Head to head
Portugal Golden Visa · €500k funds vs Greece Golden Visa · €400k property
Two investor routes side by side: money, stay, family, fees and tax, from the official sources. The official authority decides every application.
Key differences
- MoneyPortugal Golden Visa · €500k funds asks for an investment of €500k+ ≈ $559k; Greece Golden Visa · €400k property for an investment of €400k+ ≈ $447k.
- First stayThe first stay is 2 yrs on Portugal Golden Visa · €500k funds and 5 yrs on Greece Golden Visa · €400k property.
- RenewalRenewable on both.
- Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence on both.
- CitizenshipPortugal Golden Visa · €500k funds: after 10 years of residence. Greece Golden Visa · €400k property: after 7 years of residence.
- FamilySpouse can work on both.
- Government feesThe first government fee listed is €843 ≈ $940 for Portugal Golden Visa · €500k funds and €2,000 ≈ $2,230 for Greece Golden Visa · €400k property; the table lists every fee.
- Tax residencePortugal: more than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year). Greece: more than 183 days (any 12-month period).
Side by side
Portugal Golden Visa · €500k funds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Country | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds | 2Golden Visa · €400k property |
| Type | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds Investing | 2Golden Visa · €400k property Investing |
| Money needed | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds Needs an investment of €500k+ ≈ $559k | 2Golden Visa · €400k property Needs an investment of €400k+ ≈ $447k |
| First stay | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds 2 yrs | 2Golden Visa · €400k property 5 yrs |
| Renewal | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds Renewable DetailsValid two years from issue and renewed in two-year periods while one of the investment requirements is still met; the investment must run at least five years. | 2Golden Visa · €400k property Renewable DetailsThe first permit is valid 5 years and renews for equal periods while the investment continues; absences from Greece do not prevent renewal. |
| Spouse can work | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds Can work | 2Golden Visa · €400k property Can work |
| Government fees | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds €843 ≈ $940 · €8,419 ≈ $9,400 · +1 more Details
| 2Golden Visa · €400k property €2,000 ≈ $2,230 Details
|
| Permanent residence | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds After 5 years of residence DetailsPermanent residence needs five years on a temporary residence authorization, no serious recent conviction, means of subsistence, housing and basic Portuguese. | 2Golden Visa · €400k property After 5 years of residence DetailsLong-term resident status needs 5 years of continuous legal residence and income at least the annual minimum wage (plus 10% for dependants); absences under 6 consecutive months and 10 months in total are allowed. |
| Citizenship | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds After 10 years of residence DetailsNaturalisation needs 10 years of legal residence on any residence title or visa (7 years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU states), plus Portuguese language and culture, and means of subsistence. | 2Golden Visa · €400k property After 7 years of residence DetailsNaturalisation needs 7 years of legal residence for holders of investor permits (a listed title), plus Greek language and history tests and proof of economic integration. Ministry of Interior, National Registry of Administrative Public Services |
| Processing | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds Up to 90 days DetailsAIMA must decide a residence permit application within 90 days, extendable by 30 days in exceptional cases; renewals within 60 days. The ARI file also requires prior online pre-registration. | 2Golden Visa · €400k property 2 months DetailsThe permit is issued within 2 months of the complete file reaching the issuing authority (Art. 100(10)). |
| Where to apply | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds Inside the country DetailsEnter Portugal on a valid Schengen visa and apply to AIMA within 90 days of first entry; no residence visa is needed. | 2Golden Visa · €400k property Abroad or in-country DetailsApply online; a non-resident can apply before entering Greece through a power of attorney, or apply while legally in Greece. |
| Employer needed | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds No | 2Golden Visa · €400k property No |
| Tax residence test | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds More than 183 days (any 12-month period starting or ending in the tax year) | 2Golden Visa · €400k property More than 183 days (any 12-month period) |
| Foreign-source income | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds Resident individuals are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income, at progressive rates from 12.5% up to 48% on the 2026 brackets set by the 2026 State Budget (Lei 73-A/2025: first bracket up to EUR 8,342, (≈ $9,320) top rate above EUR 86,634 (≈ $96,800)), plus an additional solidarity rate of 2.5% on taxable income above EUR 80,000 (≈ $89,400) and 5% above EUR 250,000 (≈ $279,000); non-residents are taxed on Portuguese-source income. | 2Golden Visa · €400k property Greek tax residents are taxed on worldwide income, including foreign-source income, at progressive rates from 9% to 44% (scale applied from tax year 2026); residence follows the main home, habitual abode or centre of vital interests, or presence over 183 days. |
| Official source | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds | 2Golden Visa · €400k property |
| Checked against official sources | 1Golden Visa · €500k funds | 2Golden Visa · €400k property |
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Official sources
Portugal Golden Visa · €500k funds
- Residence Authorization for Investment Activity (ARI), Art. 90-A · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- Lei n.º 23/2007 (Foreigners Law, REPSAE), consolidated text current to Lei n.º 62/2026 of 10 September 2026 · Procuradoria-Geral Distrital de Lisboa (consolidated legislation) · checked 2026-10-10
- AIMA table of fees for residence and stay procedures (Portaria 307/2023 as consolidated, in force from 1 March 2026) · Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) · checked 2026-10-11
- AIMA family reunification, Article 98(2) in Portugal · AIMA · checked 2026-10-10
- Lei Orgânica n.º 1/2026 of 18 May (amends the Nationality Law, Law 37/81) · Diário da República / Assembleia da República · checked 2026-10-11
Greece Golden Visa · €400k property
- Law 5100/2024, art. 64, replacing art. 100 of the Migration Code (Government Gazette A 49/05.04.2024) · Ethniko Typografeio (Government Gazette) · checked 2026-10-11
- Increase of minimum real-estate investment for golden visa (art. 64 Law 5100/2024) · Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family - Housing Policy Portal · checked 2026-10-10
- Golden visa programme (investment in a listed real property) · National Registry of Administrative Public Services (mitos.gov.gr) · checked 2026-10-10
- Law 5038/2023, Migration Code (Government Gazette A 81/01.04.2023) · Ethniko Typografeio (Government Gazette) · checked 2026-10-11
- Migration Code, art. 100 (real-estate investment permit, type B.5), consolidated text · Taxheaven legal text repository (consolidated Migration Code, Law 5038/2023) · checked 2026-10-11
- Migration Code, art. 95 (duration of investor permits and family members), consolidated text · Taxheaven legal text repository (consolidated Migration Code, Law 5038/2023) · checked 2026-10-11
- Migration Code, art. 89 (rights and obligations of family members: access to dependent employment), consolidated text · Taxheaven (Law 5038/2023 consolidated text) · checked 2026-10-12
- Law 5275/2026, Government Gazette A 17 of 6 February 2026 (amendments to the Migration Code) · National Printing House (Ethniko Typografeio) · checked 2026-10-12
- Migration Code, art. 144 (long-term resident status: conditions), consolidated text · TaxHeaven (consolidated Law 5038/2023) · checked 2026-10-11
- Migration Code, art. 143 (long-term resident status: scope), consolidated text · TaxHeaven (consolidated Law 5038/2023) · checked 2026-10-11
- Naturalisation of non-ethnic-Greek aliens (Politografisi Allogenon Allodapon) · Ministry of Interior, National Registry of Administrative Public Services (mitos.gov.gr) · checked 2026-10-11
- Permanent golden visa (change of use) · National Registry of Administrative Public Services (mitos.gov.gr) · checked 2026-10-10
