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Comparison · GREECE ↔ MALTA
Head-to-head dossier
Greece vs MaltaGolden Visa, side by side — 2026
🇬🇷Greece Golden Visa
Greece
Real estate residency for those who actually want sun.
From
€250,000
Time
2–6 months
Citizenship
7 years
Stay
0 days required
🇲🇹Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP)
Malta
EU permanent residency, but citizenship is now off the table.
From
€182,000
Time
4–6 months
Citizenship
Not available since 2025
Stay
0 days
The short verdict
Greece. Greece edges Malta on the headline metrics most applicants weight first (entry price, speed, path to citizenship and physical presence).
The full picture is below — by the numbers, then category by category.
By the numbers
Headline metrics
| Metric | 🇬🇷 Greece | 🇲🇹 Malta |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Active | Active |
| Headline minimum | €250,000 | €182,000 |
| Processing time | 2–6 months | 4–6 months |
| Path to citizenship | 7 years | Not available since 2025 |
| Physical presence | 0 days required | 0 days |
| Tax overlay | Non-dom flat tax €100k/year | Non-dom remittance basis |
| Best for | Investors who want a Mediterranean base, a tangible asset, and a Schengen card without relocation pressure. | Families wanting permanent EU status without the relocation, language or citizenship-track requirements. |
Category by category
- 01
Lower entry price
Edge: MaltaGreece starts at €250,000, Malta at €182,000.
- 02
Faster to a card
Edge: GreeceGreece: 2–6 months. Malta: 4–6 months.
- 03
Faster path to citizenship
Edge: GreeceGreece: 7 years. Malta: Not available since 2025.
Who each one is for
🇬🇷 Greece — best for
Investors who want a Mediterranean base, a tangible asset, and a Schengen card without relocation pressure.
- +Zero physical presence required
- +Fastest EU Golden Visa to process
- +Real estate route still fully open
- +Schengen access from day one
🇲🇹 Malta — best for
Families wanting permanent EU status without the relocation, language or citizenship-track requirements.
- +EU permanent residency — no expiry
- +Visa-free Schengen travel
- +English is an official language
- +Family included: spouse, children, parents, grandparents
The honest tradeoffs
🇬🇷 Greece — working against you
- − Tier 1 zones jumped from €500k to €800k in Sept 2024
- − Citizenship requires 7 years + Greek language B1
- − Property cannot be short-term let (Airbnb) since 2024
🇲🇹 Malta — working against you
- − Citizenship-by-investment ended after April 2025 ECJ ruling
- − Mandatory non-refundable government contribution + donation
- − Tiny country — limited business ecosystem
Read the full dossier