Portugal ARI, Greece’s property-investor route and Malta MPRP: compare the status and obligations of three selected routes alongside your wider planning questions.
These are selected investment-related residence categories. Work, study, family and other pathways have separate rules. See the scope and sources or explore broader Portugal routes.
| Consideration | Portugal | Greece | Malta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selected route | ARI investment residence, through qualifying non-property routes. | Property-linked permanent investor residence. Other investor categories have their own rules. | Malta Permanent Residence Programme, or MPRP. |
| Core requirements | Eligible investment or contribution, documentation, due diligence and continued compliance. | Qualifying property and documentation. Location, property type and use can affect the rules. | Qualifying accommodation, financial requirements, contributions, due diligence and continued compliance. |
| Status and renewal | Residence permission with renewal and minimum-presence requirements. | A five-year permit, renewable while the qualifying conditions remain satisfied. | Permanent residence status with ongoing obligations and residence-card administration. |
| What to check first | Whether the chosen route qualifies and how its conditions fit your intended timeline. | Property eligibility, permitted use, ownership and continuing renewal conditions. | Eligibility of the applicant and family, accommodation requirements and the licensed-agent process. |
| Consideration | Portugal | Greece | Malta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time in the country | AIMA specifies seven days in the first year and fourteen days in subsequent two-year periods. Confirm how the current permit cycle applies. | Absence from Greece does not, by itself, prevent renewal under the property-investor provisions. | Confirm the current presence and residence-card requirements with a licensed agent for your circumstances. |
| Family members | Family reunification is available subject to relationship and dependency rules. | Eligible family members may apply under the programme’s family provisions. | Eligible dependants can be included subject to the programme’s current definitions and checks. |
| Work and daily life | ARI can allow residence and work in Portugal, subject to the applicable conditions. | The property-investor permit does not itself confer a right to work. | MPRP does not itself provide employment permission. Check the separate work or business process. |
| Schengen travel | Residence in Portugal and travel elsewhere in Schengen are different rights. | Residence in Greece does not automatically grant residence or work rights elsewhere in the EU. | Residence in Malta does not create an unrestricted right to live and work across the EU. |
| Consideration | Portugal | Greece | Malta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax residence | Assess separately under domestic rules and applicable treaties. | Assess separately under domestic rules and applicable treaties. | Assess separately under domestic rules and applicable treaties. |
| Citizenship | A separate application and legal test. Do not assume that an investment guarantees citizenship. | A separate application and legal test. An investor permit alone does not establish citizenship eligibility. | MPRP is a residence programme. It does not confer citizenship. |
| Ownership and exit | Review continued eligibility before changing or disposing of a qualifying investment. | Review property retention, permitted use and ownership changes before a transaction. | Review accommodation retention and continuing obligations before changing your arrangements. |
| Professional review | Portuguese immigration advice, plus tax advice for your current and future connections. | Greek immigration and property advice, plus cross-border tax review. | An MPRP licensed agent and independent legal and tax advice where needed. |
Compare the same questions across all three countries. This overview is not an eligibility assessment or a recommendation.
This page compares three selected investment-related residence categories: Portugal ARI, Greece’s property-investor permit and Malta MPRP. It is not a complete comparison of immigration routes in those countries. Employment, remote work, study, family and EU free-movement rights may be more relevant to your plans.
Begin with the broader Portugal route guide if you have not identified the reason for your stay. No investment or provider is recommended here.
ARI provides qualifying applicants with a temporary investment-residence permission and can allow residence and work in Portugal. The exact category and continuing conditions need checking; programme eligibility does not establish investment suitability. AIMA: ARI overview.
AIMA’s current FAQ specifies seven days’ presence in the first year and fourteen days in subsequent two-year periods. Maintaining the underlying qualifying conditions remains part of renewal. The FAQ also addresses family members individually rather than treating the household as a single permission. AIMA: current ARI FAQ.
The selected property-investor permit has a five-year term and can be renewed while its requirements continue to be met. Absence from Greece is not by itself a renewal barrier. The permit does not confer a right to work. Greek Ministry: property-investor legislation, Article 100.
The rules distinguish property categories, ownership and use. Qualifying property cannot simply be assumed available for short-term holiday letting; special conversion or restoration categories add conditions. Ask a Greek adviser to check the actual property, permitted use and consequences of a future transfer before any commitment. Greek Ministry: property conditions and restrictions.
MPRP applications go through a licensed agent and combine qualifying accommodation, financial-resource and contribution requirements, due diligence and other conditions. The programme grants permanent residence; residence cards and continuing accommodation obligations still need attention. It is separate from citizenship. Residency Malta: current MPRP framework.
MPRP should not be treated as automatic employment permission. Ask about the separate work or business process before planning an activity in Malta. Residency Malta: MPRP employment FAQ, questions 87–91.
No. A national residence status and a short visit to another Schengen country are different. For holders of a valid Schengen residence permit, visits elsewhere are generally limited to 90 days in a 180-day period and remain subject to entry conditions. Working or moving for a longer stay may need the destination country’s permission. European Commission: travel and moving between countries; Your Europe: current entry conditions.
Keep the answers in the planning worksheet. A country-interest enquiry helps organise questions; it does not select a route or authorize an introduction.
Tell us which country you would like to learn about and what you are trying to understand. We respond with general information. Any later introduction is a separate choice.
With your permission, we use Google Analytics to understand visits and improve this site. Analytics stays off unless you allow it. We do not use it for advertising or send your enquiry answers to Analytics. You can change your choice at any time. Read about analytics.