The Pat Kenny Show Hundreds of Chinese millionaires approved for Irish “golden visas”
Sep 9, 2025
Chinese millionaires are flocking to Ireland for golden visas after the program's revival. The discussion uncovers the significant number of approvals from China, despite prior concerns leading to the scheme's closure. Attention turns to issues of transparency and accountability in the visa approval process, sparking controversy over its effectiveness. The economic implications of the scheme are explored, alongside comparisons to similar situations in Britain, raising questions about necessity and oversight in today's market.
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Closure Didn't Stop Approvals
- The golden visa scheme was closed with 24 hours' notice in February 2023 but existing applications were allowed to continue.
- Rather than winding down, approvals surged with record applications in 2023 and approvals in 2024.
Chinese Applicants Dominated
- Most approved applicants were Chinese: 943 successful Chinese applications through mid-2024.
- A further smaller number came from the US, Taiwan and scattered other countries.
Large Backlog At Closure
- About 890 applications were refused or withdrawn, mostly Chinese, and around 1,600 were still in progress by July.
- That implies roughly 3,500 applications were active when the scheme shut down abruptly.