The following are quick comparison list of countries offering “Citizenship-by-investment” (CBI) vs “Residency-by-investment” (CBI) programs available to third nationals..

The key difference is “Citizenship-by-investment” programs offer investors direct passport to investors within few months or a year. “Residency-by-investment” aka “Golden visa” or “Investor visa” programs initially offer residency to investors, and then after certain number of years of living, it is possible to apply for the Citizenship and passport (indirect route) through naturalisation. The common route is residence permit converted to PR then PR later converted to citizenship.

Note: UK is not a schengen member country. The visas and residence permits issued by schengen countries to non-EU citizens, is not valid to travel to UK. Therefore a separate UK visa needed. Only EU citizens and EU passport holders can visit UK without visa.

Please use our new CBI Price calculator to compare prices and costs for CBI schemes

Country Passport Minimum Investment Program Name Processing Time Residency by Investment Real Estate Investment Business Investment Minimum Stay Requirements Permanent Residency (PR) Naturalisation Time for Citizenship (ordinary) Dual Citizenship Passport Reputation (out of 10)
Australia A$ 1.5 million Significant Investor stream no standard processing times yes yes 40 days per year After 4 years PR + 4 years yes 9.4
Austria €100,000
(Residence scheme)
No official citizenship by investment exists 3 months Possible no yes 5 year 10 years no 9.6
Albania $100,000  opening in the future 3 months TBA Unknown 5 yes 7
Antigua & Barbuda $ 100,000 (donation)

$200,000 (real estate)

Citizenship by investment 3 months no yes (minimum $400,000) $1.5 million no requirement yes 8.5
Anguilla $750,000 (real estate) or $150,000 (donation) Anguilla Residence by Investment (ARBI) 3 months yes $750K none 5 years  5 years yes
Bahamas $500,000 Economic Investment PR 4 months yes yes yes Immediate PR 10 years no 8.4
Bulgaria € 200,000 (residency)

€1 million (fast track citizenship) closed

Immigrant investor program 3 months  yes no yes Immediate After 5 years yes 9.0
Barbados $2,000 Digital Nomad Residence
Bangladesh $500,000 Citizenship investment Unknown $75,000 Limited caes 4.0
Canada (Quebec) CAD 1,200,000 or C$350,000 financing  Immigrant Investor Program 40 months yes no yes Immediate 3 years yes 9.1
Cambodia $250,000 (cash donation) or $1.5m (business) Citizenship by Investment Unkown Possible no yes required 7 years yes 6.0
Costa Rica $10 million Investor visa
Croatia $100,000 Business scheme 3 months 5 years 10 years yes 9.0
Cyprus € 2,200,000 (real estate) closed

€300,000 Golden visa

Cypriot (EU) Citizenship by Investment 6 months (Immediate passport) no yes € 2 million none Immediate 8 years yes 9.0
Czechia No limits Significant Investment 3 months yes yes 5 years 8 years yes 9.0
Denmark no program exists 6 years 9 years yes 9.6
Dominica $100,000 (donation)
$200,000 (real estate)
Citizenship by investment 3 months no $200,000 none yes 7.5
Estonia €1 million Major investor scheme 2 months 5 years 8 years no 9.2
Egypt $250,000 (donation) or $500,000 (real estate) Citizenship by Investment 3 months 10 years yes 6
France €300,000 (Talent passport) for startups Investor Residence 3 months 5 years 10 years yes 9.6
Germany  €50,000 Business residency Residence by Investment 3 months no € 100,000 5 years 8 years no 9.8
Grenada $150,000 (donation)

$220,000 (real estate)

Citizenship by investment 3 months no $220,000 no Immediate yes 7.8
Greece € 250,000 (real estate) or €400,000 (bank deposit or bonds)

No plans to open CBI scheme

Greece Golden visa 3-4 months Immediate Residency yes no none Immediate PR granted 7 years yes 9.3
Hungary € 300,000 closed Hungarian Residency Bonds (scheme closed from Mar 20, 2017) 4-5 months Immediate Residency no no none Immediate PR 8 years yes 9.2
Hong Kong HK$ 10 million Capital Investment Scheme (suspended) 3-5 months Immediate Residency no yes yes After 7 years no 9.1
Iceland No such program exists   4 years 7 years yes 9.2
Ireland Irish Immigrant Investor Program (IIP) €400,000 joint endowment or  €1,000,000 enterprise or €2 million (funds) or 6 months Immediate Residency possible € 1 million 1 day Immediate Stamp 4 5 years yes 9.5
Italy €250,000 startups Golden visa 2 months Residency yes yes 5 years 10 years yes 9.5
Japan Investor visa ($50,000) Residency 10 years 5 years yes 9.4
Jordan $1.5 million (bank deposit or bonds) Citizenship Investment scheme $250K real estate PR yes 5.0
Malta  €100,000 Malta Residency

