Immigration attorneys and financial advisors all around Europe are urging clients to speed up their requests for golden visas after the EU’s highest court declared Malta’s citizenship-by-investment program illegal. The choice basically eliminates Malta’s status as the last EU nation providing direct citizenship in exchange for investment and raises questions about comparable residency-based initiatives in nations like Portugal, Greece, and Italy.
The EU Court of Justice underlined that a \”genuine link\” to the issuing country is required prior to giving a passport even if these nations provide residency—not direct citizenship—in return for capital inflow. Increased inspection could result in stricter regulations all around.
Industry analysts predict legal changes; some recommend investors behave before more limits or longer citizenship schedules are announced. If re-elected in the May 18 snap election, the present administration is reviewing an increase of the naturalization term from five to ten years in Portugal.
Following increasing EU worries about money laundering, security risks, and golden visa scheme misuse—particularly in the wake of the Ukraine war—the ruling follows those comments.
