Residence permits through real estate: where they’re real and where they’re not
Buying an apartment almost never grants status on its own — what grants status is a specific the specific country’s program — and there are about ten such programs in the world. Below is an honest list: where property qualifies, at what amount and under what conditions, and where it doesn’t the promise ’buy and get a residence permit’ is simply not true. Thresholds and rules change, so as of the date you contact us, we verify everything again.
The key mistake: status comes from the programme, not from the purchase
Buy property and get a residence permit sounds like a rule — in reality, it is the exception. Out of the dozens of countries where foreigners can freely purchase property, residency status through purchase is available in around ten, each with its own threshold, property type, and additional conditions. That’s why the sequence is always the same: first choose the programme, then find the right property to match it. The reverse doesn’t work: a flat bought simply because it seemed nice will almost never qualify for the programme.
What to check in any programme beyond the amount
Property type: many programmes only count new-build purchases directly from a developer, or only properties from the government list. Minimum holding period: sell earlier and you lose your status. Income requirement: Cyprus and Malta look beyond the purchase itself. Mandatory presence: some places require no stay at all, while others won’t renew without it. And tax implications: your status residency often brings tax residency with it — and that affects all your income, not just local ones only.
When it makes more sense to skip buying
If the goal is to live, not to invest, buying is almost always more expensive than necessary. A digital nomad, financially independent individual, employment, study, family reunification give the same residence permit without freezing hundreds of thousands of dollars in an illiquid asset. In Latin America — Mexico, Chile, Panama, Uruguay — the paths to permanent residence and citizenship are shorter than in Europe, and the income requirements are more flexible. We say this openly, even when it concerns our own property-buying service.
Citizenship by investment — a topic of its own
Grenada, St. Kitts, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Vanuatu grant a passport in exchange for a contribution or an approved investment with no mandatory residency. It’s a mobility tool, not a relocation one — what matters are the visa-free list, processing speed and how banks view this passport when opening accounts. Grenada has one additional argument — the E-2 treaty with the US. Property in these programmes — one of the entry options alongside a non-refundable contribution, and it isn’t always the better choice.
How we work
We start with a free consultation: citizenship, income, family situation, goal — and a shortlist of programmes, that are genuinely available to you, with an honest budget and timeline. If you decide to move forward, we find the property that qualifies for this specific programme, verify it legally, process the payment via a legal route and manage the application together with SVOY Legal lawyers — through to the card or passport.
Where property grants status
11 programmes🇦🇪 UAE
2-year investor visa; from 2,000,000 AED (~$545,000) — Golden Visa for 10 years
The most effective ’property + residency’ combination: the asset is liquid, there is no rental income tax, and the status renews as long as you hold the property.
🇹🇷 Turkey
Citizenship and passport, not a residence permit
The property must be held for three years. The registration process typically takes 6–10 months; a spouse and children under 18 are included. Valuation is carried out by a government appraiser — the contract price and the assessed value must align.
🇨🇾 Cyprus
Permanent residence straight away, with no interim residence permit
Only a new-build purchased directly from a developer qualifies, and confirmed income from abroad is required. Permanent residence does not grant the right to work as an employee in Cyprus.
🇬🇷 Greece
Residence permit for 5 years with renewal
The threshold depends on the region: €250,000 in remote regions, €400,000 in most areas, €800,000 in Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos and Santorini. Residency in the country is not required.
🇲🇹 Malta
Permanent residence for the whole family
The programme is built around state contributions; property is a mandatory requirement, not the investment itself. The vetting process is thorough and takes time.
🇭🇺 Hungary
Guest investor visa, 10 years
Through real estate investment fund units — direct apartment purchase is not part of the programme. Grants residency in a Schengen country.
🇬🇪 Georgia
Residence permit with annual renewal
The lowest entry point. Residency is tied to ownership: sell the property and you lose the basis. Rental income tax: 5%.
🇵🇦 Panama
Permanent residence via qualified investor visa
Permanent status is granted immediately; the property must be held for five years. After a few years, a path to citizenship opens.
🇺🇾 Uruguay
Investor residence permit, then permanent residence and citizenship
The threshold is tied to an indexed unit, so the exact figure is confirmed at the date of application. A cheaper alternative is a residence permit based on stable income — no property purchase required at all.
