The Golden Visa programme was introduced in 2014 as a mechanism to attract foreign investment. We are expecting their citizenship programme to be announced in the coming months.

It is worth noting that applications are processed in under 2 months and renewals of residency permits are only required after 5 years. Unlike Portugal, there is no language test required to qualify for citizenship.  While the Greece Golden Visa programme may not be as well known among South African investors, it offers very similar benefits to the Portuguese Golden Visa Programme, with fewer obstacles.