Investment Migration in the Weekly News Roundup: “Golden Visas,” EB-5 and the Risk of Delays — What Lawyers Say

This week, the media heavily focused on investment migration: from extending timelines for citizenship under “golden visa” programs to warnings around EB-5 and tighter practices across Europe. Below are the key statements and expert takeaways that could affect investors’ and their families’ plans.

• Joana Mendonça (Global Citizen Solutions)
• Sukanya Raman (Davies & Associates)
• Rohit Turkhud (CSG Law)
• Nicholas A Mastroianni II (US Immigration Fund)
• Jo Eddington
• Nikolas Avgousti (Philippou Law)
• Dominic Jones and Mischa Mannix-Opie (Greener Pastures)
• Dominic Volek (Henley and Partners)
• André Miranda (Fieldfisher Portugal)
• Alexander Varnavas (Varnavas Law)
• Mark Harris (Sotheby’s International Realty)
• Sarah Wells (Dentons)
• Simone Robbers (Invest NZ)
• Enda Stankard (MA Financial Group)
• Tim Williams (Chapman Tripp)

Forbes: Portugal — authorities vote to extend timelines for citizenship under the Golden Visa

Joana Mendonça, General Counsel at Global Citizen Solutions, which advises on residency and citizenship by investment, said that the parliamentary majority confirms the government’s intention to shift the focus toward longer timelines for obtaining citizenship. In her view, discussions around the relevant law (including during parliamentary debates) led to adjustments to certain provisions, but the overall direction remains the same.

Business Standard: EB-5 warning — India may face delays in green card issuance

Sukanya Raman, an immigration attorney and country lead at Davies & Associates, reported that over the past decade, the number of EB-5 applications from Indian citizens has increased. After EB-5 reforms and the adoption of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA) 2022, the momentum accelerated.

In her assessment, a key driver was that applicants in the U.S. on nonimmigrant visas were allowed to file concurrently (concurrent filing). This can enable faster receipt of an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and advance parole (AP)—typically in the 3–6 month range—even while the I-526E petition is still pending.

As the expert emphasized, EB-5 has increasingly stopped being viewed as a narrow option only for ultra-wealthy clients and is now more often considered by Indian professionals and entrepreneurs as a more “strategic” route to long-term stability in the U.S.

CSG Law: EB-5 risks may apply only to the “Unreserved” category

Rohit Turkhud, representing CSG Law, clarified that the reported warning relates to the “Unreserved” category. He also noted uncertainty regarding the other categories: in his view, the U.S. Department of State has not issued public guidance on potential queues in Reserved segments, so it cannot be ruled out that the situation reflects either a correct position or a possible error.

The expert further suggested that if there are a large number of cases in reserved categories, a cut-off date could be announced for them as well—and this could happen as early as June 2026. When each month can generate new “cut-off” logic, applicants need to plan timelines in advance.

US Immigration Fund: How to track EB-5 changes — FOIA data on filed petitions

Nicholas A Mastroianni II, President and CEO of US Immigration Fund (USIF), explained how to monitor developments in the program. He referred to FOIA data from USCIS: among roughly 13,520 EB-5 petitions filed worldwide during April 2022 — July 2025, India accounts for about 22%. That makes India the second-largest source of applicants after China.

RNZ: In New Zealand, the first “golden visa” deal has been completed on the South Island

According to the Arrowtown buyers’ agent Jo Eddington, a family purchased a home on Lake Hayes without visiting the property in person. Still, over the past six months, they managed to travel to New Zealand three times.

She also said that several other AIP visa holders are working in parallel: one applicant is from Germany, while the rest are from North America.

Euro News: Hungary, Cyprus and others — where in Europe Golden Visa options still look realistic

In 2026, the reason families choose a “golden visa” is changing, Nikolas Avgousti, a lawyer at Philippou Law (Cyprus), observed. According to him, when analyzing programs it’s important to look not only at the “entry thresholds” on paper, but also at hidden costs: bureaucratic features, lack of transparent land registries, or potential changes to the tax regime.

These are exactly the factors, the expert stressed, that can turn a “move dream” into a legal problem.

Forbes: Golden Visa demand in New Zealand is surging — Americans are looking for a “Plan B”

Dominic Jones, Managing Director at Greener Pastures New Zealand, an investment- and lifestyle-focused relocation consultant, noted that earlier, lifestyle was the main argument for new residents. Now, for investors, it has often become secondary. Strategic goals come first: stability, with quality of life as an added benefit.

