote 14 October 2026); it ends when the law is published.
Romania — a €400,000 bill was withdrawn in December 2025 and never came into force verify.
Investor routes without property (funds, bonds, company shares, donations), own-income, digital nomad and entrepreneur permits: other ways to EU residency.

Does a golden visa lead to EU citizenship?

Not by itself. A golden visa is a residence permit; a passport comes only through ordinary naturalisation, and no EU country sells citizenship any more (Malta's scheme was ruled contrary to EU law on 29 April 2025). Portugal now asks 10 years of legal residence for most non-EU nationals (Organic Law 1/2026, since 19 May 2026), Greece seven continuous years and a Greek exam, Cyprus seven years within ten. Country by country: golden visas and citizenship.

Official sources

Before you rely on this: what to confirm

These points rest on a law firm, a commercial source or a single source, or the official page could not be read. Ask a licensed lawyer to confirm them against the official tariff or law before you pay anything.

Every figure marked “verify” on the country pages.
Cyprus's Schengen status — re-check monthly.
Greece's VAT suspension after 31 December 2026 and any new 'portfolio' category (announced, not in force).

Questions people ask

What is the minimum property price for EU residency in each country?

Greece €400,000 (€800,000 in Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and the larger islands; €250,000 only for converted or listed buildings). Cyprus €300,000 plus VAT, new build only. Malta €375,000 plus €99,000 of programme fees. Bulgaria €306,775 (BGN 600,000). All in at the minimum: about €318,620 in Bulgaria, €319,720–€361,720 in Cyprus (5% or 19% VAT), €427,176 in Greece and €500,646 in Malta.

Which EU countries give residency for buying property?

As of 12 October 2026: Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Bulgaria. Latvia closed its property route on 15 September 2026; Spain, Portugal and Hungary closed theirs earlier.

Is a golden visa the same as EU citizenship?

No — in the EU, a residence permit lets you live in that one country. Citizenship comes only through ordinary naturalisation, usually after years of actual residence and a language test.

Can I live anywhere in the EU with a residence permit from one country?

No — a permit from a Schengen country lets you travel in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180 days; it does not give a right to live in another EU country. Cyprus is not in Schengen at all yet.

Which EU country has the cheapest Golden Visa?

By buying a standard home, Bulgaria: real estate of at least €306,775.13, about €318,620 all in, for a one-year renewable permit. Greece's €250,000 tier is only for converted or listed buildings. Without property, passive routes start at €250,000 (Portugal, Italy, Greece, Hungary) and business routes lower: Latvia €50,000 plus a €10,000 state payment, Bulgaria €127,822.97 with 5 jobs in a less-developed region.

How much money do you need to get a Golden Visa?

For property: €306,775.13 in Bulgaria, €300,000 plus VAT in Cyprus, €375,000 plus €99,000 of fees in Malta, and €400,000 to €800,000 in Greece. Without property: from €250,000 for a passive investment, up to €2,000,000 in Italian government bonds. Taxes and fees come on top.

Sources (47)

Rules this page uses: 77, from 47 source documents. Each rule shows the date we last checked it.

