Of the total investment last month, €87.8 million was in the form of property purchases, while capital transfers totalled €11.7 million.

The number of golden visas issued in February was 155, of which 143 were for property purchases, 11 for capital transfers and just one for creating at least 10 jobs.

Of the visas for property purchases, five were for urban rehabilitation, for which the threshold is lower, at €250,000, than the general threshold of €500,000, under amended rules introduced in September of 2015.

In all, 17 golden visas have been issued for urban rehabilitation, with the first issued in July last year.

In cumulative terms - since the golden visa programme began in October 2012 - investment through the scheme has totalled €2.808 billion. Since the programme began 4,578 residency permits have been issued under it, including 376 so far this year.

The vast majority of those were issued to citizens of China, at 3,207, followed by Brazil, at 319, Russia, at 167, South Africa, at 156, and Lebanon, at 88.

Since 2013 a further 7,396 residency permits have been issued to family members of golden visa holders.