The End of “Buying Europe”? Golden Visas Are Fading… But Not Everywhere

From Spain’s shutdown to Hungary’s comeback, Europe is quietly rewriting the rules of who gets in—and why.

For years, Europe had a quiet backdoor.

Not illegal. Not hidden. Just… expensive.

They called them golden visas: invest enough money—usually in real estate—and you could unlock residency in an EU country. No need to fully relocate. No need to integrate. In some cases, barely any need to show up.

It was, in essence, mobility-as-a-service for the wealthy.

And…