🇬🇩 Grenada
Citizenship by investment, passport
Government-approved programmes with no residency requirement. An added benefit: Grenadian citizenship qualifies holders to apply for a US E-2 investor visa.
🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis
Citizenship by investment, passport
The Caribbean’s oldest programme. The property is held for seven years; residency is not required.
Amounts are the minimum programme threshold for 2026, excluding transaction costs, fees and legal costs. Programs change frequently: we confirm the terms before submission with a specialist lawyer in the country.
Where a purchase does not grant status
Let’s be direct🇲🇽 Mexico
Buying property does not grant residency status
And this is our core focus, so we will be direct: an apartment in Cancún does not grant a visa or residency. Temporary residency is obtained through income (roughly from $4,500 per month over the preceding six months) or savings on account (around $75,000), as well as through marriage or family ties. The good news is that these routes are simpler than European ones, and citizenship opens up after four years.
🇺🇸 USA
A purchase grants neither a visa nor a green card
A foreigner may buy a home in the USA without restriction, but it has no effect on immigration status. EB-5 is an investment in a business of at least $800,000 that must create jobs — it is not a property purchase.
🇨🇦 Canada
No property-based programme available
Moreover, foreign buyers were subject to direct restrictions on purchasing residential property. Immigration routes run through employment, study, and provincial programmes.
🇨🇱 Chile
Buying property does not grant residency status
That said, obtaining a residence permit itself is relatively straightforward through employment, business, or family ties, and permanent residence becomes available after five years. Foreigners may purchase property freely.
🇪🇸 Spain
The golden visa tied to real estate has been discontinued
The programme has been closed since April 2025. Other grounds remain — digital nomad, financially independent person, study, work.
🇵🇹 Portugal
Real estate has been removed from the golden visa
Since October 2023, property purchases are no longer part of the programme. What remains are investments in funds, science and job creation.
🇹🇭 Thailand
A purchase does not grant a visa
There is Thailand Privilege (essentially a paid long-stay visa) and LTR, where real estate can be part of the overall investment package. A condo alone does not grant residency, and foreigners cannot buy land.
🇮🇩 Indonesia (Bali)
A leasehold villa does not confer residency status
A foreigner owns not the land itself, but a leasehold right. For long-term stays, people use a second home visa backed by a bank deposit, or work and investor visas.
Break it down in detail
By destinationCitizenship by investment
A second passport through investment or property: what it actually costs, timelines, and visa-free access and the pitfal…
Latin AmericaResidence permit, permanent residence and citizenship
How to get residency in Mexico, Chile, Panama and Uruguay: grounds, income requirements, timelines to permanent residenc…
European UnionResidence permits and citizenship in the EU
Spain’s and Portugal’s golden visas through real estate are closed. What works now: Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Hungary, digi…
UAEUAE visas
All UAE residency visas: 10-year Golden Visa from AED 2 million, 5-year Green Visa for freelancers, investor visa for pr…
Let’s work through your situation in six questions
Country, the status you need, family composition, and timeline — that is enough to identify the programmes genuinely available to you, with an honest cost breakdown and schedule.
🌍 Which country do you need status in?
Free consultation and comes with no obligations. We usually respond within an hour. Want faster — message us on WhatsApp: your answers are already filled in the message.
Message on WhatsAppMessage us on TelegramThe consultation is free. Legal matters are handled by SVOY Legal / Enjoy Freedom lawyers — submit a request comes to us, and we connect you with the right specialist from there.
- Purchase — you pay nothing. Neither the consultation, nor the search, nor transaction support. The buyer’s agent fee is paid by the seller.
- Rental only, no purchase option in Spain and in Italy. There the price is — one month’s rent plus VAT 21 %, two payments: the first 40 % cost of the service before work begins, in Barcelona — 1 000 €, in Valencia and Alicante — 726 € VAT included, balance on signing the tenancy agreement. In all other countries, rental search is free of charge.
- Residence permit and status — paid service, handled by SVOY Legal attorneys. Situation review free; the cost of processing depends on the country and the basis — full pricing is on svoy.io.
- We search until you move in. Work begins after the service agreement on the service and the opening of a working chat — not after a phone call.
- The ’Before move-in». We don’t close the task at the fifth option — we work through 40–100+ properties and keep searching until you move in. If the service is not delivered, the first payment refunded under the contract.