Best Site for Second Residency
Summary
The best site for a second residency depends on whether you want a cheap fast path (Paraguay, Mexico, Panama) or a residency that leads to EU citizenship after 5-10 years (Portugal, Greece, Italy). Henley & Partners publishes the most-cited research; Best Citizenships is the strongest free comparison portal. Get Golden Visa specializes in Portugal/Greece, Nomad Capitalist offers multi-jurisdiction planning. Major 2023-2025 changes: Spain ended its Golden Visa in April 2025, Portugal closed the real-estate route in 2023 but kept the fund route, Greece raised its real-estate minimum to €800k in popular zones.
Top 5 at a glance
| # | Site | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henley & Partners | Established advisory across every major residency-by-investment program | Advisory fees on top of government investment (typically $30k+ on top of $250k-€800k+) |
| 2 | Best Citizenships | Free comparison portal across all residency and citizenship programs | Free to read, optional paid consultation |
| 3 | Get Golden Visa | Portugal and Greece-focused Golden Visa specialist | Advisory fees on top of government investment |
| 4 | Nomad Capitalist | Holistic multi-flag planning combining residency, banking, and tax strategy | High consulting retainer (five figures starting) |
| 5 | Direct via local immigration lawyer (Paraguay, Mexico, Panama) | Cheap, fast residency programs handled directly without an international agency | Local lawyer fees typically $1,500-5,000 plus government fees |
Detailed rankings
Henley & Partners
Established advisory across every major residency-by-investment program
The default when your file is complex or large. For a simple D7 application in Portugal, a local lawyer is far cheaper.
Pros
- Government-accredited agent for most active RBI programs
- Publishes the Henley Private Wealth Migration Report and Passport Index
- Deep institutional bench for due diligence and document handling
- Multi-jurisdiction comparison without favoring a single country
- Reliable for files that may have flags (prior visa refusals, complex sources of funds)
Cons
- Premium pricing on advisory fees
- Content marketing tilts pro-program
- Less personal service than smaller boutique firms
- Not the cheapest option for any given program
Price: Advisory fees on top of government investment (typically $30k+ on top of $250k-€800k+)
Sources: www.henleyglobal.com
Best Citizenships
Free comparison portal across all residency and citizenship programs
The right first stop before paying any agency. Build your shortlist here, then engage a local specialist.
Pros
- Side-by-side program comparison tables updated as rules change
- Covers cheap programs (Paraguay, Panama, Mexico) that Henley does not lead with
- Useful for self-research before committing to any agency
- Free Q&A on common scenarios
Cons
- Lead-generation orientation on some pages
- Quality varies — verify everything against the official government source
- Smaller operation than Henley — not an accredited agent for most programs
Price: Free to read, optional paid consultation
Sources: best-citizenships.com
Get Golden Visa
Portugal and Greece-focused Golden Visa specialist
The right pick when you have already chosen Portugal or Greece and want a specialist over a generalist.
Pros
- Specialized depth in Portugal Golden Visa (now fund route only) and Greece
- Local presence in target countries
- Smaller-volume files served more personally than at Henley
- Real-estate market knowledge for Greece (where the route remains)
Cons
- Narrower geographic focus than the top-two firms
- Marketing is heavy on positive case studies — verify independently
- Less brand weight if regulatory issues arise
Price: Advisory fees on top of government investment
Sources: getgoldenvisa.com
Nomad Capitalist
Holistic multi-flag planning combining residency, banking, and tax strategy
The right pick when your situation is genuinely multi-jurisdictional and you want planning that goes beyond getting one residency card.
Pros
- Multi-jurisdiction planning, not single-program sales
- Extensive free educational content on YouTube and blog
- Strong critique of one-size-fits-all RBI marketing
- Honest about who actually saves taxes vs who does not
Cons
- Expensive — designed for clients with substantial wealth
- Marketing tone is strong in some content
- Less specialized in any single program than dedicated firms
- Overkill for users who only need one residency
Price: High consulting retainer (five figures starting)
Sources: nomadcapitalist.com
Direct via local immigration lawyer (Paraguay, Mexico, Panama)
Cheap, fast residency programs handled directly without an international agency
The right pick for the cheap-residency path. Best Citizenships or community forums help identify the right local lawyer in your target country.
Pros
- Far cheaper than international RBI agencies
- Paraguay residency historically possible for under $5,000 all-in
- Mexico Temporary Resident Visa achievable via consulate at home for income-qualified applicants
- Panama Friendly Nations Visa remains workable despite 2021 changes
- Local lawyers know the practical reality of each country
Cons
- Quality of local lawyers varies — vet carefully
- Less hand-holding than international agencies
- Language can be a barrier in some jurisdictions
- No multi-jurisdiction comparison — you must already know which country you want
Price: Local lawyer fees typically $1,500-5,000 plus government fees
Sources: www.expatfocus.com
Visit Direct via local immigration lawyer (Paraguay, Mexico, Panama) →
How we chose
- Path to citizenship — does this residency convert to a passport, and after how long?
- Physical presence requirements — some programs allow 0 days/year, some require 183.
- Real cost — government investment plus advisor and ongoing maintenance fees.
- Tax residency implications — moving residency rarely changes home-country tax status alone.
- Recent program changes — Spain, Portugal, Greece all reformed in 2023-2025.
- Honest scope — residency is a meaningful commitment, not a passport hack.
Frequently asked questions
Does a second residency reduce my home-country taxes?
Usually no, by itself. Most home countries tax you as a resident until you actually move and break tax residency under their domestic rules and applicable tax treaty tie-breakers. The US taxes by citizenship regardless of residency. Other countries require you to actually live elsewhere for most of the year and cut substantive ties. A residency card in another country does not by itself change anything — what changes things is moving.
What happened to Spain's Golden Visa?
Spain's parliament ended the Golden Visa program in April 2025. The official rationale was housing-affordability impact in major cities. Applications submitted before the cutoff continue to process. Spain still offers non-lucrative visa, digital nomad visa, and the standard work visa routes — none of which require €500k investment but each has its own income and condition requirements.
Is Portugal's D7 still active?
Yes. The D7 (passive-income visa) and the newer Digital Nomad visa remain active. Portugal closed the Golden Visa real-estate route in 2023 but kept the fund-investment route at €500k. The D7 requires demonstrating regular passive income (rough rule of thumb: above the Portuguese minimum wage, ~€870/month in 2026 — verify current threshold) and is much cheaper than Golden Visa.
What is the cheapest residency that leads to citizenship?
Portugal D7 leads to citizenship after 5 years of legal residence (one of the fastest naturalization paths in Europe). Total cost is mostly local rent and proven income, not a large lump-sum investment. Paraguay was historically very cheap and led to citizenship after 3 years; rules tightened in 2024 — verify current physical-presence requirement. Argentina is sometimes cited for cheap citizenship after 2 years residency but ongoing economic volatility complicates the practical experience.
What about the UAE Golden Visa?
UAE Golden Visa offers 10-year renewable residency for investors (AED 2M real-estate purchase commonly cited), entrepreneurs, scientists, and certain professionals. It does not lead to citizenship — the UAE essentially does not naturalize foreigners. Strong for tax positioning (no personal income tax) but not for passport accumulation. Confirm current property minimum and rules with the official ICP/GDRFA portal before relying on third-party figures.