- CMVM Fund #2331Portugal regulated
- ICCRC-RegulatedCanadian consultants
- Government PartnershipPanama QIP · 2024
- Est. 198937 years operating
One firm, four disciplines.
Vertically integrated since 1989; we advise, develop, recruit, and now restore Canadian citizenship by descent. Every visa we file lands on an asset we built or a workforce we placed.
Most firms place your visa file.
We place your capital.
The structural difference between Mercan and an advisory-only firm — and why investors keep choosing it.
Capital sits in real estate
Your golden-visa investment funds an operating hotel, not a paper unit. CMVM-regulated, branded under Hilton / Marriott / IHG.
Built and operated by us
Mercan Properties develops the asset; AHM (Ace Hospitality) operates it. End-to-end, not a referral chain.
Visit before. And after.
Walk through any of our 26 properties before you invest, and stay in them after. Real assets you can touch.
Immigration Programs
Government-approved pathways to residency, citizenship, and employment-based green cards: each backed by real operating assets or a regulated employer.
Program Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | Portugal | Greece | Panama |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Investment | EUR 500,000 | EUR 250,000 | USD 300,000 |
| Investment Type | Venture Capital Fund | Real Estate | Qualified Investment |
| Processing Time | 18–24 months | 6–8 months | ~30 days |
| Residency Requirement | 7 days/year | None | None |
| Path to Citizenship | 5 years | 7 years | 5 years |
| Schengen / Visa-Free Access | Schengen — yes | Schengen — yes | 170+ countries |
| Family Included | Spouse, children, parents | Spouse, children | Spouse, children |
| Best For | EU citizenship pathway | Lower entry cost + EU access | Speed — residency in 30 days |
A portfolio you can visit.
EUR 2.1B+ deployed across 26 hotels in Portugal, Greece, and Panama. The visas we advise on land here, in operating real estate, not promises.
Operated under international brand partnerships
Latest News
Updates on programs, hotel openings, and Mercan Group milestones.
Official Government Partnership
In 2024, Mercan Group became the exclusive worldwide partner of the Government of Panama for the Qualified Investor Program — recognition of three decades of investment-immigration practice and a formal mandate to bring international investors into the program.
- Only firm with an official Government of Panama partnership
- Direct access to expedited application processing
- Co-branded with the Ministerio de Comercio e Industrias
Gobierno NacionalINDUSTRIAS
What most investors ask first
Straight answers to the objection-handling questions that come up on every discovery call.
How long does a golden visa take to process?
Processing times depend on the country and program. Panama's Qualified Investor Program issues residency in approximately 30 days. Greece's Golden Visa typically takes 6–8 months. Portugal's Golden Visa currently runs 18–24 months end-to-end. We manage the file from initial eligibility check through biometrics and card issuance.Is the Portugal €500K fund investment refundable?
The fund is redeemable at the end of its regulated lifecycle (typically 6–10 years depending on the vehicle), not on demand. Capital is exposed to the fund's underlying asset performance — it is a real investment, not a deposit. All funds we advise on are CMVM-regulated; we only place clients into vehicles we've personally diligenced.Do I need to live in Portugal, Greece, or Panama to keep the visa?
Minimum-stay requirements are far lighter than most clients expect. Portugal requires only 7 days per year (14 days every 2 years). Greece has no minimum-stay requirement. Panama also has no minimum-stay requirement once residency is issued. This is a deliberate feature of these programs — they're designed for investors who need optionality, not relocation.Are my spouse and children included in the application?
Yes. All programs we advise on allow dependent family members to obtain residency through the same application. Portugal includes spouse, children (dependent at any age if in full-time study), and parents. Greece and Panama include spouse and dependent children. Family members gain the same rights of travel, residency, and eventual citizenship eligibility as the primary applicant.What happens to my residency if the fund underperforms?
Residency status is tied to the investment being held for the required period (typically 5 years), not to its market performance. If the fund's NAV declines, your residency is unaffected. If the fund is liquidated before the holding period ends, you must redeploy capital into another qualifying investment to maintain the visa. We model this risk up front.When can I apply for citizenship?
Portugal and Panama both offer a 5-year path to citizenship. Greece is 7 years. Each country has its own language, residency-continuity, and clean-record requirements — Portugal's A2 Portuguese test and a basic clean-record are the usual hurdles. We provide a full citizenship-readiness review before you submit the naturalization file.
The Mercan dispatch.
Quarterly briefings on program changes, new hotel openings, and visa-related news. No spam; unsubscribe anytime.