5 Powerful Alternatives to the Portugal D7 Visa

Key Takeaways:

1. Portugal’s D7 Visa suits passive income earners who plan to live in Portugal most of the year, but it often does not fit investors who want flexibility, capital preservation, and a clear Plan B.
2. Investment-based residency programs, especially the Portugal Golden Visa via qualifying investment funds, offer residency in Portugal with low stay requirements and a path to citizenship without full relocation.
3. The Greece Golden Visa, Malta Permanent Residence Programme, and Hungary Guest Investor Visa provide alternative residency routes in their respective countries, each with distinct investment levels, stay rules, and citizenship paths.
4. Portugal remains one of the few European options where investors can work toward citizenship without relocating full-time, while Spain has closed its Golden Visa program and Greece requires seven years of living there and paying taxes for citizenship.
5. Working with experienced advisors and a dedicated immigration lawyer is essential to manage timelines, legal steps, and documentation, especially for the Portugal Golden Visa, which usually takes 12 to 18 months from application to approval.
6. Secure your Portugal residency and a path to EU citizenship with a Portugal Golden Visa through VIDA Capital’s advisory services.

Why Savvy Investors Explore Alternatives to the Portugal D7 Visa

The Portugal D7 Visa provides a residency route for people with passive income who intend to live in Portugal for at least 183 days per year. This intent-to-reside requirement can conflict with the schedules of global investors who need mobility and do not wish to relocate in the short term.

The D7 focuses on providing stable passive income rather than directing capital into productive assets. For investors who want asset-backed structures and strategic capital deployment, this can feel misaligned with broader portfolio goals. The D7 also tends to require deeper physical presence and integration to progress toward citizenship.

Many high-net-worth individuals, therefore, look for alternatives that deliver flexible presence requirements, capital preservation, and clearer long-term planning. Investment-based Golden Visa programs meet this demand by prioritizing capital contribution, offering defined residency rules, and creating structured paths to residency in Europe, often with Schengen travel rights.

1. The Portugal Golden Visa: A Flexible Investment Route to Residency in Portugal

The Portugal Golden Visa is a leading investment-based alternative to the D7 for investors who want residency in Portugal without relocating full-time. The program requires a minimum €500,000 investment into eligible funds, such as the VIDA Fund, advised by VIDA Capital.

The Golden Visa grants a temporary residency permit that is valid for two years. You then renew it for two additional two-year periods, as long as you maintain your qualifying investment and meet residency requirements during the five-year period. After five years, you can apply for permanent residency in Portugal. Citizenship is available after ten years of legal residency under Portugal’s new nationality framework, with a reduced seven-year residency requirement for nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens.

The program requires only 14 days of physical presence in Portugal every two years to maintain residency. This low stay threshold makes it practical to keep your main base elsewhere while building a long-term position in Portugal. The Golden Visa grants residency rights only in Portugal, but it also allows visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

The program supports family reunification. Applications can usually include a spouse or partner, dependent children, and financially dependent parents or in-laws above a certain age. Document-wise, you can present either a marriage certificate or other accepted proof of relationship for a spouse or long-term partner.

Unlike the D7, which centers on passive income and intent to live in Portugal, the Golden Visa aligns more directly with investor objectives. It emphasizes capital contribution, offers clear rules for residency, and allows investors to pursue long-term options in Portugal without full relocation. Portugal is currently one of the only countries in Europe where investors can work toward citizenship without needing to move there full-time, even though citizenship requires a longer residency period.

VIDA Capital advises investors on securing the Portugal Golden Visa through asset-backed investments in the VIDA Fund, which focuses on Portugal’s hospitality sector.

The VIDA Fund buys and transforms existing hospitality assets, giving them a second life while aiming to preserve capital through tangible holdings with intrinsic market value. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns.

The Portugal Golden Visa process usually spans 12 to 18 months from application to approval. A dedicated Portuguese immigration lawyer is essential to guide you through every step, including eligibility assessment, document preparation, application submission, biometrics, and renewals. As the approval card issuance usually takes a year, you will most likely only need to do a single renewal instead of two in the five-year period.

