20 UGLOBAL IMMIGRATION MAGAZINE
NAVIGATING EUROPEAN HORIZONS : PORTUGAL ' S SHIFT AND THE RISING APPEAL OF MALTA AND SPAIN
BY CHRISTOPHER WILLIS
These countries are taking advantage of Portugal ' s decision to remove the real estate option as a qualifying investment and benefiting from the continued demand for residency in Europe .
The residency and citizenship by investment ( RCBI ) programs resemble Charles Darwin ’ s theory of evolution . Countries give birth to new programs , and these evolve to thrive or flounder and die . The competitive field of investment migration is very much a case of survival of the fittest .
Take Portugal , for example . Until this year , it was the premier European destination for foreign entrepreneurs . But it ’ s losing pace with its European Union ( EUR ) rivals after stripping the real estate option from its golden visa program . This decision has led to a spike in interest in other European countries , mainly Malta and Spain , which offer similar