Meet the Countries That Sell Citizenship For Money.

Looking to buy an instant citizenship?

The Citizenship by Investment (CBI) schemes offer instant citizenship against making a donation to Government fund or buying a real estate above certain limit. Prices currently start from $100,000 under donation option or $200,000 for real estate.

The idea of buying a citizenship started when a small tiny island of St Kitts and Nevis introduced “oldest”  economic citizenship program in 1984. The Commonwealth of Dominica (not to be confused with Dominican Republic) followed St Kitts by introducing another citizenship by investment scheme in 1990’s. Not many people knew about these programs back then, it was only in 2009, when St Kitts and Nevis signed visa waiver agreement with European Union (schengen states), these citizenship programs gained glory and the whole new citizenship by investment  industry was born.

A passport is considered to be the ultimate luxury symbol among the rich and wealth. Many consider a passport as an ultimate life insurance for emergency. So what are the benefits and perks?

• Global mobility and freedom of movement
• Second home with citizenship for family and children
• Access to best education, healthcare and quality of life
• Tax and estate planning
• No physical residence requirements
• No requirement to live or visit the country after receiving passports.

It is estimated about 1% of the worlds rich, spend $1 billion in citizenship passports every year. IMF reported citizenship sales brought St Kitts and Nevis inflows upto 25% of GDP. The same was experienced in Dominica and Dominica. In 2015 a tropical storm wiped out 90% Dominica, funds from citizenship program helped Dominica to recover. In Malta, the revenues from Individual investor programme, accounted for 40% of 2014 tax revenues. Cyprus through the inflows from citizenship program in 2011 the real estate market is growing steadily now, and the economy is recovering from banking crisis in 2013 during which many cypriot banks has suffered losses and many wealthy russians who had over 100,000 euros with banks lost their money.

As of 2020, there are 14 citizenship by investment schemes and these schemes have earned atleast $15 billion revenues for Governments, according to a study

I have prepared quick list of countries, where you can get instant citizenship within months against paying one time investment to the Government. Please note that in most countries tax status is based on residency not citizenship.

My recommendation: If you have the money, then go for it.

Here are some of the tips to select the suitable instant citizenship scheme for you.

• Antigua has the cheapest and most affordable caribbean passport for families.
• Dominica and St Lucia is the cheapest instant caribbean passport for single or one persons
• Grenada has the most valuable and best passport in the Caribbean
• Vanuatu has simple application and only CBI passport from the pacific country
• Malta offers direct EU citizenship but strict application process (best suited for HNWI)

Country	Started in	Minimum Investment **	Residency requirements	Time for citizenship + passport	Visa free countries*
Malta	2013	€ 750,000	12 months	12-15 months	182
Cyprus (closed)	2011	€ 2,150,000	6 months	6 months	173
Dominica	1993	$100,000	none	3 months	137
Vanuatu	2015	$130,000	none	1 month	129
St Kitts & Nevis	1984	$150,000	none	2 months	151
Antigua & Barbuda	2013	$100,000	5 days	3 months	150
Grenada	2014	$150,000	none	3 months	143
St Lucia	2015	$100,000	none	3 months	145
Turkey	2017	$250,000	none	4 months	111
Jordan	2018	$1,000,000	3 years	36 months	92
North Macedonia	2017	$200,000	none	3 months	125
Moldova	2017	€ 100,000 (closed)	none	3 months	122
Montenegro	2018	€250,000 ( real estate)	none	3 months	123

* Passport rank and visa free countries according to 2019 Henley passport index
** You also have to pay additional fees such as Government fee, due diligence fee, lawyer fee, passport fee above the minimum investment.
***All applicants under background checks and must be cleared before passports are issued.

Note: Moldova, Montenegro passports do not have visa free access to United Kingdom. Turkish passport do not have visa free access to schengen area.

1. Dominica

Qualifying investments for instant citizenship in Dominica.

