Both are European Union residence by investment routes built mainly around property, but they sit at very different price points and run through different authorities.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
Greece runs a property based golden visa under its Ministry of Migration and Asylum, with thresholds that were raised under Law 5100 of 2024. Latvia runs a residence by investment route under its Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, known as OCMA, with a lower entry point.
Both deliver European Union residence rather than immediate citizenship, and both let you live in and travel across the Schengen area on the resulting status.
Greece now uses a tiered property threshold. The minimum acquisition value is 800,000 euros in the highest demand areas, which include Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and the larger islands, and 400,000 euros in most other regions. A separate conversion route allows 250,000 euros where a property is changed to residential use. The 400,000 euro and 800,000 euro routes require a single residential property of at least 120 square metres.
Latvia's property route requires a built property worth at least 250,000 euros in Riga or within thirty kilometres of the city, with a minimum cadastral value for the property, and the holding lasts at least five years. Latvia also offers business and capital routes. Confirm every current figure and fee with the relevant authority.
Latvia describes a process of roughly a few months from a qualifying investment through to holding the residence card, subject to due diligence. Greek timelines depend on the property purchase and the application queue, so confirm the current expectation with the Ministry.
Both routes renew periodically rather than granting status for life, so factor the renewal conditions into your plan.
Greece and Latvia are both European Union and Schengen members, so the residence right allows travel across the Schengen area. Neither grants a passport on day one. Any move toward citizenship runs through each country's naturalisation law and its own residence and language conditions, which you should confirm rather than assume.
Greece suits an investor who wants a southern European base and is comfortable with a higher property outlay, especially outside the top demand areas where the 400,000 euro tier applies.
Latvia suits someone who wants a lower entry European Union residence and is comfortable with a Baltic base and a property in or near Riga, or with the business and capital routes instead of property.
| Item | Greece Golden Visa | Latvia residence by investment |
|---|---|---|
| Main route | Residential property purchase | Built property, business or capital contribution |
| Property minimum | 800,000 euros high demand, 400,000 euros elsewhere, 250,000 euros conversion | From 250,000 euros in or near Riga |
| Holding period | Held while you hold the residence | At least five years |
| Outcome | EU residence | EU residence |
| Authority | Ministry of Migration and Asylum | OCMA, Latvia |
Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Hellenic Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Greece; and the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA), Latvia publishes the binding detail. Verify before you act.
Law 5100 of 2024 introduced tiers. The 800,000 euro minimum applies in the highest demand areas such as Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and the larger islands, while 400,000 euros applies in most other regions and 250,000 euros applies to a conversion route. Confirm the zone for any specific property.
The Latvian property route starts lower, from 250,000 euros in or near Riga, against a Greek minimum of 400,000 euros or 800,000 euros depending on location. Compare the full cost including fees and holding conditions, and confirm current figures with each authority.
Both grant European Union residence rather than citizenship. Naturalisation later runs through each country's own law and its residence and language conditions, so confirm the path with the official authority.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
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