The Cheapest Ways to Get EU Residency by Investment
Key findings
- Latvia is the lowest statutory EU investor-residence candidate in this dataset, but its low floor is a company-capital pathway, not a passive property pathway.
- Greece, Hungary, and Italy form the clearest €250,000-tier EU investor-residence candidates.
- Cyprus is a €300,000 permanent-residence pathway, but it is not direct citizenship and has income, insurance, investment-maintenance, and absence rules.
An EU residence permit, and a foothold toward an EU passport, can start below the better-known €250,000 golden-visa tier. Latvia's company-investment pathway is the lowest current candidate in Citizeo's dataset, while Greece, Hungary, and Italy form the more familiar €250,000 tier. Cyprus follows with a €300,000 permanent-residence pathway. This report ranks current EU residency-by-investment pathways by minimum investment, with the years each takes to reach citizenship where the pathway can plausibly support naturalization.
Compare the field: see our full golden visa guide.
Cheapest EU residency-by-investment pathways
| Rank | Country | Pathway | Time to citizenship | Minimum investment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latvia | Latvia Investor Residence | 10+ years | €50,000 + €10,000 state payment |
| 2 | Greece | Greece Golden Visa | 7 years | €250k–€800k |
| 2 | Hungary | Hungary Guest Investor Residence | 8+ years | €250,000 |
| 2 | Italy | Italy Investor Visa | 10 years | €250,000 |
| 5 | Cyprus | Cyprus Permanent Residence | PR; actual residence required | €300,000 + income requirement |
| 6 | Malta | Malta Permanent Residence | PR (no direct citizenship) | ~€375k property + contributions |
| 7 | Portugal | Portugal Golden Visa | Changing: 7-10 years | €500,000 |
| 7 | Luxembourg | Luxembourg Investor Residence | 5 years | €500,000 |
Source notes
- Latvia's official Immigration Law lists investor temporary residence categories including the €50,000 company-capital pathway, €250,000 real-estate and securities pathways, and €280,000 bank-liability pathway.
- Hungary's official guest investor residence guidance lists the €250,000 real-estate fund investment certificate pathway and €1,000,000 donation pathway.
- Cyprus's official Migration Department investor Immigration Permit guidance lists a €300,000 minimum investment across property, company-share-capital, and Cyprus investment-fund categories.
- Greece's Golden Visa pathway has a €250,000 floor for special-purpose investments, not the ordinary price for most residential property in Athens, Thessaloniki, or major islands.
Methodology
Figures come from Citizeo's structured dataset of citizenship and residency programs, reflecting publicly available rules as of June 2026. Where pathways are ranked by cost, mixed currencies are compared using approximate USD equivalents and amounts shown are the lowest qualifying option per program. Ranked tables use competition ranking: pathways with the same ranked value share a rank, and the next rank is skipped. Program terms change often; confirm the current rules with the relevant government authority before applying.