Greece Golden Visa vs Cyprus PR 6.2: Comparing Investment Thresholds, Timelines and Citizenship Pathways

Greek Golden Visa vs Cyprus PR 6.2 is a popular comparison for Vietnamese investors seeking EU residence through property investment, especially since Portugal removed the real-estate option and Spain closed its Golden Visa programme in 2025. The two programmes represent two fundamentally different residency-by-investment philosophies: Greece grants a 5-year residence permit within the Schengen area with a 3-tier geographic zoning system, while Cyprus grants permanent residence (PR) in a single island state with a fixed threshold of €300,000.

This article analyses the comparison across the six criteria that matter most to investors: the current investment structure, the capital threshold and income requirements, residence and Schengen rights, the path to citizenship, family policy, and processing time. The content is based on the official legal framework as of 05/2026, following Greece’s Law 5100/2024 reform and Cyprus’s amendment to Regulation 6(2), which took effect on 02/05/2023.

Current investment structure

Greece — zoned property and non-property options

Greece Golden Visa keeps property as its core route, with a three-tier structure based on geographic zoning following Law 5100/2024. According to the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum, the €800,000 threshold applies to Zone A, covering the Attica Region, the Thessaloniki Regional Unit, Mykonos, Santorini and 32 islands with a population over 3,100. The €400,000 threshold applies to Zone B, covering the remaining areas. The €250,000 threshold remains available for two special options: converting commercial property to residential use, and restoring a heritage building.

Besides property, Greece also offers non-property options: transferring €500,000 into a bank, buying €500,000 of government bonds, investing €800,000 in shares of a listed Greek company, or investing from €350,000 in a Greek AIF/UCITS fund. The core requirements for the property option are: a single property unit, a minimum floor area of 120 square metres for both Zone A and Zone B, and no minimum residence requirement to maintain the permit.

Cyprus — four €300,000 investment options

Cyprus PR 6.2 applies a fixed threshold of €300,000 to all four investment options, with no geographic zoning. Option A is buying new housing (a first sale from a developer) anywhere in Cyprus at a minimum price of €300,000 excluding VAT. Up to 2 property units can be combined to reach the threshold. Option B is buying commercial property such as offices, shops or hotels, which is not restricted to first sale and may be a resale.

Option C is investing €300,000 in the share capital of a company registered and operating in Cyprus, which must have a physical presence and employ at least 5 staff. Option D is investing €300,000 in units of a Cyprus fund licensed by CySEC (the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) under the AIF (Alternative Investment Fund), AIFLNP (Alternative Investment Fund with Limited Number of Persons) or RAIF (Registered Alternative Investment Fund) categories. All four options require the investment to be maintained for the entire period the PR is held.

Greek Golden Visa vs Cyprus PR 6.2 on income requirements

This is the most fundamental difference between the two programmes, and one many investors overlook. Cyprus PR 6.2 requires investors to prove secure income from a foreign source of at least €50,000 per year, plus €15,000 per year for a spouse and €10,000 per year for each dependent child. A family of three (a couple plus one child) needs to prove a minimum income of €75,000 per year.

Greece has no minimum income requirement for the Golden Visa. Investors need only prove that they have accumulated sufficient lawful funds to complete the property transaction. After investing, there is no ongoing income requirement to maintain the permit. This is a major difference for people using accumulated capital or proceeds from an asset sale, who may have no regular income equivalent to €50,000.

The practical consequence: a Vietnamese investor with accumulated capital of €350,000–€500,000 but regular income below €50,000 per year may not qualify for Cyprus PR 6.2, even with sufficient capital available for the property investment. In this situation, the Greece Zone B €400,000 option becomes the only viable choice.

Residence rights and Schengen — a key difference

Another important difference in the Greek Golden Visa vs Cyprus PR 6.2 comparison is the right to move freely within the Schengen area. Greece has been a full Schengen member since 2000, so Greek Golden Visa holders can move freely throughout the 27-country Schengen area for up to 90 days in every 180 days, with no additional visa required.

Cyprus is an EU member but not yet a full Schengen member. As of 05/2026, Cyprus has completed most of the technical requirements and is awaiting final approval from the EU Council. In the meantime, Cyprus PR 6.2 holders have the right to reside only in Cyprus, with no right to move freely within the Schengen area. To visit other Schengen countries, Cyprus investors still need a separate short-stay Schengen visa.

Benefits	Greece Golden Visa	Cyprus PR 6.2
Schengen area	Yes (90/180 days)	No (Cyprus only)
Residence in the issuing country	Yes	Yes (permanent)
Residence in other EU countries	No	No
Work in the issuing country	No	No (except as a shareholder/director)
Presence requirement	0 days (biometrics only once)	Once every 2 years
Validity	5-year renewal	Permanent (card renewed every 10 years)

On paper, Cyprus PR 6.2 is permanent while the Greek Golden Visa has a 5-year term. In practice, however, Greece renews indefinitely as long as the investor maintains the original investment, so the result is effectively equivalent to permanent status. The biggest difference lies in Schengen: Greece has it from day one, while Cyprus must wait for EU approval, which could become a major advantage if Cyprus joins Schengen in 2026–2027.

The path to citizenship for Greek Golden Visa vs Cyprus PR 6.2

Both programmes allow applying for citizenship on a similar timeline, but the specific requirements differ significantly. Greece requires 7 years of lawful residence under Citizenship Law 3284/2004, together with a Greek language test at B1 level (lower intermediate) and a test on Greek culture and history. Greek citizenship leads to an EU passport.

