3 Golden Visa countries where LGBTQ+ people can live in peace
In this uncertain climate, many queer Americans are reconsidering where they call home.
Mark
LGBTQ+ Americans are increasingly nervous about the future.
A Pew Research Center survey from earlier this year found that 78% of queer adults in the United States expect the current administration’s policies to affect transgender people negatively, and 71% say the same about the broader community.
Those fears are not unfounded. Since the current administration took office, it has banned gender-affirming medical and psychological care for transgender people under federal health programs such as Veterans Administration health care and Medicare, and once again excluded transgender individuals from the military. Despite a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision dismissing a challenge to marriage equality, the conservative majority has invited more challenges.
In this uncertain climate, many queer Americans are reconsidering where they call home. Some are moving from less friendly states to more inclusive ones. Others are looking beyond US borders altogether, including Canada, where I currently reside. But a growing number are exploring a third path, one that allows them to legally establish a foothold abroad, without giving up their lives at home: Residency or Citizenship by Investment.
“Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, a migration is already underway,” says Bob McCranie, founder of Texas Pride Realty Group, which helps LGBTQ+ Americans in Texas sell their homes and relocate to friendlier states or countries. “LGBTQ+ people are evaluating their options and deciding where they will be safer as their rights are rolled back. We are less than a year into this administration, and we have already seen a significant erosion of our civil rights and personal safety. The number of people looking to move is growing as they seek places, both within the United States and abroad, where their rights will be protected.”
Through these programs, countries grant residency or citizenship to individuals who invest in the country — whether by purchasing property, contributing to a government fund, or investing in an approved financial vehicle.
The concept has long appealed to global investors seeking visa-free travel or a tax-friendly base, but it is now increasingly attracting LGBTQ+ Americans looking for what one might call a “Plan B.” The challenge is that few countries offering these programs are truly LGBTQ+-friendly. Most are socially conservative or fail to recognize same-sex relationships for immigration purposes.
Still, a few notable exceptions stand out…
1. Malta: Island Haven for Equality
Equaldex, which tracks rights globally, ranks Malta as the fifth most LGBTQ+-friendly country in Europe, on par with Germany in terms of legal protections and public opinion. A former British colony, English is one of Malta’s two official languages, and the island state is recognized for its progressive stance on LGBTQ+ equality.
Malta’s Permanent Residency by Investment program offers lifetime residency in exchange for renting or purchasing property. Applicants who choose to rent must sign a five-year lease of at least €14,000 annually and contribute €37,000 to the government, plus a €2,000 donation to a Maltese NGO. Those who purchase property must spend at least €375,000, along with the same government contribution and donation.
After five years, residents must maintain an address in Malta to keep their status, though it need not be the exact property leased initially or purchased. Applicants must travel to Malta once to provide biometrics and every five years to renew their residency card.
Same-sex marriages and de facto partnerships are recognized under the program, and dependent children may be included.
For those who choose to settle permanently, Maltese citizenship, and thus European Union citizenship, is possible after five years of continuous residence.
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2. Greece: Newly Equal
When Greece legalized same-sex marriage on February 15, 2024, it became the first Orthodox Christian country to do so, marking a significant milestone in a region where LGBTQ+ rights have often lagged.
Greece’s Golden Visa program offers residency to those who purchase qualifying real estate. The price varies depending on location: properties in Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, or any island with more than 3,100 residents must cost at least €800,000 and measure at least 1,292 square feet (120 square meters). In less populated areas, the threshold drops to €400,000.
A more affordable route involves purchasing or restoring a historic building or a commercial property converted to residential use, with a minimum investment of €250,000. Long-term rentals are permitted, but short-term rentals are not.
Applicants must travel to Greece to provide biometrics and return every five years to renew their permits. Residency is tied to the investment, meaning that selling the property results in the loss of residency.
Greece recognizes same-sex marriages, subject to signing a local Civil Partnership Agreement, but not unmarried partnerships. Citizenship is available after seven years of continuous residence and passing a language and civics exam. Children under 21 can be included in the application, with an option to extend to age 24.
3. Portugal: Citizenship Without Relocation
Portugal is one of Europe’s most progressive countries on LGBTQ+ rights, ranking eighth on Equaldex’s European Equality Index and on par with Denmark in legal protections. Since launching its Golden Residence Permit program in 2012, the country has attracted thousands seeking a route to EU citizenship without the need to move there full-time.
Although Portugal eliminated its real estate option two years ago, the program still allows investment in regulated venture capital funds or government-approved projects. The most common route involves investing at least €500,000 in a Portuguese investment fund. Alternatively, one can make a non-refundable donation of €500,000 toward research or €250,000 to the arts or national heritage restoration.
Applicants must travel to Portugal to submit biometrics and spend at least 14 days there every 2 years to renew their permit. Parliament recently extended the minimum residency requirement for citizenship eligibility from five to ten years (or seven years for EU nationals and citizens of Portuguese-speaking countries), pending the President’s review. One may apply for permanent residency after five years of maintaining one’s temporary residence status.
Portugal recognizes both same-sex marriages and de facto partnerships. Financially dependent unmarried children, including those in full-time education, may be included in the application.
Of course, the least expensive path to a second citizenship is through ancestry, such as a parent, grandparent, or in some cases even a great-grandparent born abroad, or through a partner or spouse with foreign citizenship. But for those without those options, or who do not wish to uproot their lives, investment migration offers a different kind of freedom. It allows individuals to remain where they are, yet know that if circumstances change, they have a legal and secure “Plan B,” where they will be welcomed, protected, and free to live authentically, no matter what unfolds in the US in the years ahead.
Dan Brotman is an American expat based in Montreal, Canada. With an academic background in immigration policy, he holds multiple citizenships and works in the investment migration industry, focusing on the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. You can follow him on Instagram at @danbrotman.
