EU Courts ruling against Malta’s Golden Passport program and what it means for Portugal Golden Visa

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eu parlament

In fact, the recent court ruling concerned Malta’s program, which was shut down in 2020. Both Malta and Cyprus closed their schemes at that time due to significant controversies, including:

❌ Money laundering

❌ Abuse of fast-track citizenship policies

❌ Breaches of EU standards and internal controls

Why Portugal’s Golden Visa Stands the Test of Time

Portugal was not affected—and here’s why:

Portugal’s Golden Visa is a residency-by-investment program, not a citizenship-for-sale scheme, with a multi-year path to citizenship, that was never abused or bypassed by any applicant. It enforces robust KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) safeguards, including:

  • Rigorous bank account opening protocols, which, although time-consuming and often the subject of client’s frustration, is a critical safeguard against financial crime
  • Independent KYC checks by regulated investment funds

Over the 13 years of its existence, the Portugal Golden Visa has never been implicated in financial crime or accused of selling citizenship improperly.

This proven track record reinforces its credibility, legal robustness, and international standing, setting it apart from other European programs.

Portugal’s Golden Visa remains one of Europe’s most trusted and secure investment migration pathways.

We have helped more than 500 families on their Portugal Golden Visa journey. 

We are also the pioneer firm to help clients to invest through funds back from 2020 until now. Come talk with us.

Book Your Free Consultation Today
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