Cyprus has a standard citizenship path of 7 years of continuous residence under Civil Registry Law 141/2002, which can be shortened to 5 years if the investor has actually resided in Cyprus for 4 continuous years within the 7 years before applying (5 years in total). The language test is in Greek (as Cyprus uses Greek as an official language) at A2 level (basic communication, one level easier than Greece’s B1), together with a test on Cyprus culture and history.

Read more about Cyprus citizenship through Category F.

The practical difference: the Cyprus citizenship path can be faster (5 years) but requires actually residing in Cyprus for enough days, which does not suit investors who want to keep their main life in Vietnam. The Greek path, at 7 years, is stable but requires a significantly higher B1 language standard, requiring an investment of time in learning the language. For families with children already at school in Cyprus, the 5-year path is realistic and achievable.

Greek Golden Visa vs Cyprus PR 6.2 on family policy

Both the Greece Golden Visa and Cyprus PR 6.2 allow sponsorship of a legal spouse and a legally recognised cohabiting partner. Both also allow sponsorship of dependent children, but the age limits differ: Greece caps this at under 21, while Cyprus extends it to under 25, provided the child is unmarried and financially dependent on the investor.

The most important family difference between the two programmes is parent sponsorship. Greece allows sponsorship of the investor’s own parents and the spouse’s parents without requiring proof of financial dependency. Cyprus removed the right to sponsor parents and parents-in-law entirely following the Regulation 6(2) reform of May 2023. This is an important change for Vietnamese investors whose families traditionally live across three generations under one roof.

Criteria	Greece Golden Visa	Cyprus PR 6.2
Legal spouse	Yes	Yes
Common-law partner	Yes	Yes
Children under 18	Yes	Yes
Children aged 18-21	Yes (no conditions)	Yes (unmarried, dependent)
Children aged 21-25	No	Yes (unmarried, dependent)
Children over 25	No	No
Investor’s parents	Yes (no conditions)	No
Spouse’s parents	Yes (no conditions)	No
Maximum number of children	Unlimited	Unlimited

For families wanting to sponsor elderly parents, Greece is the only viable option of the two. For families with children aged 21-25 in undergraduate or postgraduate study, Cyprus has the advantage. The decision should match the family’s actual structure and long-term immigration goals.

Processing time

Cyprus PR 6.2 is known for fast processing — one of the quickest residency-by-investment programmes in Europe. The official processing time is 2 to 6 months from the date a complete application is submitted, with 3-4 months being the typical outcome in practice. This is an important advantage for investors who need an EU permit quickly, for example to register a business, open an international bank account, or resolve a tax matter.

Greece’s statutory processing time is 2 months, but in practice it runs 4-12 months depending on the region because of application backlogs. Greece digitised the process from 2025, but caseloads remain high in Athens and Thessaloniki. For urgent Greek applications, some investors choose rural regions to shorten processing to 4-6 months.

Once the application is approved, both programmes require the investor to visit the country in person to give biometric data. Greece requires this only once over the 5-year life of the card. Cyprus requires one visit in the first year to collect the card, then a presence once every 2 years to keep the permit valid. This difference matters for investors with a busy schedule.

Tax advantages

Cyprus has an attractive tax system, with a corporate tax rate of 12.5% – the lowest in the EU after Bulgaria and Hungary – alongside a Non-Dom regime for individuals who are not traditionally Cyprus tax residents. Non-Doms are exempt from tax on dividends, deposit interest and securities profits for 17 consecutive years from becoming a Cyprus tax resident. This is one of the most generous Non-Dom regimes in the EU.

Greece offers three special tax regimes: a 7% pension tax for 15 years for retirees who transfer their tax residence to Greece, a 50% income tax reduction for 7 years for digital nomads and highly skilled professionals, and the Non-Dom 5A regime with a flat €100,000 tax per year on worldwide income. Greece’s corporate tax rate is 22%, considerably higher than Cyprus.

Overall, Cyprus has the advantage on personal and corporate tax, with low rates and a generous Non-Dom regime. Greece has the advantage in special regimes for specific groups such as retirees or digital nomads. See our article on taxes in Greece for a detailed look at Greece’s tax regimes.

Who each programme suits

Cyprus PR 6.2 suits three groups. The first is investors with stable recurring income above €50,000 a year from abroad (salary, dividends, rent), who prioritise a permanent residence permit that never needs renewing. The second is international business owners who want to set up a regional base in the EU, taking advantage of the 12.5% corporate tax rate and the Non-Dom regime. The third is investors who need an EU permit quickly (3-4 months) to resolve short-term matters such as opening an international bank account.

The Greece Golden Visa suits three other groups. The first is investors with accumulated capital but low recurring income, who do not meet Cyprus’s €50,000 threshold. The second is families spanning three generations under one roof, with elderly parents to sponsor without proving dependency. The third is investors who prioritise Schengen freedom of movement from day one, needing to travel frequently between EU countries for business.

For Vietnamese investors with a budget under €400,000, Greece is nearly the only option, through the Zone B €400,000 real estate route or the €250,000 conversion/heritage route. See more in our article on Greek Golden Visa Zone B €400,000 for details on the route that suits a mid-range budget.

Summary

The Greece Golden Visa vs Cyprus PR 6.2 serve two investor segments with different financial profiles. Cyprus PR 6.2 suits investors with both capital (€300,000+) and recurring income (€50,000/year+), who prioritise permanent residence and low tax. The Greece Golden Visa suits investors with capital alone (no recurring income requirement), who prioritise immediate Schengen access and broad family sponsorship (including parents).

The final decision depends on three personal factors: income structure (whether €50,000/year is met), EU travel priorities (needing Schengen immediately or waiting for Cyprus approval), and family sponsorship needs (whether parents need to be sponsored). See our dedicated articles on each route to build a path that fits your family’s specific goals.