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Comparison · GREECE ↔ USA
Head-to-head dossier
Greece vs United StatesGolden 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
🇺🇸EB-5 Immigrant Investor
United States
The slowest, most expensive Golden Visa — and the most powerful.
From
$800,000
Time
24–36 months (rural priority)
Citizenship
5 years from green card
Stay
Maintain US residency
The short verdict
Greece. Greece edges United States 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 | 🇺🇸 United States |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Active | Active |
| Headline minimum | €250,000 | $800,000 |
| Processing time | 2–6 months | 24–36 months (rural priority) |
| Path to citizenship | 7 years | 5 years from green card |
| Physical presence | 0 days required | Maintain US residency |
| Tax overlay | Non-dom flat tax €100k/year | None — US taxes worldwide income |
| Best for | Investors who want a Mediterranean base, a tangible asset, and a Schengen card without relocation pressure. | Families relocating to the US permanently, especially those with children entering US universities. |
Category by category
- 01
Lower entry price
Edge: GreeceGreece starts at €250,000, United States at $800,000.
- 02
Faster to a card
Edge: GreeceGreece: 2–6 months. United States: 24–36 months (rural priority).
- 03
Faster path to citizenship
Edge: United StatesGreece: 7 years. United States: 5 years from green card.
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
🇺🇸 United States — best for
Families relocating to the US permanently, especially those with children entering US universities.
- +Path to US green card and then passport
- +Family included (spouse + children under 21)
- +Rural TEA route has dedicated visa allocation = faster
- +Children can work and study in US during processing
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
🇺🇸 United States — working against you
- − US taxes worldwide income for green card holders and citizens
- − Multi-year processing even with reform
- − 10 jobs must be created and sustained
- − Capital is at-risk — no guaranteed return
Read the full dossier