USD 100,000 (one time donation to St Kitts Government fund)

USD 200,000 property investment in Dominica real estate market

• Cheapest citizenship program for single persons.
• No residency requirement to live in Dominica before or after citizenship.
• No visit to Dominica required to get citizenship.
• Passport valid for 10 years.
• Immediate citizenship for family and children.
• No interviews. No language tests. No business experience.
• No wealth, gift, inheritance, foreign income or capital gains tax.
• Confidential citizenship application process.
• Dominica passport offers visa free travel to EU/UK/Switzerland etc.

2. St Kitts and Nevis

Qualifying investments for immediate citizenship in St Kitts & Nevis

USD 150,000 one time contribution to Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF scheme open until March 30, 2018)

USD 200,000 real estate investment (property ownership 7 years). Joint permitted each make  $200,000 property investment

• Oldest and most popular citizenship program.
• No residence requirements (before or after getting passport).
• No interviews, no business experience, no english tests.
• Citizenship for family members (spouse and children)
• Lifetime citizenship with one time investment
• Confidential citizenship application process.
• No visit to country required for citizenship process.
• St Kitts passport offers visa free travel to EU schengen, UK, Ireland, Switzerland, Singapore etc.

3. Grenada

Qualifying investments for instant citizenship in Grenada

USD 150,000 one time payment to Grenada Government  fund

USD 350,000 purchase of  real estate property in Grenada

• Lifetime citizenship to family and children (citizenship passed on to future generations).
• Best valuable caribbean passport
• Apply for E2 US visa as grenada citizen (cheapest alternative to EB-5 route to United States)
• Confidential application process with no exchange of information with other Governments
• Very fast processing approval time within 60 days
• No interviews, No language tests, No military service, No business experience
• Visa free travel to China using Grenada passport
• Grenada passport valid for 5 years.
• Confidential application process through authorized agents and service providers.
• no income, wealth or inheritance taxes.

4. Saint Lucia

Qualifying investments for instant citizenship in St Lucia

USD 100,000 one time payment to St Lucia Government fund

USD 300,000 property purchase in St Lucia real estate market

USD 250,000 Covid Government bonds (fully refunded after 5 years no interest)

USD 1,500,000 business capital investment in St Lucia

• Newest citizenship by investment program launched in 2015
• Visa free travel to visit over 120 countries including UK, EU Schengen states
• Fast processing within 2 months
• No requirement to live or visit the country
• Very fast processing approval time within 60 days
• Confidential application process.
• No income, wealth or inheritance taxes.

5. Antigua and Barbuda

Qualifying investments for instant citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda.

USD 100,000 one time payment to Antigua NDF Government fund

USD 400,000 investment in real estate (property ownership for 5 years)

USD 1,500,000 capital investment in a business

USD 150,000 University of West Indies Fund (UWI) Only family of 6+ qualify

• No residency requirement within five years
• No personal visit to Antigua required.
• Passport issued valid for 5 years. Renewed passports valid for ten years.
• Family and children under 26 years can apply for citizenship.
• Visa free travel to  UK, Ireland, Switzerland, EU schengen over 130 countries.
• No interviews, business experience or language tests.
• Maintain dual citizenships with other nations.
• No wealth, inheritance, foreign income, personal income taxes.

6. Malta

Qualifying investments for Maltese direct citizenship program  (all must be satisfied)

Fast Track (1 year)	€750,000 one-time payment to Malta Government Fund	€350,000 buy a home or property in Malta (optional) or Rent a home for €12,000 a year (for address registration)
Normal (2 years)	€600,000 one-time payment to Malta Government Fund	€350,000 buy a home or property in Malta (optional) or Rent a home for €12,000 a year (for address registration)

•  Malta Direct Investment Citizenship by Exception program
• Must meet one year residence condition for citizenship.
• Citizenship in english speaking country
• European citizenship by investment program (EU-CIP)
•  No military service.  No language tests. No citizenship tests.
• Maltese passport issued after 12-15 months after proving genuine link to Malta (satisfying residency requirement) and taking oath
• Visa free travel to over 160 countries including Europe, United Kingdom including United States (ESTA).
• Live, work, study, settle in any EU member states (Germany, Switzerland, France, Denmark etc..)
• No requirement to live in Malta

7. Cyprus

Cyprus closed its passport scheme since Nov 2020. No applications are accepted.

