According to the government statistics we founded in the month of the Aug-2018 end, the world’s most popular residence by investment programs.
Methodology Note:
- We’ve used the latest available full-year figures from official sources. Since official sources differ in their reporting frequency (some report monthly, others every now and then), the degree to which data is current also varies; for some countries, the numbers are up-to-date as of this month, while for others they date back up more than a year.
- We’ve ranked programs by the number of approved main applicants, while also listing the total number of visas issued (including dependents) where such figures were available.
- In two cases – for Thailand and Malaysia – we have had to estimate the number of approved main applicants by looking at the number of total approved visas (which includes dependents) because data for main applicants in isolation were not available.
If you have access to statistics that we do not, or you discover an error, please do not hesitate to forward to factstodaynews@gmail.com and we will be sure to update this article.
#1 – US EB-5
The first and most popular program run by US since fourth decade is US EB-5 program which still leads the world. But unless Congress enacts reforms soon to allow for more applicants (currently capped at 10,000 individual visas), the program will be overtaken by tiny Greece, population 11 million.
US EB-5 visas issued in fiscal year 2017:
- Main applicants: 2,589
- Total (including dependents): 10,090
#2 – Greece Golden Visa
In the month when Greece in July released statistical data on its golden visa program, it quickly became apparent that they were now Europe’s most popular such scheme and on a path that will make it the world’s most popular residence by investment program if the trend continues apace.
The latest figures are for the year to July 2018, but since we have no July 2017 figures with which to compare it, we can only report the actual figures for 2017 and provide an annualized estimate for 2018.
- Greek golden visas issued to main applicants in 2017: 2,458
- Total Greek golden visas issued (including dependents) in 2017: 6,120
- Estimate of Greek golden visas issued to main applicants in 2018: 5,088
- Estimate of total Greek golden visas issued (including dependents) in 2018: 12,969
Judging by the trend so far in 2018, Greece will be the world’s largest golden visa program – bigger even than the United States EB-5 program – before the year is over.
#3 – Malaysia M2H
The third largest scheme thrown by Malaysia known as MM2H. The latest full-year data available for Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) program date back to 2016, but the government has also published statistics for January to August 2017. Unfortunately, the reports do not provide a figure for main applicants in isolation; only the total number of visas issued are presented.
We can, therefore, provide actual data for 2016 but only an estimate for the latter four months of 2017 (by annualizing the data reported for the first eight months of the year).
Total MM2H visas issued (including dependents) in year to August 2017: 3,084
Estimate of total MM2H visas issued (including dependents) in 2017: 4,626
Since the number of main applicants and dependents are not reported separately, we’ve estimated the number of main applicants by presuming a rate of dependents-to-applicants of 2.46 (the average for golden visa programs in general).
#4 – Quebec Investor Immigrant Programme
Quebec move according to his annual quota of 1,900, which is virtually filled to the brim every year.
Quebec Immigrant Investor visas approved for main applicants in 2017: 1,900
5# – Spain Golden Visa
In the race of golden visa, Spain is not behind from other countries. Having trailed Portugal for several years in terms of application volume, the program appears to have passed its Iberian neighbor in 2017. Between 2016 and 2017, the program saw a massive surge, more than doubling its cumulative number of golden visa holders in a single year.
Spanish golden visas issued to main applicants in 2017: 1,699
Total Spanish golden visas issued (including dependents) in 2017: 3,170
See official government statistics from 2016 and 2017 (in Spanish).
#6 – Portugal Golden Visa
Portugal, thankfully, publishes statistics nearly every month, except in the summer, of course, when public sector employees take a characteristically southern European month or two off.
Portuguese golden visas issued to main applicants in the twelve months leading up to July 2018: 1,173
Total Portuguese golden visas issued (including dependents) in the twelve months leading up to July 2018: 2,230
#7 – Thailand Elite Residence Program
Thailand is one of the biggest gainers over the last year has been the Thai Elite residence by investment program. While the program only attracted some 300 applicants in 2016, it’s almost quintupled its volume in the last year.
Read also: Thai Residence Visa Taking Off: 1,400 Approvals in Year to April 2018
Unfortunately, the only figures reported are for total visas issued under the program, rather than separate figures for main applicants and dependents.
Thai Elite Residence visas (including dependents) approved in the 12 months leading up to April 2018: 1,400
Since the number of main applicants and dependents are not reported separately, we’ve estimated the number of main applicants by presuming a rate of dependents-to-applicants of 2.46 (the average for golden visa programs in general).
Thai Elite Investor residence visas issued to main applicants in the 12 months leading up to 2018 (estimate): 588
#8 – United Kingdom Tier 1 Investor Visa
British Home Office figures released show that 92 main applicants and 143 dependents received “Leave to Remain” (the initial three-year residence permit) in the UK during the second quarter of 2018.
With 32 and 13 investors, respectively, China and Russia together accounted for nearly half of all visas issued, while Turks, who last year accounted for some 7% of visas, have not lodged a single application in Q2 2018.
The UK Tier 1 Investor visas issued to main applicants in the twelve months leading up to and including Q2 2018: 379
Total UK Tier 1 Investor visas issued (including dependents) in the twelve months leading up to and including Q2 2018: 998
#9 – Ireland Investor Immigration Programme
Ireland has a very attractive Residency by Investment programme. The Irish Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) was launched by the Irish Governments’ Department of Justice in 2012 but has only really become popular in the last two years.
Since 2015, the number of applicants to this programme have increased with nearly 400 applicants every year looking to secure residency status in Ireland. Figures for 2016 showed a massive spike in the Irish scheme’s popularity and of the 329 individuals who applied to secure residency under the scheme, 313 were from China. The country which has taken all big IT business company in his lap.
#10 – New Zealand Investor Visa
New Zealand has two investor visas; Category 1 and 2, of which the former is the more expensive.
Last year, the more popular of its programs doubled in price, but applicants – mostly Chinese – were not deterred.
In the 12 months leading up to July 31st 2018, New Zealand’s Investor Visa Programmes (combined) issued 310 visas to main applicants.
Figures for dependents are not available, but they are likely in the region of 750.
#11 – Malta Residence Visa Programme
Despite launching only last spring, Malta’s RVP has received nearly 1,000 applications to date, 560 of them in the first half of 2018 alone, according to the Malta Residence Visa Agency.
Having received the bulk of applicants in the last six months, currently available data does not reflect the quickly growing volumes in MRVP applications.
Malta RVP visas approved (main applicants only) in the 12 months to July 2018: 250
Total MRVP visas approved (including applicants) in the 12 months to July 2018: 700
Investment Migration Insider spoke to Roderick Cutajar, head of the Malta Residence Visa Programme, during the 2018 Investment Migration Forum in Geneva. He revealed that the program’s application numbers were quickly approaching 800, that the strong interest had led to a few months’ increase in processing time, and that many applicants are buying – rather than leasing – properties in Malta.
“At the moment we are processing about 800 applications, and growing – we are expecting about another 300 – and as in all residence by investment programs, Chinese dominate but we are happy to note an increase in interest from other countries, such as South Africa, Turkey, Russia, and other countries,” said Mr. Cutajar in response to a request for a statistical update on the program’s popularity.
#12 – Australia Significant Investor Visa
Australia’s dearly priced Significant Investor Visa has seen a slump in application figures since 2015 when the Abbott administration introduced stricter requirements and tougher demands for documentation of wealth.
Government statistics only reveal the number of “primary visas” granted, which is to say the figures for main applicants only, and not including dependents.
Significant Investor Visas issued to main applicants in the 12 months leading up to May 31st, 2018: 170