Greece: at least EUR 800,000 for one property in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini (Thira) and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants (Article 100 Migration Code, Law 5100/2024). (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Greece: at least EUR 400,000 for one property everywhere else in Greece. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Greece: EUR 250,000 nationwide only for a commercial building converted to housing, or a listed building being fully restored. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Greece: government fee for the investor residence permit: EUR 2,000. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Greece: a five-year residence permit, renewable while the property is held. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Greece: transfer tax on a resale (and on a new build whose developer suspended VAT): 3% plus a 3% municipal levy on the tax = 3.09% (AADE). (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Cyprus: a house or apartment bought on first sale from a development company for at least EUR 300,000 plus VAT (Regulation 6(2), criteria in force since 2 May 2023). (source, checked 2026-10-21)
Cyprus: application fee EUR 500 for all persons included in the application. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Cyprus: EUR 70 when the applicant or a family member needs an Aliens Registration Certificate. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Cyprus: secure income from abroad of at least EUR 50,000 a year for the main applicant. (source, checked 2026-10-21)
Cyprus: plus EUR 15,000 a year for a spouse. (source, checked 2026-10-21)
Cyprus: plus EUR 10,000 a year for each dependent minor child. (source, checked 2026-10-21)
Cyprus: the permit lapses after two years' absence from Cyprus (or permanent residence abroad); residence must be taken up within a year of approval. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Cyprus: VAT on new builds 19%. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Cyprus: 5% VAT on a main and permanent residence for the first 130 m2 of buildable area up to a value of EUR 350,000, provided the whole transaction is at most EUR 475,000 and 190 m2 (Law 42(I)/2023); the dwelling must stay your residence for 10 years or the VAT difference is repaid. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Cyprus: found technically ready for Schengen in July 2026; no Council date; the December 2026 JHA Council is the earliest decision (press reports - re-check monthly). verify (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Malta: a qualifying owned property of at least EUR 375,000 in Malta or Gozo (LN 310/2024). (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Malta: or a rented property of at least EUR 14,000 a year. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Malta: non-refundable administration fee EUR 60,000 for the main applicant (EUR 15,000 within a month of applying, EUR 45,000 within two months of approval in principle) (LN 146/2025). (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Malta: government contribution EUR 37,000 for the main applicant, owned or rented property alike, within eight months of approval in principle. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Malta: EUR 2,000 donation to a registered local non-governmental organisation. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Malta: the main applicant must hold assets of at least EUR 500,000 including EUR 150,000 in financial assets, or EUR 650,000 including EUR 75,000. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Malta: duty on documents (stamp duty) 5% of the price, with a 1% provisional payment when the promise of sale is registered and the balance on the deed (Malta Tax and Customs Administration). (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Bulgaria: a prolonged residence permit (up to one year) for long-stay visa holders who invest at least EUR 306,775.13 (BGN 600,000 at the fixed rate 1.95583) in Bulgarian real estate, directly or through a company they own more than 50% of (euro amount from the Bulgarian euro-changeover bill; the EMN 2026 answer prints 306,755.13, a typo). (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Bulgaria: the permit runs up to one year and is renewed while the investment is kept. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Bulgaria: borrowed money may not exceed 25% of the investment. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Bulgaria: municipal tax on acquiring property, set by each municipality between 0.1% and 3%; Sofia charges 3% (Sofia Municipal Council). (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Schengen: 25 EU states are members; Cyprus is still in the integration process and Ireland stays out; Bulgaria and Romania joined fully on 1 January 2025. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Latvia: the property route closed on 15 September 2026, when the new Immigration Law (adopted 20 August 2026) stopped granting residence permits to real-estate buyers and bank-deposit investors (Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs); the new EUR 150,000 fund route is not yet operational. The old route needed EUR 250,000. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Portugal: the real-estate route was revoked from 7 October 2023 (Law 56/2023). (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Spain: investor permits incl. the EUR 500,000 property option were repealed from 3 April 2025 (Organic Law 1/2025). (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Hungary: the EUR 500,000 real-estate option was removed by Act LXXXIV of 2024 (gazetted 20 December 2024); only fund units or a donation remain. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Romania: a EUR 400,000 golden-visa bill (B490/2025) was withdrawn in December 2025 after a national-security review; never in force (press and industry reports; no official page found). verify (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Netherlands: the EUR 1.25 million investor scheme (not property) was abolished on 17 April 2024. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Ireland: the Immigrant Investor Programme (not property) closed on 15 February 2023. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden never had a residence-by-property route (Ireland and the Netherlands closed investor schemes that were not property-based). (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Croatia and Slovenia: no programme, but an owner who actually lives in the home can apply for temporary residence on 'other' grounds, with means, health insurance and a clean record. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Portugal: at least EUR 500,000 in units of Portuguese investment or venture-capital funds (maturity of at least 5 years, at least 60% invested in companies based in Portugal). (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Portugal: at least EUR 250,000 for investment in, or support of, artistic production or national cultural heritage. (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Portugal: AIMA fee to receive and analyse an ARI application (or a family member's), in person: EUR 842.80 (EUR 632.10 online). Table updated 26 Feb 2026. (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Portugal: AIMA fee to grant the ARI permit: EUR 8,418.90 in person (EUR 6,314.20 online); the same amount for each family member's permit. (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Italy: investor visa - at least EUR 250,000 in an innovative start-up on the special register, held for at least 2 years. (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Italy: investor visa - at least EUR 500,000 in shares of an Italian company (or an Italian venture-capital fund), held for at least 2 years. (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Greece: at least EUR 350,000 in units of a mutual fund (set up in Greece or abroad) investing in Greek listed securities, or of an AIF (set up in Greece or another EU state) investing in Greece - the AIF may hold real estate (art. 99(1)(g), (h)). (source, checked 2026-10-19)
