Golden visa lawyer fees are separate from government fees, the qualifying investment and third-party costs, and the scope in the engagement letter explains most of the gap between quotes. No country publishes an official legal-fee scale. For Portugal, GVL's planning estimate is about EUR 5,000-EUR 10,000 for a full initial engagement for one applicant.
Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 Next review: 27 December 2026
How much are golden visa lawyer fees by country?
Every figure in the legal-fee column is labelled with its basis. "GVL estimate" means an editorial planning figure, not a market survey, an official rate or a quote. "Directory-observed" means a count of the firms on this directory that publish a fee band.
| Country | Legal or professional fee | Basis | Official costs you pay on top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | EUR 5,000-EUR 10,000 for one applicant; most common published band $2,000-$5,000 | GVL estimate; directory-observed, 13 of 34 firms, 25 Sep 2026 | AIMA: EUR 6,946.30 per applicant for the first permit, EUR 3,789.90 per applicant per renewal |
| Greece | EUR 3,000-EUR 8,000+ for the immigration filing | GVL estimate | Property from EUR 400,000, or EUR 800,000 in high-demand areas |
| Malta | Quote-based, through a Licensed Agent | No estimate published | EUR 60,000 administrative fee, EUR 37,000 contribution, EUR 2,000 donation |
| Italy | EUR 5,000-EUR 15,000 | GVL estimate | Investment from EUR 250,000 (innovative startup) |
| Cyprus | EUR 2,000-EUR 5,000 for the immigration file | GVL estimate | Investment from EUR 300,000 plus VAT where applicable |
| Hungary | Quote-based | No estimate published | EUR 250,000 in an approved real-estate fund |
| UAE | AED 2,000-AED 15,000+ in service or advisory fees | GVL estimate | Government and medical fees are separate |
Official costs are sourced country by country below. Quotes above the planning figure are common for families, US taxpayers, complex source-of-funds files and property due diligence.
What is a lawyer fee, and what is not?
Five kinds of money get bundled into "golden visa cost":
- Lawyer fee: legal advice, document preparation, powers of attorney, filing, authority correspondence and, if written into the engagement, renewals.
- Government fees: paid to the immigration authority, not the lawyer.
- Qualifying investment: capital you commit, not a fee.
- Third-party costs: notary, land registry, translations, apostilles, bank and fund charges, insurance.
- Tax advice: usually a separate engagement, and often essential for US citizens and globally mobile families.
What do golden visa lawyers charge in Portugal?
GVL's planning estimate is EUR 5,000-EUR 10,000 for a full initial engagement for one applicant, more for families or complex source-of-funds work. Of the 34 Portugal firms on this directory, 13 publish a fee band, and the most common is $2,000-$5,000 (25 September 2026). AIMA's government fees are separate: EUR 6,946.30 per applicant for the first permit and EUR 3,789.90 per applicant at each renewal, under the fee table effective 1 March 2026 (checked 27 September 2026). The qualifying fund investment is EUR 500,000 (AIMA).
For what Portugal quotes include, how the directory bands are counted and a family cost model, see the Portugal Golden Visa lawyer fees guide.
What do golden visa lawyers charge in Greece?
GVL estimate: EUR 3,000-EUR 8,000+ for the immigration filing. Most Greek cases are property purchases, so the legal work splits in two: the residence-permit filing, and the property transaction (title, encumbrance, permit and zoning checks, notary and land registry). Ask whether a quote covers both. A filing-only quote can leave out the due diligence that protects the purchase.
Since 1 September 2024 the property minimum is EUR 800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands over 3,100 residents, EUR 400,000 elsewhere, and EUR 250,000 only for commercial-to-residential conversions or listed-building restorations (Law 5038/2023 art. 100, as amended by Law 5100/2024, checked 27 September 2026). Transfer tax, notary, land registry and agent commission are extra.
What does a Malta MPRP Licensed Agent charge?
GVL publishes no estimate: professional fees are quote-based, and MPRP applications must be submitted through a Licensed Agent (Residency Malta, checked 27 September 2026). The agent's fee is separate from the official programme costs:
- Administrative fee: EUR 60,000 for the main applicant, non-refundable
- Government contribution: EUR 37,000. Residency Malta lists this one figure for both the purchase and rental routes; the former split by route was replaced under Legal Notice 146 of 2025.
- Property: purchase from EUR 375,000, or rent from EUR 14,000 a year
- Donation: EUR 2,000 to a registered Maltese NGO
- EUR 7,500 for each adult dependant other than the spouse
Before paying, confirm the agent's licence and whether any introducer is paid from your fee.
What do golden visa lawyers charge in Italy?
GVL estimate: EUR 5,000-EUR 15,000. Italy's Investor Visa has four routes: EUR 250,000 in an innovative startup, EUR 500,000 in an Italian company or qualifying Italian venture-capital fund, a EUR 1 million donation, or EUR 2 million in Italian government bonds, with the investment completed within three months of entering Italy (D.Lgs 286/1998 art. 26-bis; Investor Visa for Italy, checked 27 September 2026). Fees rise when the lawyer also reviews the startup or company, or coordinates tax planning.
