In contemporary times, affluent businessmen seek to expand their businesses to a global scale and gain access to better lifestyles and career opportunities for their families. Furthermore, they want to enhance their portfolios by gaining travel freedom and citizenship in multiple countries. Golden Visa programs of Europe and Asia provide them with these opportunities and hence are very popular among global investors in 2025.
Golden Visa Programs Across Europe and Asia
Asia and Europe both offer attractive golden visa programs to foreign investors, granting them long-term residency permits, but with different benefits. The key benefits include travel mobility and a pathway to citizenship. We can compare the popular golden visa programs of Asia (Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia) and Europe (Portugal, Latvia, Greece) to see what privileges residency by investment programs of different continents provide to people.
Hong Kong Golden Visa vs Portugal Golden Visa: Business Centric Hubs with Different Advantages
Hong Kong Golden Visa
Hong Kong has become an ideal place for business in Asia due to its recent developments. The 4-hour distance of Hong Kong from key markets of Asia makes it a major financial center. Moreover, Hong Kong, being the special administrative region of China, provides its golden visa investors with easy access to China’s market, which provides them with numerous business and trade opportunities. Not just the strategic location, but the rich infrastructure and robust economy of Hong Kong also play a vital role in convincing a large number of investors, especially entrepreneurs and businessmen, to get a Hong Kong golden visa.
Portugal Golden Visa
Portugal, also known as the Silicon Valley of Europe, is a global hub for business and innovation. Lisbon, the capital city, and Porto, the second-largest city of Portugal, are the leading centers for technology and startups. The Portugal golden visa is a popular EU residency by investment program due to its property investments, which provide its investors with a perfect gateway to Europe and an opportunity for property ownership in Portugal. The qualified individuals can also possibly get citizenship after living in the country and meeting the eligibility criteria. Moreover, it provides global mobility to investors by granting them visa-free access to Europe’s Schengen states. Apart from the Portugal golden visa, the Portugal D8 visa is also particularly popular among digital nomads due to numerous remote work opportunities in Portugal.
Key Difference
The key difference between the two golden visa programs is that the Hong Kong golden visa provides investors with a gateway to Asia’s business. In contrast, the Portugal golden visa provides access to well-developed European markets and possible citizenship.
Indonesia Golden Visa vs Latvia Golden Visa: Emerging Market vs Affordable EU Residency
Indonesia Golden Visa
Indonesia, newly launched in September 2023, has emerged as an attractive golden visa program for entrepreneurs, long-stay investors, and digital nomads due to its vibrant economy. The program grants a 5-year permit to investors with initial investment of $350,000 in government bonds, shares, or funds and $700,000 for a 10-year residency permit. But the program does not provide a direct route to citizenship or visa-free access to other countries or Schengen states.
Latvia Golden Visa
Latvia, a Baltic state, provides the most affordable route to Europe through the Latvia golden visa that requires an initial investment of €50,000 in a Latvia business or €250,000 in Latvia real estate. The program, in exchange, provides multiple benefits to its investors, including visa-free access to Europe’s Schengen area and possible citizenship after 10 years of residing in the country.
Key Difference
The key difference between the two golden visa programs is that the Indonesia golden visa provides lifestyle and work opportunities to investors, while the Latvia golden visa provides cost-effective EU residency with long-term ROI (return on investment) potential.
Malaysia Golden Visa vs Greece Golden Visa: Lifestyle Residency vs Pathway to EU Citizenship
Malaysia Golden Visa
Malaysia residency by investment program provides long-term residency to foreign investors, which provides them the privilege of living and working in Malaysia and adopting a better lifestyle along with their families. The visa granted is for 10 years and is renewable. The program is mostly attractive for retirees and expats in Asia.
Greece Golden Visa
The individuals who want to live and work in Greece invest a minimum of €250K in its real estate to get Greece golden visa, which not only provides them with property ownership but also global mobility with visa-free access to the Schengen zone and possible citizenship after 7 years of residence.
Key Difference
The key difference between the two golden visa programs is that the Malaysia golden visa is more lifestyle-focused, while Greece golden visa focuses more on providing travel freedom to its residents.
Cost of Investment: Asia Golden Visa vs EU Golden Visa Programs
European golden visas provide property-based investment options to people and often have clearer ROI, while Asia golden visas require financial deposits and higher wealth proof.
Golden Visa Program | Cost of Investment |
Asia Golden Visa | Hong Kong (high capital requirements) Indonesia ($350,000 or $700,000 ) Malaysia (financial proofs, deposits) |
European Golden Visa | Portugal (€250K+) Latvia (€250K refundable investments) Greece (€250K real estate) |
Golden Visa Comparison: Residency Requirements and Possible Citizenship
The individuals seeking citizenship opportunities after residency should consider the EU golden visas as the better option, as most European golden visa programs provide them a chance to apply for citizenship after meeting certain criteria and living in the country for some years.
Golden Visa Program | Residency Requirement | Eventual Citizenship |
Hong Kong | Physical presence | Difficult, Long processing |
Indonesia | None | Not possible |
Malaysia | None | Not possible |
Portugal | 7 days/year | After 5 years |
Latvia | Minimum Stay | After 10 years |
Greece | None | After 7 years |
Mobility and Travel Freedom in Asia and Europe
The European golden visa programs, compared to Asia golden visas, provide more travel freedom to their investors by granting them visa-free or visa-on-arrival access.
Golden Visa Program | Travel Mobility |
Asia Golden Visa | Limited to host countries |
EU Golden Visa | Schengen Zone visa-free access |
Conclusion
Both Asia and the EU golden visas provide numerous advantages to global investors; however, it is important for investors to choose the program that aligns best with them. Asian golden visas provide lifestyle opportunities and chances to expand business. On the other hand, EU golden visas are stronger for global mobility, return on investments, and eventual second citizenship after residency.