European residency through real estate investment

Residency by investment in Europe allows a non-EU national to settle in, or simply hold a right of residence in, a European country in return for an investment. The rules have changed considerably in recent years: some countries have closed their schemes, others have raised thresholds or excluded real estate altogether. Here is an overview of the options in our markets, and of how we align the choice of property with the immigration process.

Residency by investment in Europe in 2026

There is no single European scheme: each state sets its own conditions. For investors who want to go through property, the field has narrowed. Spain abolished its golden visa in April 2025, and Portugal removed real estate from its eligible investments in 2023. Among our markets, Greece is the country where buying property still leads directly to a residence permit.

One point first: citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland need no visa to settle in another EU country. The options below concern third-country nationals.

The options at a glance

Sources are given country by country below. These rules change: always have your situation confirmed by a lawyer in the relevant country before committing.

Greece: residence through property purchase

The Greek scheme grants a five-year residence permit, renewable for as long as the investment is held, to the investor and close family. Since 2024 the thresholds have been:

• €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and on islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants;
• €400,000 in the rest of the country;
• €250,000 for converting commercial premises into housing or restoring listed buildings.

In the general case, the investment must be in a single property of at least 120 sq m. Properties bought under the scheme may not be used for short-term lets. There is no requirement to live in Greece to keep the permit, which also allows travel within the Schengen area within the limits that apply to residence permit holders.

Our page on the Greece golden visa sets out the zones, steps and choice of property, and our article on Greece golden visa 2026 thresholds reviews the reform. These thresholds must be confirmed by a Greek lawyer at the time of your project.

Luxembourg: an investor permit without property

Luxembourg offers a residence permit for third-country investors. According to the official Guichet.lu portal, there are four routes: €500,000 in an existing Luxembourg company (maintaining employment for five years), €500,000 in a new company (creating at least five jobs within three years), €3 million in a management and investment structure with genuine substance in Luxembourg, or a €20 million deposit with a Luxembourg bank held for at least five years.

The key point: investments in buying or renting real estate are not taken into account. Buying an apartment in Luxembourg City does not, on its own, confer a right of residence. Many of our clients obtain their permit another way (employment, setting up a business, investment) and then buy their home with a Luxembourg property finder.

France: the visitor visa and the talent passport

France has no property golden visa: owning a home grants no right of residence. Two routes are commonly used by affluent clients:

• The long-stay visitor visa: for people with sufficient resources who undertake not to work in France. Health insurance and accommodation must also be evidenced. The visa serves as a residence permit for one year and is then renewed as a visitor residence card. A Paris apartment or a Riviera villa then provides solid proof of accommodation.
• The talent passport for economic investors: according to prefecture guidance, it requires an investment of at least €300,000 in tangible or intangible assets of a company that the applicant runs or in which they hold at least 30% of the capital, with jobs created or safeguarded. Residential property does not qualify.

For the property search itself, see our Paris luxury property finder page.

How we align the purchase with the permit

Our business is property acquisition; the residence application is handled by a specialist lawyer. We coordinate the two to avoid costly mistakes:

1. Briefing with your lawyer: country, route, timetable, family members concerned.
2. Search for an eligible property: area, size, price and legal status compatible with the target scheme.
3. Checks: title, building compliance, documented source of funds.
4. Acquisition: negotiation, signing and payment in the form the scheme requires.
5. Application filed by the lawyer, with the property documents we assemble.

Our acquisition fees start from 2% of the purchase price (VAT included), with a minimum flat fee on quotation; the lawyer's fees are separate. To review your situation, request a private consultation or explore our approach to luxury property investment in Europe.