Golden Visa searches surge 378% as global investors brace for higher taxes

This comes ahead of the UK's upcoming Autumn Budget, which is expected to bring higher wealth taxes - such capital gains and inheritance tax - and perhaps even further tightening of non-dom regulation

Interest in Golden Visas and residency-by-investment (RBI) programmes has exploded globally, with online searches rising as much as 378% over the past year, according to new analysis from international property consultancy Astons. The sharp increase comes as high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) brace for the UK’s upcoming Autumn Budget, which is expected to raise wealth-related taxes—including capital gains and inheritance tax—and further tighten non-dom rules.

 

The trend reflects what Astons calls a “strategic financial pivot,” with wealthy individuals increasingly exploring migration options to protect capital, secure tax efficiency, and diversify global mobility.

 

Investment Visa Searches Surge 377.8%

 

Google Trends data analysed by Astons shows a broad-based spike in searches for migration-linked terms between October 2024 and October 2025: 

Online search interest data sourced from Google Trends

 

The biggest mover was “Investment Visa”, rising from a search score of 6.75 (Oct 2024) to 32.25 (Oct 2025).  

A value of 50 means that the term is half as popular. A score of 0 means that there was not enough data for this term.

 

The average interest over the past three months alone was 62.43, up from 14.72 in the previous three months.

 

Searches for “Residency by Investment” jumped from 11.75 to 39.75 over the same period, driven largely by an extraordinary surge from August to October, where average scores rose more than 3.5x.

 

Greece and Italy Golden Visas Dominate the Surge

 

Among individual Golden Visa destinations, Greece and Italy saw the fastest growth:

 

Italy Golden Visa:

• 388.9% annual rise
• Search score jumped from 6.75 → 33.00
• Recent 3-month average: 65.10

•  

 

Greece Golden Visa:

 

• 257.1% annual rise
• Last 3 months saw a 304.7% surge
• Recent 3-month average: 61.72

•  

Portugal Golden Visa:

• 189.8% annual rise
• Recent 3-month average: 58.23

•  

Astons attributes the dominance of Greece to its clear value proposition:

 

Minimum investment of just €250,000 (commercial property convertible to residential)

• Strong real estate performance
• EU mobility
• Relaxed lifestyle
• A highly attractive Non-Dom tax regime allowing a flat €100,000 annual tax on global income—regardless of amount.

 

"Additionally, Greece’s Non-Dom regime offers major tax advantages. Instead of being subject to standard progressive income tax rates,  up to 45% in Greece, eligible individuals can opt to pay a flat annual tax of just €100,000, regardless of the source or amount of their global income," said  Suzanna Uzakova, Senior Consultant for Residency and Citizenship Programmes at  Astons.

 

 

Why the Surge Now?

 

“This immense surge in Golden Visa interest demonstrates just how much thought the world’s HNWIs are giving to migration as a strategic financial safeguard, as well as a lifestyle choice," said Uzakova.

 

She added that leading economies are facing “a moment of deep uncertainty,” prompting wealthy individuals to explore alternatives offering stability, mobility, and tax efficiency.

 

With the UK expected to target high-net-worth taxpayers in the upcoming Budget, Uzakova believes Golden Visa activity will only accelerate.

 

Lifestyle + Tax + Investment Appeal

 

Greece is emerging as the biggest beneficiary due to:

 

• Affordable entry point (€250,000)
• Strong real estate market
• EU access
• Tax-friendly Non-Dom regime
• Growing interest from UK and US citizens seeking a quieter, more cost-efficient base of operations
• Italy and Portugal continue to attract steady demand due to their mix of lifestyle appeal, business-friendly environment, and well-established investment migration infrastructure.

 

What This Means for Wealth Investors

 

Astons notes that HNWIs are increasingly treating second residency as:

 

• A tax strategy
• A portfolio diversification tool
• A hedge against geopolitical and market risks
• A way to ease international business and travel
• A long-term family mobility plan

•  

Through 2026, experts expect:

 

• Continued migration from high-tax jurisdictions (UK, parts of EU, US)
• Increased interest in EU-access countries with friendly RBI regimes
• A shift from citizenship-by-investment to residency-first pathways due to tightening rules