# Mercan Group Since 1989. 37+ years setting the standard across the world. Mercan Group: investment-immigration (Golden Visas in Portugal, Greece, Panama) and traditional immigration (EB-3 USA, Bill C-3 Canadian citizenship, B2B foreign-worker recruitment) — under one firm since 1989. *By [Mercan Group of Companies](https://www.mercan.com/our-professional-team/) · https://www.mercan.com/* - **1,000+** Employees - **4,100+** Investor families - **30+** Hotels & projects - **50K+** Immigrants placed - **20K+** Workers recruited ## One firm, multiple services. ### Mercan Group: Immigration & Citizenship RCIC consultants in Canada. Regulated professionals on the Portugal, Greece, Panama, and USA routes. 37-year track record. - 4,100+ investor families - More: https://www.mercan.com/who-we-are/ ### Mercan Properties: Properties & Hotel Development Over 30 hotels and projects developed and operating with Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Hard Rock, Accor, Wyndham, and Renaissance: the assets your visa investment funds. - EUR 2.1B+ deployed - More: https://www.mercan.com/our-projects/ ### Mercan Recruit: Skilled Workforce B2B foreign-worker recruitment for US (EB-3) and Canada (LMIA, Francophone Mobility, employer-driven PR). Hospitality, manufacturing, food, construction, healthcare. - 20,000+ workers placed - More: https://www.mercanrecruit.com/ ### Mercan Immigration: Canadian Immigration RCIC-licensed Canadian immigration consulting, work permits, permanent residency, and the new Bill C-3 citizenship-by-descent route for Americans with Canadian roots. - RCIC-licensed since 1989 - More: https://www.mercan.com/canadian-citizenship-by-descent/ ## Immigration Programs Government-approved pathways to residency, citizenship, and employment-based green cards: each backed by real operating assets or a regulated employer. ### [Portugal Golden Visa](https://www.mercan.com/business-immigration/portugal-golden-visa/) EUR 500K into a CMVM-regulated venture-capital fund. EU residency in 18–24 months, with a clear citizenship pathway. - **Investment:** From EUR 500K - **Timeline:** 18–24 months ### [Greece Golden Visa](https://www.mercan.com/greece-golden-visa/) Real-estate investment from EUR 250K. Five-year renewable EU residence, no minimum-stay requirement, full Schengen access. - **Investment:** From EUR 250K - **Timeline:** 6–8 months ### [Panama QIP](https://www.mercan.com/panama-qualified-investor-program/) Qualified Investor Program. Permanent residency in approximately 30 days. Territorial tax. 5-year path to citizenship. - **Investment:** From USD 300K - **Timeline:** ~30 days ### [EB-3 USA Green Card](https://www.mercan.com/eb3-usa-green-card/) Employment-based US permanent residency. Three eligibility tracks. 21,500+ EB-3 cases processed at Mercan. - **Investment:** Employment-based - **Timeline:** Track-dependent ### [Canadian Citizenship by Descent](https://www.mercan.com/canadian-citizenship-by-descent/) Bill C-3 (Dec 2025) restored citizenship-by-descent beyond the first generation. Americans with a Canadian parent or grandparent may qualify. - **Investment:** No investment - **Timeline:** 8–12 months ## The portfolio behind the investment route. Each Golden Visa or QIP file lands in an operating hotel that Mercan Properties has built. Over 30 hotels and projects across Portugal, Greece, and Panama. - [Renaissance Lapa Park Porto Hotel](https://www.mercan.com/our-projects/renaissance-lapa-park-porto/): Marriott · Porto, Portugal · Operational - [Keranis Residences](https://www.mercan.com/our-projects/keranis-residences/): Keranis · Piraeus, Athens, Greece · Under Development - [Panama City Central](https://www.mercan.com/our-projects/panama-city-central/): Accor (Pullman) · Via España, Panama City, Panama · Under Development All projects: https://www.mercan.com/our-projects/ ## Frequently asked questions ### 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? Panama offers a 5-year path to citizenship. Greece is 7 years. Portugal's pathway was updated by the May 2026 Nationality Law to a 10-year residency timeline (counted from the date the residence permit is issued, per current indications and subject to final regulation); permanent residency in Portugal remains available after 5 years of legal residence. 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. --- Source: Mercan Group of Companies (https://www.mercan.com). Contact: https://www.mercan.com/contact-us/