Jones said Americans view the “golden visa” as a risk-management tool. Political uncertainty can indeed speed up decisions, but the broader trend is part of a deeper structural shift: affluent families increasingly build “optionality” into their lives—where to live, where to invest, and how to plan their children’s education.

It was also noted that in 2025, Henley & Partners included New Zealand’s program (Active Investor Plus) in its top 10 global options based on investor protection and ease of launching a business. At the same time, publications mentioned that in the CNTraveler ranking it placed 21st among 30 top options.

ABC: Growth in Nauru citizenship-by-investment applications — up to +200% amid the war

In a report by ABC, Dominic Volek, head of private clients at Henley and Partners, said that applications for citizenship by investment are rising amid geopolitical tensions. He estimated that the program is meeting its target—funding climate adaptation measures.

Kansas City Star: Portugal Golden Visa timelines are taking longer than the law — Italy is keeping up

André Miranda from Fieldfisher Portugal called the claims made by opponents “highly insulting” and “shameless.” Lawyer Madalena Monteiro from Liberty Legal added that it is difficult for applicants to trust promises after years of delays and unfulfilled commitments.

Greek City Times: Greece tightens controls over “grey” Golden Visa schemes

Greece City Times reported that Alexandros Varnavas, a lawyer specializing in investment migration, confirmed that similar advertising and marketing practices have been documented over the past year. He said authorities have been systematically checking contracts to identify hidden repayments that could be used to bypass legal investment requirements.

Mansion Global: Americans want New Zealand’s Golden Visa the most

“Around the world, people are looking for a [backup option],” said Mischa Mannix-Opie, Director of Client Experience at Greener Pastures New Zealand. She also noted that the statistics are likely to keep rising: the previous policy seemed less attractive, while the new one is clearer and easier to understand.

The expert clarified that after submitting an application, there is a six-month period to either make the investment or otherwise lock in the capital. In practice, she said, there have been cases where Golden Visa applications in Portugal and other European countries were processed significantly longer.

It was also noted that under Active Investor Plus, funds must remain invested for at least three years.

Real estate market developments were highlighted as well: Mark Harris, Managing Director and founder of New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty, linked the increased interest to the fact that many inquiries come specifically from the U.S. He said some listings receive 3–4 inquiries per day from the U.S.—a pattern that was not previously observed.

Mannix-Opie agreed and emphasized that clients come not only with money: they bring skills, connections, and expertise, as well as a genuine desire to integrate. For many, she said, it’s not just a transactional visa, but a meaningful change in life.

New Zealand Herald: Rules on money under Active Investor Plus are being reviewed over concerns about “stuck” capital

Sarah Wells, Senior Lawyer at Dentons, said she has been advising golden visa investors for about ten years and believes it’s important to see the full picture.

Simone Robbers, Acting Director of AIP Investments at Invest NZ, explained that the agency does not require immediate forced deployment of capital. However, if approved managed funds need time to deploy investments, they may be removed or paused from the list of approved funds so the focus can shift to deals—meaning they would temporarily be unable to accept AIP capital.

Enda Stankard, Managing Director at MA Financial Group and a member of the investment committee for the AIP-approved fund MA NZ Growth Fund, pointed to potential tension between funds’ liquidity needs and the government’s broad interest in how money is actually used.

Tim Williams, a finance lawyer and Partner at Chapman Tripp, declined to comment on rumors and unannounced changes, but stressed that the industry needs to reach a “steady state” as quickly as possible. In his view, any shifts in goals and rules create delays for businesses seeking approval from Invest NZ, and also add adaptation costs for applicants.

Investment migration evolves right alongside the headlines: today it’s the extension of Portugal “golden visa” timelines, tomorrow it’s EB-5 processing practices and the real risk of delays. To keep your plan for you and your family on track, it’s crucial to validate requirements, timing, and documentation against the latest legal and regulatory positions. Digital Nomad will help you assess the best investment-residency/citizenship pathways for your situation: https://digital-nomad.gr/en/goldenvisa

Our Telegram channel about various types of Greek residence permits, digital nomad programs, and the Greek Golden Visa: @digitalnomadgr