Today we will talk about the cheapest way of getting a golden visa investing through Government bonds.
This is a clever trick and many investors do not know about. The important thing to remember here is you wont be wasting any money, especially at this time during Covid-19 all markets have crashed including real estate. Real estate is no longer a safe haven investment.
First you need to know a thing or two about Government securities
Government securities first of all, are risk free debt instruments issued by a national government as means of borrowing money. Bond holders receive interest payments until maturity. These fund are used for day to day government operations (military, healthcare, pensions and other public projects. These securities are tax free, come in the form of Govt bonds (sovereign bonds), Treasury bills, treasury notes and municipal bonds. The difference lies in treasury bonds are issued for long term (more than 3 years) while the bills are short maturity (less than 1 year). These are guaranteed passive investments that will give you full peace of mind. Just invest and relax!
Several citizenship or residency by investment schemes are tied to Government bonds. You wont get interest, this goes to Government. Take for example Saint Lucia. This country offers passport for investing in Govt issued Covid-19 bonds
Note: Malta is closing Govt bonds option from April 1, 2021
Foreigners who buy debt instruments issued by Governments are given instant residency or citizenship. Considering you will get your full investment back after 5 years, these are super attractive safe investments even in turbulent times. The catch here is you must invest a minimum $250,000 for citizenship or golden visa purpose
These are the only countries that offer golden visas in exchange for Govt bonds
- Malta – €250,000 (Govt bonds/stocks) – Financing costs €125,000 (all inclusive)
- Greece – €400,000 (Govt bonds)
- Spain – €2 million (Treasury bills/securities)
- Portugal – €1 million (Govt bonds)
- Italy – €2 million (Govt securities)
- Bulgaria – €250,000 (Govt bonds)
- Latvia – €250,000 (Govt bonds)
- Canada – C$ 1.2 million (Govt bonds) – Financing costs $250,000
- Turkey – $500,000 (Govt bonds)
Note: Bulgaria, Turkey not in Schengen area.
Are you ready for this ultimate question and answer!
How to get golden visa for $50,000?
Take for example Malta, which offers the cheapest government bond option for 250K euros. There is a Government application fee of €30,000. This means you pay €280,000 first to Government, after five years of holding period, the Government will refund you €250,000 back without interest. All in all you only pay €30,000 difference. Remember there is also agent fee, brings the total you pay is around €50K for Malta. Your get to keep the PR for life also for all family members after receiving your money back.
Important update: Malta government bonds will be retired from March 29, 2021 and new MPRP program will open
Think about it. Paying around $50K for golden visa is probably the cheapest route and a safest way to invest for a golden visa. For greece you have invest atleast €250K in real estate plus there are additional fees.
If you cant afford €250,000, then you can finance or loan the Government bonds through a qualified investment broker. It is important to know foreigners are eligible get this loan. You will pay the interest, govt fee and agent fee, for all inclusive of €125,000. This is one time fee you pay to get your schengen permanent residency in Malta.
Pay close attention to the Government fee for golden visas. This is where things get cheaper for you
If you have the money for Greece, these costs are even less, half the price of $50K, only fee you pay is legal fee for the lawyer and if you engage financial broker, there is brokerage fee. You can also buy directly Government bonds from international trading platform or stock market account and then apply for residency with the Govt issued certificate (contact us before investing).
One final thing you should know. Some countries like Malta, Canada have imposed conditions to meet. For Malta you must prove atleast you have €500,000 in net assets (property, investments, cash etc) or you earn atleast €100,000 annually to that you are able to support yourself. For Canada Quebec Investor scheme you have to prove you have $2 million in assets. You wont qualify if you dont meet these requirements. No country would give you residence permit if you dont rent a place to live. Expect rental costs in addition.
As far as we know, there is no better cheap and legal way than this apply for a golden visa. As you probably know the prices for golden visas start with $250,000 in Europe or elsewhere. All other investment routes will require you to risk the investment. United Kingdom, Cyprus have removed Government bond option last year for citizenship/residency. Hungary had residency bond scheme similar like this, but was shutdown in 2017.
We dont know how long the above countries will keep their treasury bond options open, you have to decide quickly and grab the low hanging fruit before it runs out. Dont miss the ride!
Tip: Be sure to check how many years required to naturalize as citizen for golden visas before you apply.
Disclaimer: The above is only for general information for knowledge purpose and does not constitute a financial advice. Please consult your legal and financial advisor before investing.
