Comparison Tool

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PortugalMaltaItaly

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Residency

Portugal Golden Visa

Residency

Malta Permanent Residence Programme

Status

Program status

Portugal: Operational
Malta: Operational

Investment

Minimum investment per route

Portugal: Cultural heritage / artistic support (from): EUR 250,000; Investment fund units: EUR 500,000Show full wordingShow less
Malta: Property purchase (from): EUR 375,000

Costs

Government fees

Portugal: 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

Portugal: Spouse, Children, Parents · conditions apply
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Spouse, dependent children and dependent parents.
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

Portugal: 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).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

Portugal: A large backlog: about 39.6 months reported in March 2026.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

Portugal: 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.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 Portugal Portugal Golden Visa	Residency Malta Malta Permanent Residence Programme	Residency Italy Italy Investor Visa
Status
Program status	Operational	Operational	Operational
Investment
Minimum investment per route	Cultural heritage / artistic support (from): EUR 250,000; Investment fund units: EUR 500,000	Property purchase (from): EUR 375,000	Innovative start-up shares: EUR 250,000; Company shares: EUR 500,000; Public-interest donation: EUR 1,000,000; Government bonds: EUR 2,000,000
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, dependent children and dependent parents.	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, children and dependent parents may apply without additional investment.
Obligations
Residence requirements	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).	No minimum stay. Holders file annual declarations on property, health insurance and capital during the first five years.	No specific physical-presence requirement is stated.
Processing time	A large backlog: about 39.6 months reported in March 2026.	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.	Committee assessment within 30 days of a complete application, then a 2-year visa from the consulate; the investment is due within three months of arrival. Full wordingHide full wording The Investor Visa Committee issues its assessment within 30 days of a complete application (the clock stops while extra information is requested); the investor then applies for a 2-year visa at an Italian consulate. The investment or donation must be made within three months of arrival in Italy.
Route to citizenship	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.	No investment route to citizenship. Naturalisation follows Malta's ordinary residence-based rules.	Permanent residence possible after five years; citizenship after ten years under specific conditions.

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