2. Greece Golden Visa: A Flexible Investment Option With Residence in Greece

The Greece Golden Visa program offers residency in Greece through qualified investment. Most investors must commit at least €400,000 to certain eligible assets in many areas, or €800,000 in high-demand zones. A lower €250,000 threshold applies only in specific situations, such as listed heritage buildings that require restoration or conversions of non-residential properties into residential use.

Greece’s program is known for its minimal stay requirement to maintain the residence permit. This appeals to investors who want flexibility while still holding a foothold in the European Union. The permit allows visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Residence permits are typically renewable every five years and can cover family members such as spouses, children under 21, and parents.

Greece offers a path to citizenship after seven years, but this requires continuous physical presence in Greece, tax residency, and passing language and integration tests. Investors who do not relocate their center of life to Greece generally will not qualify for citizenship or long-term residency status. Greece, unlike Portugal, requires you to live in the country to keep long-term residency.

The Greece Golden Visa provides a different profile from the D7. It is based on capital investment and delivers residency in Greece with minimal ongoing presence for the residence permit, but it demands a full relocation for those who aim at citizenship.

3. Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP): Lifelong Residency in Malta Without Annual Stay

The Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) offers a route to permanent residency in Malta with no annual stay obligation. Investors can either make a qualifying investment of €375,000 or enter into a qualifying lease of at least €14,000 per year for five years, in addition to making a one-time government contribution of around €97,000 for a family.

The MPRP grants permanent residency status in Malta and enables visa-free travel in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The program itself does not automatically lead to citizenship, but Malta has a separate citizenship route that requires additional investment and residency before naturalization.

The MPRP stands out for its permanent residency status and minimal physical presence requirements, which differ from the D7’s intent-to-reside framework. The program allows inclusion of a spouse, dependent children, and some extended family members in a single application.

4. Hungary Guest Investor Visa: A 10-Year Residency Option in Hungary

Hungary launched its Guest Investor Visa in 2024 as a long-term residency route linked to investment. The program grants a 10-year renewable residency permit in Hungary for a minimum investment of €250,000 into selected property funds.

The program offers Schengen mobility and is designed with relatively flexible presence requirements, though the exact conditions depend on administrative rules and compliance checks. The permit allows visa-free travel across the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

Hungary’s path to citizenship typically requires 8 years of residency in Hungary, along with language and integration conditions. This makes the program more suitable for investors who value extended residency and Schengen access over a rapid citizenship track.

The investment structure provides a clear framework for capital deployment, which differs from the income-based approach of the D7. For investors who want structured exposure to European assets and a defined residency position in Hungary, this program offers a distinct profile.

Explore how VIDA Capital can guide you through strategic residency options in Europe that align with your investment and mobility goals.

Comparative Overview: Portugal D7 vs. Golden Visa Alternatives

*Note: Greece investment can rise to €400,000–€800,000 in prime areas; €250,000 applies only to special cases. Malta: €375,000 investment or €14,000 lease for five years, plus approximately €97,000 government contribution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between the Portugal D7 Visa and Golden Visa programs?

The Portugal D7 Visa targets individuals with stable passive income who plan to live in Portugal for at least 183 days per year. Golden Visa programs in Portugal, Greece, Malta, and Hungary are investment-based. They grant residency in the issuing country and usually allow visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Golden Visas emphasize capital contribution into qualifying assets, such as investment funds or other approved structures, while the D7 focuses on proving sufficient passive income to live in Portugal. Both the D7 and the Portugal Golden Visa can lead to permanent residency and, ultimately, citizenship in Portugal. Under the new framework, this requires ten years of legal residency, with reduced timelines of seven years for nationals of Portuguese-language countries (CPLP) and EU citizens.

Why might high-net-worth individuals prefer Golden Visas over the D7?

High-net-worth individuals often prefer Golden Visas because these programs provide clearer investment structures and more flexible stay requirements. The Portugal Golden Visa, for example, requires only 14 days of presence in Portugal every two years to maintain residency, which is significantly less than the 183 days per year under the D7.

