UAE Golden Visa vs top EU residency programs (Portugal, Greece, Malta & more): which one works best for you?

UAE Golden Visa breakdown

• Investment Requirements:
  • 10-year visa: purchase property worth at least AED 2 million (~$545,000).
  • Partial financing allowed with a minimum 20% down payment.
  • 2-year visa: property purchase of AED 750,000 (approximately $204,000). For joint ownership with spouse, minimum AED 1 million (approximately $272,000).
  • Mortgage buyers must pay 50% upfront for the 2-year visa.
• Residency Terms & Flexibility:
  • Valid for 10 years, renewable indefinitely.
  • No minimum stay required—residents can live abroad indefinitely without losing status.
  • Freedom to live, work, and study across all seven emirates.
  • Family members included: spouse, unmarried sons under 25, and unmarried daughters of any age.
• Taxation:
  • No personal income tax, no inheritance tax, no capital gains tax, no property tax.
  • Corporate tax of 9% applies only on profits over AED 375,000 (~$102,000).
  • No global income taxation.
• Lifestyle & Infrastructure:
  • Safe cities with world-class infrastructure.
  • Direct flights to major hubs worldwide.
  • Diverse expatriate community, with strong cultural and business ties to India and beyond.
• Popularity & Growth:
  • Launched in 2019.
  • In 2023, 158,000 Golden Visas issued by Dubai’s GDRFA, up from 79,617 in 2022 and 47,150 in 2021—indicating rapid growth.

• Investment Options (minimum amounts):
  • €250,000 (~$278,000) for arts and cultural heritage restoration.
  • €500,000 (~$555,000) for investment fund units (most popular).
  • €500,000 (~$555,000) for research activities.
  • €500,000 (~$555,000) for business investment (minimum 5 jobs created).
  • Company creation with minimum 10 jobs (variable investment amount).
• Residency & Citizenship:
  • Residency permit renewable every two years.
  • Minimum physical presence: 7 days per year to maintain residency.
  • Citizenship eligibility after 5 years.
  • Allows travel across Schengen Area visa-free.
• Family Benefits:
  • Spouse, children under 26, and parents can be included.
• Taxation:
  • Portugal taxes residents on global income, but non-habitual resident regime offers tax benefits for 10 years.
• Popularity:
  • Over 33,000 permits issued since 2012.
  • Popular among Chinese, Brazilians, Americans, Turks, and South Africans.

• Investment Options:
  • €800,000 (~$888,000) minimum real estate in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, or islands with >3,100 residents.
  • €400,000 (~$444,000) minimum in other regions.
  • €250,000 (~$278,000) minimum for renovation projects.
  • Other options: shares, bonds, deposits (from €350,000 to €800,000).
• Residency & Citizenship:
  • Permanent residency with no stay requirement.
  • Citizenship after 7 years with 183+ days/year residency.
• Family Benefits:
  • Spouse, children under 24, and parents included.
• Taxation:
  • Special flat tax regime for foreign tax residents: €100,000 ($111,000) per year global income tax flat rate; family members pay €20,000 ($22,000) each.
• Popularity:
  • Nearly 50,000 permits issued since 2014.

• Investment Options:
  • €250,000 (~$278,000) purchase of real estate fund units.
  • €1,000,000 (~$1.11 million) donation to higher education institution.
• Residency & Citizenship:
  • 10-year validity with no renewal needed.
  • Extendable once for 10 more years.
  • Citizenship after 11 years of continuous residence.
• Family Benefits:
  • Spouse, children under 25, and parents.
• Taxation:

• Income tax at 15%, corporate tax at 9% (lowest in EU).

• Hungary’s 2024 Golden Visa attracted 100+ applicants, with 11 approved by September.

• Investment Options:
  • €250,000 (~$278,000) innovative startup.
  • €500,000 (~$555,000) business investment.
  • €1,000,000 (~$1.11 million) philanthropic donation.
  • €2,000,000 (~$2.22 million) government bonds.
• Residency & Citizenship:
  • No minimum stay required for residency.
  • Citizenship after 10 years with 183+ days/year residency.
• Family Benefits:
  • Spouses, unmarried children of any age, and parents.
• Taxation:
  • Special flat tax of €200,000 (~$222,000) per year on foreign income for up to 15 years.

• Investment Requirements:
  • Property rental minimum €14,000 ($15,500/year) or purchase minimum €375,000 ($416,000).
  • Fixed administrative fee: €50,000 (~$55,000).
  • Donation: €2,000 (~$2,200).
  • Contribution fee: €30,000 $33,000 (purchase) or €60,000 (rental).
  • Total cost from approximately €182,000 $202,000 for the rental option to €457,000.
    for purchase.
• Residency & Citizenship:
  • Lifetime residency rights.
  • Citizenship possible but through a separate process (naturalization).
• Family Benefits:
• Includes spouses, children under 29, parents, and grandparents.

• Approved 7,567 applications (2015–2021); 1,500 new in 2024, mainly from China, Vietnam, Russia, South Africa, and Turkey.

• Investment Options:
  • Minimum €300,000 (~$333,000) in residential/commercial real estate, shares, or funds.
• Residency & Citizenship:
  • Lifelong validity with no renewal required.
  • Citizenship after 8 years continuous residence.
• Family Benefits:
  • Spouse and children under 25 included.
• Taxation:
  • No tax on global income or inheritance.
  • Corporate tax rate 12.5%.

Bottomline: Which Golden Visa Fits your goals?

• Choose UAE Golden Visa if you want:
  • Flexible residency with no minimum stay.
  • Fast processing and long 10-year visa.
  • No personal income tax or global income taxation.
  • A global business hub with easy family inclusion.
• Choose European Golden Visas if you want:
  • Access to Schengen Zone and Europe’s lifestyle.
  • A path to European citizenship (Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Italy).
  • Lower minimum investments in some countries (Portugal, Hungary, Cyprus).
  • Special tax regimes for foreigners (Italy, Greece).