The Golden visa schemes (also known as RBI schemes) are more popular than citizenship by investment schemes in 2019.  As of 2019, RBI schemes have collected $80 billion in FDI compared to $10 billion of CBI schemes.  With residence schemes, investors do not have to worry about dual citizenship issues associated with countries prohibiting it.

In most countries citizenship can be acquired through residency (naturalization) or economic investment. The easiest and fastest route of obtaining a second citizenship is through economic investment. Here you will note the major difference between citizenship and residency program through investment activity.

Residency by investment programs, takes a long time (years of uninterrupted living) to naturalise citizenship. You must also fully integrate to culture, language etc. It is also worth mentioning that you may also need to do military service to naturalise for citizenship.

In most countries, if you dont live in the country enough (absent for more than 3 months), you wont even qualify for Citizenship or Green card. Not to mention, processing time of citizenship applications through naturalisation may take many months or more than a year. It is worth pointing out that some countries like United Kingdom require a PR status before applying for citizenship. You also have to apply for extensions of residence permit once every year or two years and to do this you must be in the country.

In contrast, citizenship by investment programs (CIP) gets you fast track citizenship within months, waiving naturalisation requirements such as residency, military service, language requirement, integrating to culture. This is one of the main reasons why citizenship by investment programs are so popular and less time consuming.

Below we have listed a quick summary citizenship and residence by investment schemes..

1. Malta

• EUR 900,000 (Malta IIP)
• EUR 250,000 (Malta residency visa scheme)
• Citizenship by investment (bonds, real estate, donation)
• Qualifies for citizenship in the EU
• Citizenship in 12-15 months

2. Cyprus

• EUR 2,000,000
• Citizenship by investment (real estate, bonds, business)
• Citizenship in Europe with family
• Citizenship given in 6 months.
• No residency requirements (naturalisation waived)

3. Portugal

• EUR 350,000 golden visa
• Residency by investment in Schengen.
• Qualifying investments (real estate, business, research, capital transfer, Art)
• Minimum residency requirements.
• Citizenship after 6 years of living.
• No requirement to live in Portugal (just visit 7 days per year to keep your visa alive).

4. Spain

• EUR 500,000 golden visa
• Residency by investment in Schengen
• Qualifying investments (real estate, bonds, company shares)
• Citizenship after 10 years of living (non spanish speaking countries), quicker 3 years for those from spanish speaking countries. (no PR status required)
• No requirement to live in Spain after getting residency.

5. Belgium

• EUR 350,000 business investor visa
• Residency by investment in Schengen
• Qualifying investments (business investment and create jobs)
• Citizenship after 5 years of living in Belgium (no PR status required)
• No requirement to live in Belgium after receiving residency

6. Ireland

• EUR 1,000,000 irish investor program
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (enterprise, donation, real estate, bonds)
• Citizenship after 5 years of uninterrupted living (no PR status required)

7. United Kingdom

• GBP 200,000 (entrepreneur tier1)
• GBP 2 million (investor tier1)
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (business enterprise)
• Citizenship after 5 years of living in the UK (PR status / ILR required)

8. Netherlands

• EUR 1,250,000 (investor visa)
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (business capital, shares, bonds)
• Citizenship after 5 years of living (no PR status required)

9. Switzerland

• CHF 1,000,000 (business investor visa)
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (business investment capital and create jobs)
• Citizenship after 12 years of uninterrupted living ( no PR status needed)

10. Latvia

• EUR 100,000 (business investor program)
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (business investment, real estate)
• Citizenship after 10 years of living (must have PR status)

11. Germany

• EUR 300,000 (Germany residency bond program)
• Residence by investment
• Qualifying investments (business investment and create 10 jobs)
• Citizenship after 5 years of living (requires PR status)

12. Turkey

• USD 250,000 
• Citizenship by investment program launched in 2018
• Qualifying investments (Real estate / property investment)

14. Bulgaria

• EUR 512,000 (immigrant investor visa)
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (bonds, real estate, business)
• Citizenship after 5 years (requires PR status)

15. Greece

• EUR 250,000 (greek residency program)
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (real estate / property ownership)
• Citizenship after 7 years of living (requires PR status)

16. Monaco

• EUR 1,000,000 (investor visa)
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (bank deposit, property purchase)
• Citizenship after 10 years of living

17. Dominica

• USD 100,000 (donation to Government)
• Citizenship by investment
• Qualifying investments (donation, real estate)
• Citizenship in 4-6 months with passport

18. Grenada

• USD 150,000 (donation one-time to government fund)
• Citizenship by investment
• Qualifying investments (donation, real estate, business)
• Citizenship in 2-3 months with passport

19. St Kitts & Nevis

• USD 150,000 (Hurricane fund) or USD 250,000 (one-time donation to SIDF government fund)
• Citizenship by investment
• Qualifying investments (donation, real estate)
• Citizenship in 3-4 months with passport

20. St Lucia

• USD 100,000 (one-time donation to Government fund)
• Citizenship by investment
• Qualifying investments (donation, real estate, business capital, bonds)
• Citizenship in 2 months

21. Antigua & Barbuda

• USD 100,000 (one-time donation to government fund from Nov 2017)
• Citizenship by investment
• Qualifying investments (donation, real estate)
• Citizenship after 3-4 months.

22. United States

• USD 500,000 (EB-5 investor)
• Residency by investment (permanent)
• Qualifying investments (business venture, real estate projects, other investments that create jobs)
• Citizenship after 5 years of uninterrupted living

23. Canada

• CAD 1,200,000 (quebec investor program QIIP)
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (business investment creating jobs)
• Citizenship after 3 years of living (PR status)

24. Moldova

• EUR 100,000 public fund contribution
• Citizenship by investment launched in 2018
  
• Qualifying investments (one-time donation payment)
• Citizenship within 3-4 months

25. Hong Kong

• USD 800,000
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (business enterprise)
• Citizenship after 7 years of living ( acquiring chinese nationality, cant be dual citizen)

26. Singapore

• SGD 2,500,000 (investor program)
• Residency by investment (PR status)
• Qualifying investments (business venture)
• Citizenship after 2 years of PR status.

27. Seychelles

• USD 1,000,000 (business venture capital)
• Residency by investment (given PR status)
• Qualifying investments (business venture)
• Citizenship after 11 years of living.

28. Australia

• AUD 1,500,000 (investor stream visa)
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (business investment activity)
• Citizenship after 4 years

29. New Zealand

• NZD 3,000,000
• Residency by investment
• Qualifying investments (mix of funds, assets)
• Citizenship after 5 years

30. Montenegro

• New launched economic citizenship by investment in Jan 2019
• EUR 350,000 (EUR 100K donation + EUR 250K real estate investment)
• Citizenship and permanent residency within 3-4 months
• Limited to 2000 applications
• Special citizenship program closes on Dec 31, 2021

 

Please contact us for more information