Greece has become one of the leaders in the rating of investment residence permits: Golden Visa is recognized as the best program

Henley & Partners has presented a fresh international rating of citizenship and residence permit programs for investments. According to the results of the 2026 study, it was the Greek golden visa that took the first place among investment residency programs, confirming the high interest from foreign investors.

Europe holds its position in the investment migration market

Analysts note that European countries continue to set the tone for investment immigration. For the eleventh year in a row, Malta has remained the leader among citizenship programs — its naturalization mechanism through investment is still considered one of the most competitive.

Greece took the undisputed first place in the segment of residence permits for investments. The second line of the rating was shared by three destinations at once — Italy, Switzerland and the UAE, which also demonstrate steady demand among wealthy applicants.

By what criteria were the programs evaluated

The rating was formed based on a comprehensive analysis of ten parameters. Among them:

• the business and international reputation of the country;
• the level of safety and quality of life;
• the possibility of visa-free travel;
• the deadline for reviewing applications;
• transparency of procedures;
• investment threshold and related costs;
• compliance with international requirements.

For the residence permit programs, the requirements for residence in the country, the flexibility of the extension conditions and the possibility of maintaining the status without permanent presence were additionally taken into account. In the case of investment citizenship, the experts analyzed the tax system, the total cost of participation, the speed of obtaining a passport and the legal complexity of the procedure.

Leaders among Citizenship by investment programs

Austria, Grenada and Saint Kitts and Nevis are among the best in the investment citizenship category. These areas attract investors due to the expanded opportunities for international mobility and clear requirements for applicants.

Why investors choose the Greek "golden visa"

The popularity of the Greek program is explained by a combination of a relatively affordable entry threshold, the investment attractiveness of the real estate market and the ability to freely move around the countries of the Schengen area. An additional advantage is the flexibility of the conditions: permanent residence in the country is not required to maintain the status.

Those who are considering obtaining a residence permit in Greece through investments should pay attention to the experience of specialized consultants. The Digital Nomad company (digital-nomad.gr) has been accompanying clients under the "Golden visa" Greece — from choosing a property to obtaining a resident card and extending the status. Detailed information about the requirements and stages of registration is available in the Russian-language section of the website: https://digital-nomad.gr/ru/golden-visa/.