10 Cheapest Golden Visas For Residency in 2026

Looking for the cheapest Golden Visas? Getting a second residency used to sound like something only millionaires could pull off. But that’s not the case anymore.

These days, several countries offer golden visa programs that start at surprisingly low prices, some even under $150,000.

Whether you’re looking for more freedom to travel, a backup plan, better tax options, or just a new place to live, these golden visas open the door without draining your bank account.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the 10 cheapest programs available. Let’s get right into it.

Cheapest Golden Visas: Overview

A second residency and a second passport don’t have to cost a fortune. Some programs let you trade a modest investment for a brand-new set of rights: visa-free travel, tax perks, and a safe place to land if things get unstable at home.

Before going through the full list of golden visas, let’s talk about some essentials you’ll want to know before starting the process.

What Is a Golden Visa?

A golden visa is a way to get residency in another country by putting some money into it, either through real estate, a business investment, or a donation to the government.

You still keep your original passport, but you get a residency card that lets you live there legally.

If you follow the rules (like background checks and simple renewals), and depending on the country, you can apply for citizenship after a few years.

Some countries make you wait five to ten years, especially when it comes to European golden visas. Others, like Vanuatu, don’t make you wait at all; they give you the passport straight away.

What Makes a Golden Visa Cheap?

Some golden visas cost millions, such as the new American gold card valued at $5 million, but others are way more reasonable. For this list, “cheap” means under around $300,000.

That includes the main investment and basic fees, nothing crazy. We also looked at visas that don’t force you to live there full-time. If you don’t have to fly in just to check a box every year, that saves you time and money, too.

What Are The Benefits of Getting a Golden Visa?

The obvious win is mobility. You jump the usual visa lines, and you can travel through dozens of countries. Of course, if you go for a golden visa in Europe, it will allow you to stay longer than 90 days in the EU, which is very convenient.

A golden visa also gives you a backup plan if things go sideways in your home country. You can open foreign bank accounts, send your kids to good schools abroad, or move your business internationally.

Some countries, especially in the Caribbean, don’t tax your income or inheritance. And if you keep it long enough, you can end up with a second passport, which means more freedom, more options, and fewer surprises down the road.

10 Cheapest Golden Visas to Acquire

Below, you’ll find 10 of the most affordable golden visa options available. These programs let you invest in real estate, make a donation, or buy into local businesses, and in return, you get residency and a clear path to a second passport.

Some are fast, some are flexible, and a few are both. Make sure to read until the end for all the most affordable options.

1. Vanuatu – $130,000

Vanuatu’s Development Support Program is the quickest on earth: wire $130,000, pass a background check, hop on a short video call, and a courier drops your passport in as little as eight weeks.

You never have to set foot on the islands, there’s no language test, and dual citizenship is fully legal.

Note that Brussels pulled visa-free access to the EU in early 2025, but the document still lets you travel to many destinations (89 countries to be precise), including Singapore, Russia, Malaysia, and most of the Caribbean.

No income, inheritance, or wealth tax at home seals the deal for many location-independent entrepreneurs.

Benefits of Getting the Vanuatu Golden Visa

Approval in 60 to 90 days
Zero physical-stay rule after issuance
No tax on worldwide income or capital gains
Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 89 countries
One application covers spouse, kids up to 25, and dependent parents

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2. Dominica – $200,000

Dominica asks for a $200,000 contribution to its Economic Diversification Fund or the same amount in government-approved real estate.

The whole process runs for four to six months, interviews are remote, and you never need to visit the island if you don’t want to.

The passport sits mid-table on the Henley Index, with 144 visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations, including the UK, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Dominica doesn’t tax foreign income if you live abroad and lets you sell the property after three years without losing citizenship. The program also accepts siblings under 25 and parents over 65 years old, which is quite nice for larger families.

Benefits of Getting the Dominica Golden Visa

144 visa-free destinations
Modest entry cost for single or family
No minimum-stay or language test
Add siblings, adult children, and parents in one file
Property route allows rental income, then resale in year 4

3. United Arab Emirates – From AED 500,000

The UAE now issues a five-year golden visa to anyone who establishes a startup with a minimum capital of AED 500,000. Step up your investment to an AED 2 million (around $545,000) property purchase and you can get the 10-year visa.

