Source check: 11 July 2026. Dynamic government processing tools can change without notice, so confirm the current value immediately before relying on it.
How to read a processing-time claim
A time figure is useful only when its start event, endpoint and excluded stages are clear. These labels are not interchangeable:
- Decision stage: a government body assesses one complete application or issues an approval in principle.
- Document review: an authority checks submitted documents; card production or later residence steps can sit outside the clock.
- End-to-end journey: preparation, filing, requests for more evidence, appointments, investment completion, consular steps and card delivery. Most investor routes do not publish one official end-to-end service level.
Official milestones published for current routes
| Program | Published milestone | Current time | Not included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy Investor Visa | Committee assessment of a complete Nulla Osta application | Within 30 days | Consular visa, investment execution and residence permit |
| New Zealand Active Investor Plus | Approval in principle percentile | 80% within 10.5 weeks | Fund transfer, investment period and later residence steps |
| Greece investor residence | Permit issuance after the file is complete | Within two months | Property/investment preparation, filing and time to complete the file |
| Latvia temporary residence | Document review service level | 30 days; 10 or 5 working days where the accelerated service applies | Special-category clocks and permit-card production |
| Dubai property-investor Golden Visa | Dubai Land Department property-investor service | 7-10 business days | Other emirates and other UAE Golden Visa categories |
Italy's 30-day clock applies to the Investor Visa Committee's assessment of a complete Nulla Osta application. A request for supplementary information suspends that assessment, and the later consular, investment and residence-permit stages remain separate. Official Italy process
Immigration New Zealand currently reports approval in principle for 80% of Active Investor Plus applications within 10.5 weeks. This is a percentile for one decision stage, not the full investment and residence journey. Immigration New Zealand
Greece does not publish a guaranteed total application-to-card time. The current verified legal milestone is permit issuance within two months after the file is complete; it must not be presented as a two-month end-to-end Golden Visa promise. Greek Article 100(10)
Latvia's PMLP lists temporary-residence document review within 30 days, with 10-working-day and 5-working-day services where available. The same page lists different clocks for some categories, and card issuance is a separate service. Latvia PMLP
Dubai Land Department lists 7-10 business days for its property-investor Golden Visa service. The scope is Dubai real estate and cannot be generalized to every UAE Golden Visa category or emirate. Dubai Land Department
Current routes without one official end-to-end timeframe
| Program | Official position | Planning treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal ARI / Golden Visa | Article 82 contains legal decision periods; AIMA publishes no current end-to-end ARI-to-card service level | Ask for a dated case-stage estimate and separate portal, appointment, decision and card stages |
| Greece Golden Visa | Two-month rule begins after the file is complete | Do not convert the narrow rule into a total journey estimate |
| Malta MPRP | Public framework gives no hard end-to-end decision target | Request a current case-specific plan from the licensed agent |
| Hungary Guest Investor | Administrative period excludes evidence waiting and other procedural time | Treat the published clock as a scoped administrative period |
| US EB-5 | Several forms and immigration stages use separate processing data | Check the current USCIS tool for the exact form and office |
Portugal's consolidated immigration law states decision periods for concession and renewal, but those legal clocks do not prove a current online ARI application will reach its first card within the same elapsed time. AIMA's ARI page does not publish one end-to-end service level. AIMA ARI · Consolidated immigration law
Malta, Hungary and US EB-5 each need route-specific treatment. Malta's public framework uses no hard total target; Hungary excludes several procedural periods from its administrative clock; and USCIS publishes EB-5 information by form and stage rather than as one golden-visa number. Residency Malta · Hungary OIF · USCIS EB-5 · USCIS processing tool
Investor routes closed to new applications
| Program | Closed to new applications | Legacy position |
|---|---|---|
| Spain investor visa / residence | 3 April 2025 | Pre-effective-date applications use prior rules; valid permits and renewals retain statutory transition treatment |
| Ireland Immigrant Investor Programme | 15 February 2023 | Approved and qualifying on-hand legacy cases continue under official closure guidance |
| UK Tier 1 Investor | 17 February 2022 | Current GOV.UK page is legacy guidance; no new initial applications |
| Australia Business Innovation and Investment Program | 31 July 2024 | Applications made before closure continue to be processed |
Spain repealed the investor-route articles with effect from 3 April 2025. Applications filed before that date may be decided under the prior rules; valid investor visas and permits keep their issued term, and renewals follow the rules in force when the initial authorization was granted. BOE consolidated law
Ireland closed the Immigrant Investor Programme to further applications from 15 February 2023. The official closure FAQ governs approved and legacy cases. Irish Immigration closure FAQ
The UK Tier 1 Investor route is closed to new initial applications. The current government page remains relevant only to eligible legacy holders and their remaining deadlines. Official closure announcement · GOV.UK legacy guidance
Australia's Business Innovation and Investment Program, including its investor streams, closed permanently to new applications on 31 July 2024. Applications made before closure continue to be processed under the official legacy arrangements. Australian Home Affairs
Build a usable case timeline
Before choosing a route on speed, require a stage-by-stage plan with dated evidence:
- Define the start event: document preparation, portal submission, fee payment, complete-file confirmation or biometrics.
- Define the finish event: approval in principle, visa issue, permit decision, card collection or permanent residence.
- Separate government-controlled time from applicant preparation, investment completion, bank onboarding, translations and requests for more evidence.
- Record whether the clock pauses, whether days are calendar or working days, and whether an accelerated service is available and paid.
- Write the source and check date beside every number. Recheck dynamic tools immediately before filing or committing capital.
Evidence boundary
This comparison uses current official milestones only. It does not publish Movingto client-data ranges because no exact per-country export, sample size, cohort rule, milestone definition or distribution was available for independent verification. It also does not fill official gaps with unsourced market estimates.
What to compare after timing
Processing time is one filter. Compare eligibility, investment risk, source-of-funds evidence, family coverage, tax exposure, renewal conditions, physical-presence requirements and the legal route to permanent residence or citizenship before choosing a program.