What do golden visa lawyers charge in Cyprus?
GVL estimate: EUR 2,000-EUR 5,000 for the immigration file. Cyprus's fast-track permanent residence needs a EUR 300,000 investment plus secured income of EUR 50,000 a year (Cyprus Migration Department, checked 27 September 2026). Property legal work (sale agreement, developer and title checks, VAT and stamp duty) is often priced separately, so compare quotes on the same scope.
What does a Hungary Guest Investor adviser charge?
GVL publishes no estimate: packages are quote-based and often bundle fund subscription, compliance and filing support. The routes are EUR 250,000 in an approved real-estate fund or a EUR 1 million donation to a higher-education institution (OIF). Ask whether your adviser is giving legal advice or selling a fund. Those are different roles and should be disclosed.
What do UAE golden visa service providers charge?
GVL estimate: AED 2,000-AED 15,000+ in service or advisory fees. Many UAE cases run through official service channels without a lawyer; legal help earns its fee on property valuation, company ownership, nomination or family sponsorship. Ask for government, medical and Emirates ID fees to be itemised apart from the service charge.
What should a golden visa legal fee include?
A full-service quote should list:
- Eligibility and route review
- Document checklist and review, including source of funds
- Powers of attorney and application forms
- Filing, biometrics guidance and authority correspondence
- Family members, priced per person or as a package
- Renewal support, only if written in
It usually excludes government fees, the investment, transfer taxes, notary and registry fees, fund charges, translations and apostilles, travel, insurance, tax advice, appeals and the later citizenship application. If a provider says "all-inclusive", ask for the itemised list.
How do you compare golden visa lawyer quotes?
- Is the fee fixed, hourly or paid by milestone?
- Does it cover the main applicant only or the family, and what does each dependant cost?
- Are government fees excluded?
- Are renewals, investment due diligence and tax advice included?
- What happens if the authority asks for more documents or refuses the application?
- Which fees are refundable?
- Is the lawyer independent of the investment provider?
- Who handles the file day to day?
Walk away from anyone who guarantees approval, will not put the fee in writing, will not separate government fees from their own, or cannot say who is licensed to act for you.
Do you need a lawyer for a golden visa?
Malta is the clear case: MPRP applications must go through a Licensed Agent. In Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Italy a private lawyer is not mandatory for every step, but most applicants use one because of foreign documents, powers of attorney and investment compliance. Spain closed new investor applications on 3 April 2025 (Organic Law 1/2025, BOE), so Spanish legal help now concerns existing permits and renewals.
FAQs
How much does a Golden Visa lawyer cost?
It depends on the country, route, family size and scope, and no country publishes an official legal-fee scale. For Portugal, GVL's planning estimate is about EUR 5,000-EUR 10,000 for a full initial engagement for one applicant. The table above labels the basis of every other figure.
Are Golden Visa lawyer fees included in the investment amount?
No. The qualifying investment and the legal fee are separate. A EUR 500,000 investment requirement does not include lawyer fees, government fees, translations, apostilles, tax advice or transaction costs.
Do I need a lawyer for a Golden Visa?
Malta MPRP applications must go through a Licensed Agent. Elsewhere a lawyer is not always mandatory, but most applicants use one because the file involves high-value investments, foreign documents, authority filings and family members.
Why do Golden Visa lawyer quotes vary so much?
Because the scope varies. One quote covers only the immigration filing; another adds family members, renewals, source-of-funds review, property or fund due diligence and tax coordination.
Do lawyers charge per person or per family?
Both models exist: a main-applicant fee plus a fee per dependant, or a family package. Ask whether the spouse, children, parents and adult dependants are included.
Are Golden Visa lawyer fees refundable?
Usually not once work has started, but the engagement letter decides. Ask what happens if you withdraw, change country or are refused.
Is Spain still accepting Golden Visa applications?
No. Spain closed new investor applications from 3 April 2025. Legal support now concerns applications filed before that date, existing permits and their renewals.
Methodology and sources
Legal-fee figures are GVL editorial planning estimates unless marked directory-observed; none is an official rate or a quote. The Portugal directory band counts the firms on this directory that publish a fee band, as described in the Portugal Golden Visa lawyer fees guide. Official costs and thresholds come from these primary sources, checked on 27 September 2026:
- AIMA, Portugal: fee table effective 1 March 2026
- AIMA, Portugal: investment residence permit (ARI)
- Greece: Law 5038/2023 art. 100, as amended by Law 5100/2024
- Residency Malta: MPRP legal framework, fees and Licensed Agent rule
- Italy: D.Lgs 286/1998 art. 26-bis (Normattiva)
- Investor Visa for Italy (official programme site)
- Cyprus Migration Department: investor permit criteria
- Hungary OIF: residence permit for guest investors
- Spain: Organic Law 1/2025 (BOE)
Fee schedules change. Confirm current official fees before signing an engagement letter or committing capital.