The card is self-sponsored, renews automatically while you hold the asset, and only asks you to pop into the country once every six months.

There’s no income tax, world-class healthcare, and direct flights to just about everywhere in the world.

Citizenship is still discretionary, but long-term residents who invest heavily and speak Arabic have started to receive naturalization, so a passport, ranked around 182 visa-free destinations, is possible.

Benefits of Getting the UAE Golden Visa

Five or ten-year card with simple renewals
Tax-free earnings and capital gains
Covers family, parents, and household staff.
Finance up to 80% of the property price
Growing pathway to Emirati citizenship for major contributors

4. Antigua and Barbuda – $230,000

You can either donate $230,000 to Antigua and Barbuda’s National Development Fund or invest $300,000 in approved real estate, like a resort.

In return, you and your whole family can get citizenship in about six months. Once you’re a citizen, you can travel visa-free to 123 countries, including the UK and all of Europe’s Schengen zone.

There’s barely any residency requirement; you only need to spend five days in the country within the first five years.

If you go the real estate route, you can sell the property after five years. While you hold it, it’s possible to earn rental income from the property. Depending on the property’s location, management, and occupancy rates, rental yields can range from 2% to 5% annually.

Benefits of Getting the Antigua and Barbuda Golden Visa

Travel to 123 countries visa-free
One of the broadest family definitions (siblings, grandparents)
Five-day visit rule spread over five years
Real estate shares can generate income and later be sold

5. Grenada – $235,000

Grenada offers two options to get citizenship through investment. The easiest path is a donation of $235,000, which covers a family of four.

Or, if you prefer to invest in real estate, you’ll need to spend at least $270,000 on a government-approved property, plus some extra fees. You can sell the property after five years if you go that route. The whole process usually takes between four and six months.

The biggest draw here is that Grenada has a special treaty with the United States. Once you get the passport, you can apply for a US E-2 visa, which lets you live and run a business in the US.

The Grenadian passport also gives you visa-free access to around 144 countries, including China and Russia. You don’t have to live in Grenada, and if you stay abroad, you won’t pay tax on your foreign income.

There’s no interview, no language test, and even single siblings and adult kids (up to 30) can be included.

Benefits of Getting the Grenada Golden Visa

You can apply for a US investor visa (E-2) after
No need to live in Grenada
Visa-free travel to about 144 countries
No tax on income earned outside Grenada
You can include kids up to 30 and unmarried siblings

6. St Lucia – $240,000

St Lucia has one of the more flexible programs in the Caribbean. A $240,000 donation to the National Economic Fund covers you and up to three dependents.

There’s also the option to invest in government bonds or real estate from $300,000 if you prefer to keep an asset. The process takes four to six months, and in 2024, they moved interviews online, so you don’t even need to visit the island to apply.

The St Lucian passport gives you visa-free access to around 146 countries, including the entire Schengen area, the UK, Singapore, and most of Latin America.

Passports are valid for five years, renewals are cheap, and if you don’t live there, you won’t be taxed on your foreign income. It’s a simple, fully remote process, and you’re allowed to hold dual citizenship.

Benefits of Getting the St Lucia Golden Visa

Lowest entry cost for a family of three
The entire process can be done online
Travel to 146 countries without a visa
Bond option lets you get your investment back after 5 years
No stay requirement, dual citizenship allowed

7. Greece – €250,000

You can get a five-year residence permit in Greece by investing at least €250,000 in property outside high-demand areas. In places like central Athens, Thessaloniki, Santorini, or Mykonos, the minimum is €500,000.

The process takes around eight months, which is much longer than in the Caribbean countries, but it’s worth it for the passport. You don’t need to live there at all to keep it, just hold onto the property and renew every five years.

If you do want a Greek passport eventually, however, you’ll need to live there for seven years and show some basic ties to the country, like having utility bills or paying taxes.

You’ll also need to speak a bit of Greek. Once you qualify, the passport gives you access to 187 countries and lets you live, work, or study anywhere in the EU.

On the investment side, many people rent their properties out to tourists, especially in popular coastal towns. You can expect to earn 4 to 6% per year while you wait for your citizenship timeline to play out.

