Tool · residence & visas
Talent Visas & Golden Visas: Route Picker
Who you are
Where you look
What matters
Applicant citizenship
All routes at a glance
Talent & experts
O-1A — extraordinary ability visa — USA, 1–4 months, 3 years + one-year extensions, no cap.
EB-1A — extraordinary ability green card — USA, 8–24 months, Permanent status outright (green card).
Global Talent visa — United Kingdom, 2–6 months, Up to 5 years, renewable.
Titre Talent (ex-Passeport Talent) — France, 2–6 months, Up to 4 years, renewable.
ONE Pass — Overseas Networks & Expertise — Singapore, 1–3 months, 5 years, renewable.
UAE Golden Visa — talent or investor — UAE, 1–3 months, 10 years, renewable.
Founders & tech
Innovator Founder visa — United Kingdom, 2–5 months, 3 years, renewable.
Tech.Pass — tech leader visa — Singapore, 1–3 months, 2 years, renewable.
Investors (golden visas)
EB-5 — investor green card — USA, 24–60 months, Conditional green card for 2 years → permanent.
Portugal Golden Visa (ARI) — Portugal, 12–24 months, Residence with renewals; presence — about 7 days a year on average.
Greece Golden Visa — Greece, 6–12 months, 5 years, indefinitely renewable.
Italy Investor Visa — Italy, 3–8 months, 2 years + a 3-year renewal.
Hungary Guest Investor — Hungary, 3–6 months, 10 years + a 10-year renewal.
Singapore GIP — Global Investor Programme — Singapore, 9–18 months, Permanent Residence outright.
FAQ
How does a talent visa differ from a golden visa?
A talent visa is bought with a dossier, not money: you prove achievements (O-1A, EB-1A, Global Talent, ONE Pass) and get status with no investment — but real work and residence are usually expected. A golden visa is the opposite: a passive investment (€250k–800k and up) and, as a rule, the right NOT to live in the country while keeping the status.
Which route reaches a passport fastest?
Among investor routes — Portugal: ~7 days of presence a year and a citizenship application (from 19 May 2026 — after 10 years, 7 for EU/CPLP nationals). Among talent routes the UK is fastest: Global Talent gives ILR after 3 years and a passport a year later, but you genuinely live there. Greece, Hungary and the UAE lead to no passport without relocation.
Can I hold the status without living in the country?
Yes — that is the core golden-visa advantage: Greece and Hungary require no presence at all, Portugal needs ~7 days a year, the UAE a visit every six-to-twelve months. Talent visas work differently: the US, UK, France and Singapore expect real activity.
What is left in Europe after Spain closed its golden visa?
Spain closed the programme in April 2025; Portugal dropped real estate back in 2023. The 2026 working routes: Greece (real estate at €400k/€800k, narrow €250k categories), Portugal (funds from €500k), Italy (from €250k into a startup plus the €200k flat tax), Hungary (a fund from €250k, 10 years). The surviving programmes put money into the economy, not into housing.
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