Golden Visa Cost Calculator 2026
Most calculators cover one programme. Ours covers every active programme worldwide, with full 5-year fee breakdowns including the government fees, legal, due diligence, translation, travel, insurance, and renewal costs that other calculators hide. Change any input and the numbers update live; share the URL to preserve your scenario.
Quick answer
Key facts
- 28 programmes covered every active RBI programme — most calculators cover only 1 country.
- 5-year horizon application year + 4 renewal years · captures the long tail of recurring costs.
- Hidden costs surfaced due diligence ($5–25K) · legal ($10–35K) · apostille / translation · site visits · insurance · annual renewal.
- Family-size aware each applicant multiplies due diligence and most government fees · spouse + 2 kids ≠ 1 applicant cost.
- Expected-return modelling bond / fund / real-estate routes get yield + capital-appreciation bands · non-yielding routes show pure drag.
Golden visa investment ladder — 12 programmes ranked
From €0 to €215K minimum investment. Green bars include Schengen access AND an EU citizenship pathway; amber bars have one of the two; grey bars have neither.
Verified · WhereNext Golden Visa Index
- Australia NIV€0 (~$0)
- Mauritius Residence€43K (~$50K)
- Latvia Golden Visa€60K (~$70K)
- Nauru CBI€77K (~$89K)
- São Tomé CBI€77K (~$89K)
- Malta MPRP€99K (~$115K)
- Vanuatu CBI€112K (~$130K)
- Dominica CBI€172K (~$199K)
- Antigua CBI€198K (~$229K)
- Grenada CBI€202K (~$234K)
- St Lucia CBI€207K (~$240K)
- St Kitts CBI€215K (~$249K)
USD equivalents use the ECB reference for 2026-09-01: USD 1.159 per EUR; approximate, not a transaction rate.
| # | Programme | Min. investment | Pathway | Schengen | Cit. yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇦🇺 Australia NIV | €0 (~$0) | Residency only | No | 4 yr |
| 2 | 🇲🇺 Mauritius Residence | €43K (~$50K) | Residency only | No | 7 yr |
| 3 | 🇱🇻 Latvia Golden Visa | €60K (~$70K) | EU citizenship | Yes | 10 yr |
| 4 | 🇳🇷 Nauru CBI | €77K (~$89K) | Residency only | No | — |
| 5 | 🇸🇹 São Tomé CBI | €77K (~$89K) | Residency only | No | — |
| 6 | 🇲🇹 Malta MPRP | €99K (~$115K) | Residency only | Yes | 5 yr |
| 7 | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu CBI | €112K (~$130K) | Residency only | No | — |
| 8 | 🇩🇲 Dominica CBI | €172K (~$199K) | Residency only | No | — |
| 9 | 🇦🇬 Antigua CBI | €198K (~$229K) | Residency only | Yes | — |
| 10 | 🇬🇩 Grenada CBI | €202K (~$234K) | Residency only | Yes | — |
| 11 | 🇱🇨 St Lucia CBI | €207K (~$240K) | Residency only | Yes | — |
| 12 | 🇰🇳 St Kitts CBI | €215K (~$249K) | Residency only | Yes | — |
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How is the real cost of a golden visa calculated?
The headline investment amount (for example, Portugal’s €500,000 fund threshold or UAE’s AED 2,000,000 property requirement) is only one line in the total. Real 5-year cost includes government/application fees, due-diligence fees, immigration lawyer fees (typically €5,000–€30,000 depending on programme tier), translation and apostille, per-renewal fees, private health insurance, travel to meet physical-presence requirements, and pre-relocation tax advisory. Hidden fees commonly add 15–25% to the investment amount. Our calculator itemises each line so nothing is surprise-added at invoice time.
Why do donation routes show zero projected return?
Donation routes (Portugal’s €200K cultural donation, Caribbean CBI contributions, Nauru’s climate-resilience fund) are non-refundable by design. The capital is a donation, not an investment. In contrast, fund routes (Portugal €500K, Hungary €250K, Latvia €250K bonds) allow projected returns — our calculator lets you model scenarios from 0% to 10% annual return and shows the net 5-year cost after compound growth.
Which programme has the lowest total cost for a family of four?
Model it yourself with the calculator — the answer depends on your return assumptions. In general: Hungary GIVP fund route at €250K produces the lowest all-in cost for families seeking EU access (fund returns offset most fees). Portugal’s €200K cultural donation is the cheapest EU entry with zero return assumptions. Latvia’s €60K company-equity route is the absolute lowest cost if you have a genuine Latvian business operation. Caribbean CBI programmes start at ~€184K ($200K) for direct citizenship but add substantial family fees.