So-called “Golden Visas” enabled the wealthy to make a large investment in a country, often by buying real estate, and in exchange, be granted a residency visa.
These were popular for investors to use as a way of staying in Europe longer than the 90-day limit of most tourist visas. Since Brexit, some British citizens have used the program to obtain residency visas in Spain.
Spain will be ending its Golden Visa program, and Portugal has ended the program for residential property investment (still exists for those investing in a business). See previous post for how New Zealand and Australia are also going to reduce inbound immigration.
How to Apply for a Golden Visa: A Step-by-Step Guide (msn.com)
And also see: Portugal Officially Ending Golden Visa by Real Estate Investment on October 7, 2023 – Portugal.com
I was interested in how travelers might stay in a country longer than 90 days – most of us are prohibited from visits of more than 90 days. The main exceptions are student visas, marriage visas (not a guarantee but smooths the process of getting a long stay visa), right of descent ancestry programs, and of course, work visas, plus investment visas. Older adults who, like me, have not traveled in life, are usually prohibited from 90+ day access due to visa restrictions. There are some exceptions, particularly in Central and South America, some Caribbean island nations, and a few other countries with temporary visa programs. U.S. citizens can stay up to 6 months in a 12-month period, in Canada or Great Britain.