For more than a decade, Golden Visas defined investment migration. They were simple in theory: contribute financially to the host country and receive residency rights in return. This contribution could take the form of real estate purchases, capital transfers, business investments, cultural or research donations, or job creation.
However, the real estate track became one of the most visible and fastest-growing options. It attracted the bulk of global demand and reshaped local housing markets, which ultimately came under political scrutiny.
That is where the landscape is now shifting. Governments are reassessing their policies, and families are now looking for alternatives that are more predictable and less vulnerable to rapid regulatory changes.
In our recent IMI feature, we described the year as a “turning point” in second residency planning: Geopolitical volatility, post-election uncertainty in the U.S., and EU-wide reforms pushed families to secure mobility early rather than wait for policy cycles to settle.
The same forces are now reshaping the appeal of traditional Golden Visas.
Why the Appeal of Golden Visas Is Changing
The Golden Visa boom was always tied to property markets, but that dependency has become a liability. In countries where real estate supply tightened, programs became politically sensitive and often more expensive. Investors today face three challenges:
- Higher capital commitments
Minimum requirements have increased in many jurisdictions, pushing entry points well beyond what globally mobile professionals or mid-tier investors are willing to commit. - Uncertain timelines
Where property-linked programs once offered clear annual procedures, multiple countries introduced reviews, freezes, or redesigns. Applicants feel the instability, and many now treat Golden Visas as ‘nice-to-have’ rather than strategically sound. - Public scrutiny and regulatory fatigue
The EU has repeatedly voiced concerns over passive-investment pathways. A growing list of countries is opting to tighten or entirely replace such schemes.
Families who previously saw real estate as a straightforward route now describe it as cumbersome and unpredictable. And when governments redesign frameworks with little notice, the risk of being ‘caught mid-process’ has become the case rather than the exception.
The Rise of Smarter Residency Programs
In parallel, a quieter revolution has taken shape. Europe, especially, is moving toward innovation-led and business-focused residency pathways that intentionally move away from capital-heavy real estate routes. This trend aligns with what we highlighted earlier: governments like Portugal, Spain, and France are shifting toward programs that reward talent, research, and economic value creation rather than passive investments.
What makes these new pathways so compelling?
No real estate requirement:
Instead of tying residency to a property purchase, countries now offer residency through:
- business creation
- innovation-focused projects
- research collaborations
- entrepreneurship support channels
This change gives applicants flexibility and removes the highest cost and bureaucracy driver of Golden Visas.
Lower costs and shorter timelines
Typical innovation or business-based pathways start at a fraction of Golden Visa thresholds. Many applicants secure residency in 6 to 8 months. These models are deliberately designed to be fast-track, accommodating modern mobility needs, not to keep people waiting for years.
Built to be stable
Real estate-dependent programs are the first to face political backlash when housing affordability becomes a headline. Innovation-based programs, on the other hand, align with national priorities. They contribute to:
- economic growth
- university collaboration
- R&D investment
- job creation
Governments are more likely to keep supporting them because they create measurable value rather than market inflation.
Direct integration into local ecosystems
Europe’s new generation of programs offers immediate access to innovation ecosystems, universities, and tech hubs from day one. This is a radical departure from Golden Visas, where residency was often only a legal formality with little connection to the local economy.
Why Families Are Turning to These Programs for Global Freedom
Residency planning has become less about luxury and more about resilience, a trend that Moveanywhere’s Managing Partner, Mateus Leite de Campos, has described as “the ultimate insurance policy against uncertainty.”
Families now approach residency through three core motivations:
Freedom of movement during unstable political cycles
Visa regulations shift faster than ever. Securing a residency in the EU or Schengen-aligned jurisdictions gives families the freedom to avoid geopolitical disruptions and travel with minimal friction.
Multi-generational planning
Families increasingly view residency as a long-term asset:
- access to public and private healthcare
- education pathways across Europe
- inheritance planning across jurisdictions
- future-proofing for children’s mobility and career options
This matches what Moveanywhere’s data and client patterns show: the family-first use case is now more common than pure investment motives.
Reduced financial exposure
With the end of the real estate-dominated era, families avoid tying hundreds of thousands of euros into illiquid property markets. A more strategically deployed investment into innovation or entrepreneurship feels safer and better aligned with long-term goals.
A New Era of Residency Strategy
Golden Visas are not disappearing. But the market is clearly signaling a pivot: the most future-proof residency pathways are the ones that are cost-efficient, politically stable, and put forward real economic contribution.
Our perspective, informed by years of experience working with clients worldwide, is straightforward:
People no longer want to just ‘buy’ a visa. They want a pathway that integrates them into a country, protects their family, and gives them the freedom to move anywhere without being tied to a volatile property market.
As 2026 approaches, the smartest strategies will belong to those who adapt early. The world of residency is expanding, and the next decade will belong to programs with real value that are flexible and drive innovation.
To explore your residency options ahead of 2026 and how they fit into your business, professional, or family strategy, connect with Moveanywhere’s team here or at info@moveanywhere.com.
