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70% of the Golden visas, residency by investment, were purchased by Chinese
Residence permits to third-country nationals in 2019 increased by 22% compared to the year before. More specifically, according to state data there were 2,239 new residence permits issued during last year.
These permits were issued to buyers of real estate worth at least 250,000 euros, as the new bill passed late last year which provides the alternative of investing in securities or deposits had not yet come into force.
Since the beginning of the program in 2014, a total of 6,304 licenses have been granted. As already mentioned 2,239 were granted in 2019. 1,833 were issued in 2018, 959 in 2017, 488 in 2016, 421 in 2015 and 364 in 2014.
Most of the permanent residencies were acquired by Chinese (4,371 of the 6,304). The Turks come second with 487 Golden Visas, followed by the Russians with 382 permits. The top 10 also includes Lebanon with 148 permits, Egypt with 144, Iran with 104, Iraq with 96, Ukraine with 78, Jordan with 64, Syria with 58, while 376 permits have been issued to citizens of other countries.
Of the 18,616 citizens who have been granted residence permits (including investor family members), China tops the list with 13,075 citizens followed by Turkey with 1,342, Russia with 1,004 and Lebanon with 1,032.
Original Source: Euro2day
Adaptation/Translation: Kiki Athanasiadis