Greece: at least EUR 500,000 in Greek government bonds (3+ years to maturity), a one-year Greek bank deposit, or new shares or bonds of a company based in Greece (Migration Code art. 99(1)(a), (d), (e)). (source, checked 2026-10-19)
Greece: EUR 16 per residence card. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Greece: EUR 150 for each family member's residence permit (family-reunification permit fee, Migration Code art. 171(1)(b)); children under 18 pay no fee (art. 171(2)(c): minors are exempt from the permit fee). (source, checked 2026-10-14)
Hungary: guest investor permit - EUR 250,000 in units of a real-estate fund registered with the central bank, held 5 years (the fund must hold at least 40% Hungarian residential property). (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Hungary: visa fee EUR 110. (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Hungary: residence permit fee HUF 39,000 in person (about EUR 106.81 at the ECB rate of 12 Oct 2026, 365.13). (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Cyprus: at least EUR 300,000 as new capital of a Cypriot company with physical presence and at least 5 employees, or in units of a Cypriot AIF, AIFLNP or RAIF; money from abroad, not borrowed in Cyprus (Regulation 6(2)). (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Bulgaria: BGN 250,000 (EUR 127,822.97) into a company you own at least 50% of in an economically disadvantaged region, new fixed assets of at least BGN 250,000 and at least 5 jobs for Bulgarian citizens (Foreigners Act art. 24(1)(20)): a renewable permit of up to 1 year at a time; permanent residence after keeping the investment 5 years (art. 25(1)(17)). (source, checked 2026-10-19)
Bulgaria: permanent residence for BGN 1,000,000 (EUR 511,291.88 at 1.95583) in units of an FSC-licensed collective investment scheme or Bulgarian AIF (Foreigners Act art. 25(1)(6)). (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Latvia: EUR 50,000 in a company with at most 50 staff and turnover up to EUR 10m that pays at least EUR 40,000 a year in taxes (or EUR 100,000 in a larger company paying EUR 100,000) - Immigration Law in force 15 Sep 2026. (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Latvia: one-off payment of EUR 10,000 to the state budget with the first company-investor permit (Immigration Law 2026). (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Latvia: state fee to review a temporary residence-permit application within 30 days: EUR 160 (EUR 280 within 10 working days, EUR 560 within 5). (source, checked 2026-10-19)
Luxembourg: bill 8586 abolishes the investor residence permit ('Golden Visa', 2017; nine permits issued); the Chamber of Deputies adopted it in the first vote on 14 Oct 2026 (52 for, 0 against, 6 abstentions); it takes effect when published in the Memorial A; permits issued before the law takes effect stay valid until they expire. (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Portugal: naturalisation needs at least 10 years of legal residence for nationals of countries outside the EU and the Portuguese-speaking (CPLP) countries, 7 years for EU and CPLP nationals (Nationality Law art. 6(1)(b) as amended by Organic Law 1/2026 of 18 May 2026, in force 19 May 2026); periods of legal residence are added up if they fall within at most 12 years (art. 15(3)); applications pending on 19 May 2026 stay under the old 5-year law. (source, checked 2026-10-19)
Citizenship by investment: none left in the EU - Malta's scheme was ruled contrary to EU law on 29 Apr 2025 (C-181/23) and abolished; Cyprus closed 2020; Bulgaria 2022. (source, checked 2026-10-13)
Greece: naturalisation needs seven continuous years of legal residence, proof of economic integration, and the certificate of sufficient knowledge of Greek language and civics (exam twice a year); temporary permits do not count towards the application (Ministry of Interior, Jan 2026). Law firms add that years spent abroad on a Golden Visa do not count. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Cyprus: naturalisation needs 12 months' continuous legal residence immediately before applying plus seven years' legal residence in the preceding ten, Greek at B1 level and a civics test (Ministry of Interior, form M127); shorter 3-4 year routes exist for highly qualified workers. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Greece: the EUR 400,000 and EUR 800,000 tiers need a single property of at least 120 m2 main area. (source, checked 2026-10-12)
Greece: by law the investor permit is issued within 2 months after the authority has every document of the file (Migration Code art. 100(10)). (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Greece, whole journey (tax number, bank account, purchase, deed, registry, application, biometrics): practitioners report about 4–6 months for a clean file and 9–12 months or more once bank, registry and correction delays are included; longer in Attica. verify (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Greece: the whole price must be paid through the banking system (crossed cheque into the seller's account at a bank in Greece, credit transfer or card) — cash is not allowed — and the payment is recorded in the notarial deed. verify (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Greece: no law makes you hire a lawyer — you (or your lawyer) may file the application, and a lawyer at the property deed has been optional since 1 Jan 2014; the notary has a fixed legal role. (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Cyprus: the Ministry estimates about 2 months to examine a complete application — counted only after the purchase, the transfers and every document are done. (source, checked 2026-10-21)
Cyprus, whole journey from choosing the home to holding the card: practitioners report 6–12 months; the review alone often takes 3–5 months, not two. verify (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Cyprus: the purchase money must be shown to have come from abroad (your own or your spouse's account) and must not be borrowed in Cyprus; it is paid to the seller's account in Cyprus. (source, checked 2026-10-21)
Malta: Residency Malta's target is 4 to 6 months from a complete and correct application; the agency says rising application numbers are currently affecting that promise. (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Malta, whole journey from gathering documents to holding the card: practitioners report about 8–14 months for a clean application (others say 4–9 months). verify (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Malta: the programme texts we read do not ask for a Maltese bank account; fees are paid by direct debit from the account you declare in the application. (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Malta: every MPRP application must be made through an agent licensed by Residency Malta (S.L. 217.26 reg. 4(1)). (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Bulgaria: by law the Migration Directorate decides within 14 days (one month more if documents are missing); the application is filed in person in Bulgaria after entering on a type D visa. verify (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Bulgaria: practitioners report 2–4 months from the visa application to the card, plus the time to find, buy and register the property. verify (source, checked 2026-10-20)
Bulgaria: the purchase money must pass through a licensed Bulgarian bank, whose certificate goes with the application — so a local account is part of the route. verify (source, checked 2026-10-20)
The UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon and Nigeria are not parties to the Apostille Convention: documents issued there need full legalisation — the issuing country's foreign ministry, then the consulate of the country where you apply. (source, checked 2026-10-20)

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