I’m convinced that every golden visa list online is written by someone selling a golden visa.
(Sorry, not sorry.)
In June I wrote that most retirees don’t need a golden visa, and I stand by it.
If you have the capital and no plan to move full time, buying residency can still be the right tool.
I just don’t like it when the first thing out of anyone’s mouth is “Golden Visa” before they looked at any other options.
If you do buy residency, you need numbers:
What you pay in 2026 (government fees included)
Whether the money comes back (or is gone for good)
Whether you have to live there to keep it (or can spend time elsewhere)
This list answers all three, country by country.
I hold residency in five countries and only one of them I bought.
Keep one thing in mind as you read.
Buying residency and moving somewhere are two different decisions.
None of the six asks you to live there.
Three want a visit now and then, once a year at most.
What we’ll cover:
Six countries where you can buy residency today, from $27K to $465K
Whether you buy permanent residency, a renewable permit, or only a visa
The ones I would skip, even if I had the money
Let’s start.
1. Thailand
The cheapest option on this list, and the only one where you pay a fee instead of making an investment.
Thailand Privilege (the old Elite Visa) is a membership, not an investment.
You pay once and get a long-stay visa with no visa runs and no annual extensions.
The Gold tier costs 900,000 baht (about $27,000) for five years. Platinum is 1.5 million baht (about $45,000) for ten years.
The membership years don’t count toward Thai permanent residency.
If you want permanent residency, you need a different visa first.
Thailand asks for three consecutive years of one-year extensions before you can apply.
Best for: a Southeast Asia base for a moderate price, and (almost) no paperwork once you hold the card in your hand.
2. Malta
The lowest entry price for permanent residency in the EU, and you never have to buy property.
Malta’s permanent residence program (MPRP) charges a €60,000 administration fee, a €37,000 government contribution, and a €2,000 donation to a Maltese charity.
In total, that’s €99,000 (about $115,000).
On top, you rent a home for at least €14,000 a year for five years, or buy one for €375,000 or more.
You also have to show €500,000 in assets, €150,000 of it liquid.
What you get is permanent residency for life, no minimum stay, and visa-free travel across Schengen.
Citizenship by investment is off the table.
The EU court ended Malta’s passport sales in April 2025.
If you want citizenship in Malta, you have to use your MPRP years in the country, and work your way toward naturalization.
I covered Malta’s other routes here.
Best for: an EU permanent residency you can hold from anywhere, without tying up capital in property.