Many Golden Visa investments are asset-backed, which helps align residency planning with broader portfolio management. In the case of the Portugal Golden Visa through VIDA Capital’s advisory services, investors can access a fund that focuses on hospitality assets rather than purely financial products.

Golden Visas also create a defined, rules-based path from temporary residency to permanent residency, and then to citizenship where available. Portugal stands out as one of the few European countries where investors can work toward citizenship without relocating full-time, even though the citizenship timeline has extended to ten years under the new rules.

Do I need to relocate to the EU with a Golden Visa?

Most Golden Visa programs do not require full relocation to maintain the residence permit. For Portugal, you need to spend at least 14 days in the country every two years to keep your Golden Visa residency active. The residency rights themselves apply only in Portugal, but you can travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Greece and Malta have minimal or no annual stay requirements for keeping the basic residence permit. However, both countries require genuine relocation, tax residency, and long-term physical presence for applicants who aim for citizenship. Greece, for example, requires seven years of living in the country and paying taxes before you can apply for citizenship.

Spain has closed its Golden Visa program, which increases the relative importance of options such as Portugal, Greece, Malta, and Hungary for investors considering a European Plan B.

Can family members be included in Golden Visa applications?

Most Golden Visa and permanent residence programs allow family members to join the primary applicant. This usually includes a spouse or partner, dependent children, and often dependent parents or in-laws above a certain age. Some programs, including Malta’s MPRP, can also accommodate certain extended family members.

For the Portugal Golden Visa, dependent children included in the application generally must be full-time students, financially dependent, not working, and unmarried throughout the residency program, until the point at which their own Golden Visa or citizenship application is submitted. For spouses or common-law partners, you can typically present either a marriage certificate or other accepted proof of a long-term relationship.

Specific conditions and ages vary by country, so working with an immigration lawyer is essential to structure your application correctly and keep family members aligned with the program rules over time.

How does applying for the Portugal Golden Visa through VIDA Capital’s advisory services align with my investment goals?

VIDA Capital advises on investments into the VIDA Fund, which focuses on acquiring and transforming undervalued hospitality assets in Portugal’s tourism sector. The fund buys existing hospitality properties, upgrades and repositions them, and gives these assets a second life. This strategy emphasizes tangible, asset-backed exposure rather than purely financial instruments.

This approach can support capital preservation objectives, since the underlying holdings have intrinsic market value. At the same time, the qualifying fund investment can help you secure and maintain eligibility for the Portugal Golden Visa. Historical returns are not a guarantee of future returns.

VIDA Capital provides personalized advisory support that complements the work of your Portuguese immigration lawyer. Your lawyer is essential for navigating all legal steps, from initial eligibility checks and document preparation to application submission, biometrics, and residence permit renewals. As the approval card issuance usually takes a year, you will most likely only need to do a single renewal instead of two in the five-year period before applying for permanent residency.

Conclusion: Strategic Pathways to Your European Plan B

Investors who want a robust Plan B in Europe have options that extend beyond the Portugal D7 Visa. The Portugal Golden Visa, Greece Golden Visa, Malta Permanent Residence Programme, and Hungary Guest Investor Visa each offer distinct paths to residency in their respective countries, combined with Schengen travel for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

These investment-based routes recognize that many investors value flexibility, asset-backed strategies, and predictable rules more than immediate relocation. Portugal remains especially competitive, as its Golden Visa links qualifying fund investments with low stay requirements, a structured path to permanent residency after five years, and a route to citizenship after ten years of legal residency under the new framework. Portugal is also one of the few European countries where investors can pursue citizenship without moving there full-time, while Greece requires seven years of living there and paying taxes, and Spain has closed its Golden Visa program.

By understanding how each program handles investment type, stay requirements, family inclusion, and long-term status, you can choose the route that best matches your portfolio, your family structure, and your mobility priorities. A combination of experienced advisors and a skilled immigration lawyer is essential to manage documentation, legal rules, and timelines, especially for the Portugal Golden Visa.

Secure your Portugal residency and explore Portugal Golden Visa opportunities with VIDA Capital’s advisory services, designed for investors who want a clear and structured European Plan B.