In recent years, the demand for EU residency and citizenship has exploded. With that demand, however, a parallel market of misleading offers, unofficial “consultants,” and outright fabricated schemes has emerged, especially online.
At NTL Trust, our responsibility is to help clients understand legitimate pathways while quietly steering them away from options that simply do not exist in EU law.
Slovenia: The Latest Internet Fad
Slovenia has become one of the most frequently impersonated EU countries in online “fast citizenship” or “passport in 3 months” claims.
The reality is very different.
What is real?
- Slovenia offers citizenship by birth, by descent, or by naturalization
- Naturalization requires long-term continuous residence and meeting strict legal criteria
- Extraordinary naturalization exists only in narrowly defined national-interest cases
- Citizenship applications must be filed directly with Slovenian authorities or official diplomatic missions
What is not real?
- No company, intermediary, or “adviser” can sell, fast-track, or guarantee Slovenian citizenship
- No “Slovenian passport by investment” program exists
- Any entity charging €20,000–€50,000 for “Slovenian citizenship processing” is misrepresenting its authority
- The official application fee is roughly €400, not tens of thousands
These third-party operators might appear professional, but the Slovenian government does not endorse their information, even when the offer looks legal at first glance.
Official information always ends in gov.si.
Romania: Residency Through Business Not Citizenship by Investment
Romania appears often in misleading online ads offering “Romanian citizenship in 6 months” or “EU passport by investment.”
Here is the factual structure:
What is real?
- You can obtain residency by opening and actively maintaining a business
- Long-term residency can eventually lead to permanent residency
- Citizenship is possible only through naturalization, after years of legal stay and meeting language and integration requirements
*In October of 2025 Romania announced a proposal for a Golden Visa Program where discerning investors could get a permit while maintaining a five year investment of 400,000 euros. The bill is yet to be passed and become accessible to investors.
What is not real?
- Romania does not have a Golden Visa set up yet
- Romania does not offer Citizenship by Investment
- Incorporating a company does not create an automatic or “fast-track” citizenship route
Residency-by-business is simply a way to live in the country. And similarly like many other countries, after a certain number of years and other requirements fulfilled (like a language test, or sworn oath) investors can become citizens of Romania by naturalization.
Bulgaria: No Golden Passport Since 2022
Bulgaria was once known for its investment-based permanent residency route, which led to confusion globally.
However, the situation changed completely.
What is real?
- Bulgaria offers residency and citizenship only through traditional routes: descent, marriage, or long-term naturalization
- Language knowledge and cultural integration are required
- Permanent residents can apply for naturalization only if all statutory conditions are met
What is not real?
- The Golden Passport scheme was abolished in 2022
- No investment route leads directly to Bulgarian citizenship
- Online claims such as “Bulgarian passport via donation” or “EU passport in 12 months” are inaccurate
Even long-term permanent residents frequently face extensive scrutiny. Appeals are limited, and approvals are not guaranteed.
Common Misrepresentations Across Europe
Across Reddit, social media ads, and Google search results, several recurring patterns appear:
Examples of misleading claims
- “EU citizenship in 30 days”
- “Romanian passport in 3–6 months”
- “Swiss or Andorran citizenship by investment”
- “EU passport without living in the EU”
How these schemes work
- Fake paperwork pretending to be official documents
- Forged ancestry certificates for “citizenship by descent”
- Counterfeit passports that fail verification at first border crossing
- Fraudulent ‘investment’ projects claiming to be government-approved
These are not shortcuts: they are legal liabilities.
So What Is the Right Way to Pursue EU Residency?
While the internet is full of shortcuts, “special routes,” and miracle offers, the reality is simple:
EU residency (and eventually EU citizenship) is only possible through structured, legal, government-regulated programs.
These programs have transparent laws, published fees, and predictable timelines and thousands of investors safely use them every year.
Below are two of the most reliable and widely used pathways our clients choose:
Greece Golden Visa: Real Estate or Financial Investment
Greece remains one of the most stable, investor-friendly EU residency options. It offers lifestyle value, mobility benefits, and a clear legal structure.
Why investors choose it
- Real Estate Investment from €250,000, depending on property location and category
- No minimum stay requirement: keep your residency even if you don’t relocate
- Schengen mobility, allowing you to live and travel freely across 27 EU countries
- A real, legislated route with predictable steps and government oversight
- Option to pursue Greek citizenship after 7 years of tax residency, following standard EU naturalization rules
Greece Golden Visa works especially well for families, remote entrepreneurs, retirees, and investors looking for a long-term European base without needing to uproot their lives.
Latvia Residency Through Business: A Practical, Fast EU Entry
Latvia does not offer citizenship by investment, but it does offer one of Europe’s most accessible business-based residency routes.
It’s ideal for entrepreneurs, digital business owners, and investors seeking an EU foothold with modest capital requirements.
What the program offers
- Investment from €50,000–€89,900 into a new or existing company
- Residency granted in as little as 1–3 months
- Eligibility for spouse + dependent children
- Transparent tax environment (25.5–33%) and low operational costs
- Pathway to long-term stay, permanent residence after 5 years, citizenship after 10 (via naturalization)
Unlike misleading “EU passport” shortcuts promoted online, the Latvian model is a classic, law-based business residency framework: you invest, operate or participate in a company, live in Latvia if you choose, and gradually build your legal pathway to European status.
How to Know What Programs are Real
Legally accessible programs are:
- Real (enshrined in national law and visible on government websites)
- Regulated (processed by actual government ministries)
- Transparent (public fees, documented steps, no intermediaries “fast-tracking” anything)
- Safe paths to EU residency, mobility, and, if desired, long-term naturalization
They don’t promise a “quick EU passport.”
They don’t rely on loopholes.
And they don’t put you at legal risk.
They simply work.
Why Having Correct Information Matters
The EU does not sell passports. It does not fast-track citizenship for a fee.
And it does not outsource citizenship decisions to private companies.
Understanding this protects investors and citizenship by investment companies too, preserves personal security, and ensures full compliance with European law.
NTL Trust has worked for over 30 years to guide families through legitimate pathways to global mobility: always through transparent, government-regulated programs.
If you’re exploring residency or citizenship options in Europe, we’re here to provide clarity, explain realistic timelines, and design a safe, strategic Plan B that aligns with your goals.