Qualifying investment for instant cyprus citizenship under cyprus citizenship by naturalization exception scheme

€ 2,150,000 investment in real estate (home or beachfront villa or luxury real estate) or €5,000,000 development or construction projects

€2,500,000  in Government bonds (fully refunded back in 5 years)

€2,500,000 business investment in companies or €2,000,000 bank deposit

• European citizenship by investment program (EU-CIP)
• No physical residence requirements.
• Full citizenship rights in EU member states.
• No military service. No cypriot language tests.
• Must have schengen visa plus donate 150K euros to development.
• No restrictions on dual citizenships.
• Visa free travel to UK, EU member states, Canada, Singapore etc. over 160 countries
• Live, work, study in 35 EU member states (Switzerland, Austria, France, Germany, UK, Sweden etc..)
• Future children automatically acquire EU citizenship.
• Easy application process with high approval rates.
• Scheme open to all country nationals.

8. Vanuatu

• USD 130,000 one time contribution (single) or USD 180,000 (family)
• Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment – Vanuatu DSP
• Private and confidential citizenship investment program.
• Easy, simple and fast application process
• Super fast passport program
• Qualifying investments: One time contribution
• Vanuatu citizenship in 1 month (fastest)
• No corporate, income tax, capital gains or estate taxes
• Vanuatu passport offers visa free access to 126 countries including EU schengen states, UK, Russia.
• Freedom becoming a dual citizen.
• Additional costs apply for family application.
• Dual citizenship permitted.

9. Turkey

• Turkey opened latest citizenship by investment program in 2018
• USD 400,000 one time payment (purchase of real estate) or USD 500,000 in Government bonds or bank deposit or capital turkish companies.
• Apply for US E-2 investor visa
• Turkey citizenship in 3 months
• Dual citizenship allowed
•  Visa free travel to 110 countries. Turkey passport ranks #49
• Personal visit to Turkey not required can be completed at consulate (due to covid).

10. Montenegro

• Newly launched economic citizenship by investment program (Closing on Dec 2022)
• EUR 250,000 one time investment in development projects approved by Government plus EUR 100,000 contribution to Government (Grant + Investment model.
• Montenegro is a candidate country for EU membership in 2025
• Visa free travel to 123 countries including EU schengen states, Russia, Turkey etc..
• No residency requirements. No interviews, No language tests.
• Apply for E-2 US investor visa
• Limited citizenship program for 2000 investors
• Second citizenship in southeastern european country.
• Permanent residence issued within three weeks.
• Processing time 3 months.
• Dual citizenship allowed.

11. North Macedonia

The Government of North Macedonia has officially opened the Citizenship Investment Program (CIP). The New citizenship by investment program in North Macedonia is aimed at boost foreign investments in the country towards a greater prosperity and economic growth.

• Candidate country to join EU in the future
• Fast track citizenship with no residency conditions
• A Discrete CBI scheme in Europe for privacy.
• Lifetime citizenship for future family generations
• Visa free access to 120+ destinations (Schengen, Japan, etc)
• Free primary and secondary education
• E-1/E-2 visa treaty with United States
• Low tax country
• Limited quota of 1000 investors

The following investment options are available

• Private Investment Fund – €200,000 euro invested for a period of 2 years 
• Direct investment Fund– €5,000,000 euro attracting atleast 20 foreigners

12. Moldova

Update: Moldova citizenship scheme is closed. No applications accepted.

Qualifying investments for instant citizenship in Moldova.

USD 100,000 (one time donation to Moldova Public Government fund)

USD 250,000 property investment in Moldova real estate market

• Newly launched CBI program in 2018
• Cheapest second citizenship program.
• No residency requirements or language tests
• Passport valid for 10 years.
• Lifetime citizenship for family and children.
• No interviews. No language tests. No business experience.
• Confidential citizenship application process.
• Moldova passport offers visa free travel to EU/Russia etc. No visa free travel to UK/Ireland.