€600,000  Malta citizenship by investment

Individual investor program (IIP) or Malta Residence Visa schemes 2 months 12 months for citizenship € 350,000 (optional) no none Immediate 5 years (waived) yes 9.5
Monaco (Monte Carlo) € 1 million Investor visa 3 months Immediate Residency optional no limit 6 months per year 5 years 10 years no 9.9
Mauritius $350,000 (business or real estate) with fast track citizenship in 2 years. Golden visa PR for 20 years
Malaysia $125,000 (RM 500K) MM2H Residency 2 months Immediate 5 years 10 years no 8.0
Netherlands € 1.25 million (startups or funds)  Investor visa 3 months Immediate Residency yes yes 5 years 5 years no 9.6
North Macedonia €200,000 investment donation Citizenship by Investment 5 years 8 years no 7.0
Poland no program exists 5 years 8 years yes 9.2
Portugal € 280,000 (real estate) Portugal Golden visa 3-4 months yes yes € 1 million 7 days per year Immediate 6 years yes 9.6
Romania €1 million Citizenship after 4 years €100K Business  (Residence) 2 months 5 years 8 years yes 8.5
Russia $10 million or $160,000 Simplified or Discretionary Naturalization only yes yes 2 years year 3-5 years yes 7.0
Spain €500,000 (real estate) Spain Golden visa 3-4 months yes yes no none After 5 years 10 years only with spanish speaking countries 9.5
Samoa $1.2 million Citizenship Investment Program yes 8.0
Switzerland CHF 1 million
Swiss Lump Sum Taxation 3 months yes no CHF 1 million turnover yes 10 years 12 years yes 9.8
St Lucia $100,000 (donation)
$300,000 (real estate)
Citizenship by investment 2-3 months no $300,000 $3.5 million none yes 7.9
Saint Kitts and Nevis $150,000 (Sustainable Growth Fund)

$200,000 (real estate)

Citizenship by investment 3 months no $200,000 none yes 8.3
Slovenia no limits Economic investor permit 5 years 10 years yes 8.5
Slovakia €100 million and create 300 jobs

Citizenship on state’s interest

Major investor scheme 2 years plus 5 years 8 years no 9.2
Solomon islands coming soon Economic Citizenship Program
Thailand $15,000 Elite Visa 1 month Residency 5 years 6 years Yes 7.0
United Kingdom (UK) GBP £2 million closed  Investor visa (tier-1) 1-3 weeks yes no yes 9 months per year for UK passport 5 years 6 years yes 9.8
United States (U.S.A) $ 500,000 EB-5 Investor visa 15-20 months yes no yes 50% of time in US (2.5 out of 5 yrs) Immediate 5 years yes 9.7
Liechtenstein no program exists 5 years 30 years yes 9.9
Latvia €100,000 (business) or €250,000 (real estate/ government bond) Latvia Golden visa 4 months yes €250,000 €80,000 Immediate 10 years yes 9.4
Lithuania €250,000 Business investment 5 years 10 years no 9.3
Luxembourg €500,000 Golden visa 1 month 5 years 7 years yes 9.5
New Zealand NZ$ 3 million Investor 1 and 2 scheme 3-4 months Immediate Residency Possible yes 146 days per year 2 years 5 years yes 9.6
Norway no program exists 3 years 7 years no 9.6
Poland €100,000 business investment 5 years 10 years yes 9.4
Panama $300,000 Real Estate 2 months Immediate Residency (PR) yes yes 5 years 7.9
Serbia unknown 5 years yes 8.6
Sweden no program exists 5 years 5 years yes 9.8
South Korea Investor visa ($250,000) F5 PR yes no limit 5 years 5 years yes 9.2
Singapore SG$ 2.5 million (approx US$ 2 million) Global Investor Program (GIP) 2 months yes no yes Immediate Permanent Residency 2-6 years with PR no 9.2
Vanuatu $130,000 (donation) Citizenship by Investment Vanuatu Development Support Program (DSP/VCP) 1.5 months yes 7.2
Moldova €100,000 MCBI launched in 2018 closed suspended currently 10 years yes 8
Montenegro €350,000  (real estate)

 

Special Citizenship by Investment 1 month €5m hotels,  €2m agriculture Immediate 10 years yes 8.2
Turkey $250,000 (real estate) or $500,000 in Govt Bonds, bank deposit Turkish Citizenship by investment (TCBI) 3 months Immediate  5 years yes 7.0
United Arab Emirates Golden Visa $250,000 Property investment yes 8.5

The table was prepared assuming you are Non-EU/EEA foreign national who wish to immigrate. Please note that most european country passports require electronic registration prior to visiting USA. Please check with the US embassy. Naturalisation time is total number of years spent living (inclusive of PR). Some countries require PR status before applying for Citizenship through naturalisation.