Comparison Tool

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BulgariaMaltaPortugal

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Residency

Bulgaria Permanent Residence by Investment

Residency

Malta Permanent Residence Programme

Status

Program status

Bulgaria: Operational
Malta: Operational

Investment

Minimum investment per route

Bulgaria: Fund units or concession rights (about): EUR 511,292; Listed shares or bonds (about): EUR 1,022,584Show full wordingShow less
Malta: Property purchase (from): EUR 375,000

Costs

Government fees

Bulgaria: Information pending verification
Malta: Administration fee EUR 60,000 (EUR 15,000 on submission, EUR 45,000 on approval in principle); government contribution EUR 37,000.Show full wordingShow less

Family

Family eligibility

Bulgaria: Spouse, Children, Parents · conditions apply
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Spouse, unmarried children under 18 (or older if unable to support themselves) and parents of the applicant or spouse.
Malta: Spouse, Children, Parents · conditions apply
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Spouse or partner, children under 18, unmarried children up to 28 who are principally dependent, and financially dependent parents and grandparents of either spouse.

Obligations

Residence requirements

Bulgaria: Current rules remove status after 12 consecutive months outside the EU; a pending bill would require more than six months a year in Bulgaria.Show full wordingShow less
Malta: No minimum stay. Holders file annual declarations on property, health insurance and capital during the first five years.Show full wordingShow less

Processing time

Bulgaria: About 6 to 8 months to the permanent residence card.Show full wordingShow less
Malta: Due diligence about 3–7 months; the property, contribution and donation are completed within eight months of approval in principle.
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Due diligence typically takes about 3–7 months; the property, contribution and donation must be completed within eight months of approval in principle. Applicants may ask for temporary residence when they apply: a one-year renewable card once basic checks are done and the first EUR 15,000 is paid, revoked if the application is refused.

Route to citizenship

Bulgaria: Citizenship by investment ended in 2022; naturalisation follows the ordinary rules.Show full wordingShow less
Malta: No investment route to citizenship. Naturalisation follows Malta's ordinary residence-based rules.Show full wordingShow less

Program comparison
Criteria	Residency Bulgaria Bulgaria Permanent Residence by Investment	Residency Malta Malta Permanent Residence Programme	Residency Portugal Portugal Golden Visa
Status
Program status	Operational	Operational	Operational
Investment
Minimum investment per route	Fund units or concession rights (about): EUR 511,292; Listed shares or bonds (about): EUR 1,022,584	Property purchase (from): EUR 375,000	Cultural heritage / artistic support (from): EUR 250,000; Investment fund units: EUR 500,000
Costs
Government fees	Information pending verification	Administration fee EUR 60,000 (EUR 15,000 on submission, EUR 45,000 on approval in principle); government contribution EUR 37,000.	Information pending verification
Family
Family eligibility	Spouse, Children, Parents · conditions apply Full wordingHide full wording Spouse, unmarried children under 18 (or older if unable to support themselves) and parents of the applicant or spouse.	Spouse, Children, Parents · conditions apply Full wordingHide full wording Spouse or partner, children under 18, unmarried children up to 28 who are principally dependent, and financially dependent parents and grandparents of either spouse.	Spouse, Children, Parents · conditions apply Full wordingHide full wording Spouse, dependent children and dependent parents.
Obligations
Residence requirements	Current rules remove status after 12 consecutive months outside the EU; a pending bill would require more than six months a year in Bulgaria.	No minimum stay. Holders file annual declarations on property, health insurance and capital during the first five years.	At least 7 days in Portugal in the first year and 14 days in each subsequent two-year period, continuous or not (official SEF renewal guidance, now administered by AIMA).
Processing time	About 6 to 8 months to the permanent residence card.	Due diligence about 3–7 months; the property, contribution and donation are completed within eight months of approval in principle. Full wordingHide full wording Due diligence typically takes about 3–7 months; the property, contribution and donation must be completed within eight months of approval in principle. Applicants may ask for temporary residence when they apply: a one-year renewable card once basic checks are done and the first EUR 15,000 is paid, revoked if the application is refused.	A large backlog: about 39.6 months reported in March 2026.
Route to citizenship	Citizenship by investment ended in 2022; naturalisation follows the ordinary rules.	No investment route to citizenship. Naturalisation follows Malta's ordinary residence-based rules.	Naturalisation under the Nationality Law as amended by Organic Law 1/2026 (published 18 May 2026, in force 19 May 2026): 10 years of legal residence for most nationals, 7 for EU and CPLP nationals, generally counted from the first residence title. Applications pending on 19 May 2026 follow the previous rules.

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