Portugal vs Greece Golden Visa in 2026: which route fits your family?

Investment options

Portugal removed property from its programme in 2023. The mainstream route is now a minimum €500,000 subscription to a CMVM-regulated investment fund (at least 60% invested in Portuguese companies, no residential real estate exposure), with a €250,000 cultural donation route as a lower-cost alternative. Our fund route guide covers the detail.

Greece remains a property programme, with tiered minimums: €800,000 in prime locations (greater Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and larger islands), €400,000 in most other areas, and a €250,000 tier for specific categories such as renovation projects and commercial-to-residential conversions. Standard-tier properties generally must be at least 120 square metres, and short-term letting of qualifying properties is restricted.

The choice here is philosophical as much as financial: a diversified, professionally managed fund versus a single, tangible asset you can holiday in.

Stay requirements

Portugal: around seven days a year on average keeps the visa alive. It is the lightest obligation of any major European programme, but it is an obligation.

Greece: no minimum stay requirement at all to maintain the permit. For investors who genuinely may not visit for years at a time, Greece is the more forgiving structure.

Path to citizenship

Portugal: under the 2026 nationality law, naturalisation requires ten years of legal residence for most nationalities (seven for EU and CPLP nationals), plus A2 Portuguese and a civic-knowledge test. Critically, Golden Visa holders can qualify while spending only the visa’s minimal required time in Portugal.

Greece: naturalisation is possible after around seven years, but it requires genuine, substantive residence in Greece, together with Greek language and integration requirements. An absentee investor holding a Greek Golden Visa does not accumulate a realistic citizenship claim.

This is the sharpest practical difference: Portugal offers a credible citizenship path for non-residents; Greece does not. If an EU passport is the end goal, Portugal remains the stronger candidate despite the longer nominal period.

Family coverage

Portugal includes your spouse, children under 18, dependent adult children in full-time education, and parents aged 65 or over, all under a single qualifying investment.

Greece covers your spouse and children under 21, with more limited provisions beyond that. Coverage for adult children and parents is narrower, and children age out of the Greek structure earlier.

For multi-generational planning, Portugal’s scope is materially broader.

Which family fits which programme

Portugal tends to fit families who want a real path to an EU passport, investors who prefer a regulated fund to concentrated property exposure, and parents planning around university-age children or elderly dependants.

Greece tends to fit investors who want a lower entry point through the €250,000 or €400,000 tiers, families who will actually use a Mediterranean property, and those who value zero stay obligations above a citizenship endgame.

Costs also differ in structure: Greece front-loads costs into the property purchase (plus transfer taxes and fees), while Portugal’s are spread across government fees per applicant, detailed in our 2026 cost breakdown.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice. Programme rules change; always confirm current requirements before committing.