Several citizenship by investment and golden visa programmes have closed or been shelved in recent years, mostly after pressure from the European Union. The cards below show when each programme closed, its former minimum investment and what is still available in that country. Each card links to our original guide, kept for reference.
Cyprus
Citizenship
Closed 2020Was from €2,000,000
- Cyprus Investment Programme ended on 1 November 2020.
- Applications filed before the cut-off were processed.
- Cyprus permanent residence (golden visa) is still open.
Malta
Citizenship
Closed 2025Was from €600,000
- Investor citizenship ended after the EU Court of Justice ruling of 29 April 2025.
- Replaced by merit-based naturalisation (Act No. XXI of 2025).
- Malta permanent residence is still open.
Bulgaria
Citizenship
Closed 2022Was from €1,000,000
- Parliament abolished citizenship for investment on 24 March 2022.
- Pending applications were shut down.
- Bulgaria golden visa (residence) is still open.
Moldova
Citizenship
Closed 2020Was from €100,000
- Parliament repealed the citizenship by investment law in 2020.
- No applications are accepted.
Montenegro
Citizenship
Closed 2022Was from €250,000
- Special investment citizenship ended on 31 December 2022.
- New applications are no longer accepted.
Comoros
Economic Citizenship
Suspended 2016
- Citizenship sales suspended by the government in May 2016.
- A 2018 parliamentary report found the scheme unlawful.
Austria
Citizenship
Shelved
- No citizenship for investment alone.
- Granted only for extraordinary merit (§ 10(6) Citizenship Act).
- Fully discretionary: no published minimum or timeline.
United Kingdom
Tier 1 Investor
Closed 2022Was from £2,000,000
- Tier 1 (Investor) visa closed on 17 February 2022.
- Innovator Founder visa is the business route today.
Ireland
Immigrant Investor
Closed 2023Was from €500,000
- Immigrant Investor Programme closed on 15 February 2023.
- Projects already approved continue.
Australia
Significant Investor
Closed 2024Was from A$5,000,000
- Business Innovation and Investment Program closed to new applications on 31 July 2024.
- Applications lodged before then are still processed.
Netherlands
Investor Residence
Closed 2024Was from €1,250,000
- Residence permit for foreign investors ended on 1 January 2024.
- Existing permits stay valid until they expire.
Spain
Golden Visa
Closed 2025Was from €500,000
- Closed to new applications from 3 April 2025 (Organic Law 1/2025).
- Existing permits remain valid.
Germany
Business Residence
No golden visa
- Germany has no golden visa for investors.
- Residence through self-employment (§ 21 Residence Act).
- Citizenship after 5 years of residence.
Belgium
Professional Card
No golden visa
- Belgium has no investor residence programme.
- Self-employed investors apply for a professional card.
Looking for an open programme?
Compare the citizenship by investment programmes that accept applications today, or the golden visa and residence by investment programmes in Europe and beyond. Our advisors can help you pick an alternative free of charge: request a free consultation.
