Poros Island. Photo source: Visit Poros
Greece’s increasingly popular golden visa scheme reaches the top of the 2025 Global Residence Program Index for the first time, according to the global wealth advisory firm Henley & Partners.
The Henley Residence Program Index reflects the relative worth of the most reputable residence by investment programs around the world. Published each year in the Investment Migration Programs report, the index is revised annually by leading academic researchers, country risk specialists, economists, independent expert immigration and citizenship lawyers, and other specialists.
Rising from second place in 2024, Greece’s Golden Visa program claimed the top spot in 2025 with a score of 73 out of 100, overtaking Portugal, which had held or shared first place for the past nine years.
Portugal now shares third place with Italy and the UK, each scoring 70, while Switzerland ranks second with a score of 72. Australia, Canada, and Spain share fourth place, each scoring 69, while the UAE rounds out the top five with a score of 68.
Notable newcomers to the list include Hungary (6th) and Costa Rica (10th), both offering business- and family-friendly environments for investors.
“In this era of heightened global volatility, nation states are using residence and citizenship by investment programs as an innovative financing tool to fund development initiatives that mitigate sustainability and climate-related risks, and that directly benefit their citizens,” said Chairman of Henley & Partner Dr. Christian H. Kaelin.
2025: Landmark for wealth migration
According to the Investment Migration Programs report, 2025 is projected to be a landmark year for wealth migration, with a record-breaking 142,000 high-net-worth individuals forecast to move to a new country, compared to the 134,000 who did so last year, and 120,000 the year before.
“Acquiring alternative residence and/or citizenship by participating in reputable investment migration programs enables greater flexibility and participation in the world’s leading economies, as well as optionality, which is now an indispensable part of any family’s insurance policy for the 21st century,” said Henley & Partners CEO Dr. Juerg Steffen.
Despite the changes introduced by the Greek government to the Golden Visa scheme last year, the program remains highly favored by foreign investors. Data from the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum shows that 2024 was a record-breaking year, with 9,289 applications submitted for residence permits under the Golden Visa program, representing real estate investments totaling at least 2.32 billion euros.
Successful applicants will receive a Greek passport, ranked as the world’s 6th most powerful, granting visa-free access to 189 out of 227 countries.
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