Benefits of Getting the Greece Golden Visa (Real Estate)

Lowest real estate requirement in the EU
No need to live there to renew the permit
Full path to EU citizenship after 7 years
You can include parents from both sides of the family
Good rental income from short-term lets like Airbnb

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8. Italy – €250,000

Italy offers a golden visa if you invest €250,000 in an approved innovative startup. That gets you a two-year residence permit, with the initial approval usually landing in about a month. The actual permit follows soon after.

You don’t need to live in Italy full-time, but if you’re aiming for citizenship, you’ll need to show real connections. Think regular visits, paying taxes, maybe a lease or utility bills. After 10 years, you can apply for an Italian passport, which gives you access to 189 countries and full EU rights.

If you do move to Italy, there’s a flat-tax regime: pay €100,000 per year, and your foreign income stays untouched.

Other qualifying options include:

€500,000 in an Italian business
€1,000,000 donation to a philanthropic organisation
€2,000,000 in government bonds

Benefits of Getting the Italy Golden Visa

Lowest investment needed among major Western EU countries
Fast approval, usually within two months
Option to pay a flat tax on foreign income (€100,000/year)
No need to live full-time unless you want the passport
Italian passport gives you access to 189 countries and EU benefits

9. Portugal – €250,000

Portugal scrapped the real estate option in 2023, but you can still get a golden visa through several other investment routes.

The most affordable is a €250,000 donation to an approved cultural or arts project. This includes preserving Portugal’s national heritage. Another option is a €500,000 investment in a research and development project.

You can also qualify by starting or investing in a business:

Create 10 full-time jobs in a Portuguese business you own
Create 8 full-time jobs in a low-density area, also in a company you control
Invest €500,000 in an existing business that creates at least 5 new jobs for a minimum of 3 years

To keep your residency, you only need to spend seven days a year in the country. After five years, you can apply for citizenship, as long as you pass a basic Portuguese language test.

The Portuguese passport gives you access to around 188 countries and full EU rights. Some cultural projects may even return part of your donation through licensing or revenue-sharing deals, helping offset the cost.

Benefits of Getting the Portugal Golden Visa

One of the cheapest golden visa paths left in the EU
Only seven days per year are required in the country
Eligible for citizenship after five years
Some donation projects may return part of your investment
Family gets access to Portuguese healthcare and schools

10. Hungary – €250,000

Hungary brought back its golden visa program (officially called the Guest Investor Program) in 2024 with some updated terms. The minimum investment is 250,000 EUR, and it must go into real estate investment funds that are approved by the government.

If you prefer to buy actual property, the threshold goes up to 500,000 EUR. There’s also a third option: a €1 million donation to a Hungarian educational or cultural institution, but that’s clearly not the “cheap” route.

This new golden visa gives you a 10-year residence permit, which you can renew once. There’s no physical stay requirement, so you don’t need to live in Hungary to keep your residency. The process takes a few months and is open to most non-EU nationals.

After eight years, you can apply for citizenship, but you’ll need to live there full-time and learn Hungarian to qualify for a passport.

Still, the initial buy-in is low, the real estate fund option is hands-off, and it gets you into the Schengen Area right away with visa-free travel across Europe. If you’re looking for an EU foothold without a high price tag, it’s worth a look.

Benefits of Getting the Hungary Golden Visa

Low €250,000 entry point through real estate investment funds
Long 10-year residence permit, renewable once
No requirement to live in Hungary to keep your residency
Access to all 27 Schengen countries for travel
Option to apply for EU citizenship after 8 years (with full-time residency)

Which Cheapest Golden Visa Should You Get?

Well, it depends on what you’re after. Want a second passport fast with no stay requirements? Go for one of the Caribbean options like Dominica or Grenada. Looking for long-term EU access? Hungary, Greece, or Portugal are solid bets if you’re willing to wait for citizenship.

For zero tax and simplicity, Vanuatu is still the go-to, even if its travel access has shrunk. Pick based on your goals: mobility, backup plan, taxes, or EU lifestyle.

Conclusion

Despite the name, getting a golden visa doesn’t have to break the bank. With the right plan, you can get real benefits, like better travel, new residency rights, and even a second passport.

The cheapest programs still open real doors, especially if you’re strategic about where to invest and what matters most to you.

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