The United States Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables most citizens or nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa (ESTA required).
About 28 of the 41 jurisdictions that participate in the US visa waiver program, offer Golden visa programs that offer instant residency status and later path to nationality. The freedom of movement is the primary selling point of the investment schemes. It is worth noting that only citizenship status will allow third country nationals to benefit from US visa waiver program. The residency status does not forbid third country nationals to apply for US visa under different categories. The ‘US visa waiver’ should not be confused with ‘US visa’ like many people do.
| Country | Investment | Citizenship |
| Andorra | Min. investment: €400,000 (about US$443,000) Visa type: Residency Length of stay: 2 years, may be extended for 3 years |
Yes
Min. residence period: 10 years |
| Australia | Min. investment: AU$2.5 million (about US$1.81 million) (Investor); AU$5 million (about US$3.63 million) (Significant Investor) Visa type: Provisional (can subsequently apply for permanent residence if requirements met) Length of stay: 5 years Family members: Partner; children aged 18 and under; older children who are dependent on applicant or partner |
Yes
Min. residence period: 4 years (must have been a permanent resident for past 12 months) |
| Austria | Min. investment: €100,000 (about US$110,939) (self- employed key worker); start- up capital of €50,000 (about US$55,469) with an equity share of at least 50%, plus other cumulative requirements (start-up founder) |
Yes
Min. residence period: 6 years of continuous legal residence |
| Chile | Min. investment: There is no minimum investment Visa type and length of stay: Temporary residency for 1 to 2 years. May be changed to permanent residency after 2 years Family members: Dependents, including spouses or partners, and children 18 years or younger |
Yes
Min. residence period: 5 years |
| Croatia |
Min. investment: €100,000 (about US$110,000) or proof of ownership of at least 51% in a business with investment projects
Visa type: Temporary residence permit Length of stay: 5 years Family members: Spouse, common-law partner, unmarried children, and dependent parents |
|
| Czech Rep | Min. investment: CZK 75 Visa type: C visa, D visa Length of stay: 2 years (permanent residency after 5 years of uninterrupted living). Family members: Can immediately obtain the Czech residence permit |
Yes
Min. residence period: 10 years |
| Estonia | Min. investment: €65,000 (about US$73,000); €16,000 (approx. US$17,406) if self- employed Visa type: Provisional Length of stay: 5 years Family members: Partner, children under 18 years of age |
Yes
Min. residence period: 8 years, 5 of which as a permanent resident |
| France | Min. investment: €300,000 (about US$325,730) and pledge to creating or saving employment in the four years following investment Visa type: Provisional (can subsequently apply for permanent residence if requirements met) Length of stay: up to 4 years Family members: Partner; children aged under 18 at the time of entry |
Yes
Min. residence period: 5 years |
| Germany | Min. investment: None, “level of capital investment” is taken into account (Note: former min. investment values of €1 million, then €500,000 EUR, then €250,000 were completely abolished in 2012) Visa type: Residence permit (can subsequently apply for permanent settlement permit) Length of stay: 3 years |
Yes
Min. residence period: 8 years |
| Greece | Min. investment: Investor Residence Permit: €250,000 (about US$272,500) (acquisition of real estate property or conclusion of long-term lease of a hotel or tourist residence for a minimum of 10 years). Residence Permit for Investment Activity (Security purchase or deposit): €400,000 (about US$436,750) (capital contribution, term deposit for at least one year with a standing renewal order, Greek treasury bonds held for three years, or shares in a mutual fund); or €800,000 (about US$873,500) (shares, corporate bonds, or Greek treasury bonds listed for trading or trade on exchanges operating in Greece). Residence Permit for Investment Activity: investments “that will have a positive impact on national development and economy,” as assessed and determined by the Ministry of Interior (residence permits may be issued for up to 10 individuals for the same investment plan; minimum value determined by government agency according to the characteristics of the investment). Residence Permit for Investment Activity (Strategic Investment): investments that are designated as “strategic investments” pursuant to decision of the Interministerial Committee of Strategic Investments per Law 3894/2010 (minimum value determined by government agency). |
Yes. Min.Residence period: 7 years
|
| Italy |
Min. investment: (a) Government Bonds issued by the Italian Republic: €2 million (about US$2.17 million); (b) Shares in limited companies, incorporated and resident in Italy: €1 million (about US$1.08 million); (c) Shares in innovative startups: €500,000 (about US$543,000);
(d) Philanthropic donation to a project of public interest in the fields of culture, education, immigration management, scientific research, preservation of cultural and natural heritage: €1 million. Visa type: Investor Residence Permit Length of stay: 2 years, renewable for an additional 3- year period. No limit to the number of renewals. Family members: Spouse aged over 18; dependent children aged 18 and under; totally disabled dependent children aged over 18; dependent parents; dependent relatives up to the third degree who are unable to work. |
|
| Latvia | Min. investment: €250,000 (about US$280,000) for investment in real estate. Smaller amounts of investments starting at €80,000 (about US$90,000) are possible for company investments under specific conditions. Visa type: D Visa, Temporary EU Residence Permit Length of stay: Up to 5 years Family members: Spouse, retired parents, and minor children |
Yes. After 5 years of physical presence and permanent resident status.
|
| Lithuania | Min. investment: A capital share in the company of at least €28,000 (about US$32,000) with other requirements for the length of operation, number of employees, and social security contributions. Visa type: Type-D visa and temporary residence permit Length of stay: Annually renewable one-year temporary residence permit; 3-year residence permit if investment exceeds €260,000 (about US$290,000). After 5 years of temporary residency, an individual may apply for permanent residency. Family members: Spouse, children, an |
Yes
Min. residence period: 10 years combined temporary and permanent residency. The period of required temporary residency may be reduced if the foreigner passes an examination in the Lithuanian language. |
| Luxembourg | Min. investment: €500,000 (about US$545,470) for at least 5 years if investing in an existing Luxembourger company, or €500,000 if investing in a new company to be created in Luxembourg that would create at least 5 jobs in 3 years, or €3 million (about US$3.27 million) if investing in an investment structure based in Luxembourg, or €20 million (about US$21.8 million) if investing in a Luxembourger financial institution for at least 5 years. Visa type: Provisional (can subsequently apply for permanent residence if requirements met). Length of stay: 3 years Family members: Partner; children under 18 years of age. |
Yes
Min. residence period: 5 years; year preceding request must be uninterrupted |
| Malta | Minimum Investment Donation: €100,000 or Real Estate €300,000 Length of stay: Initial issuance for 5 years Family members: Spouse, children under the age of 18, unmarried dependent or disabled children over the age of 18, and economically dependent parents or grandparents. |
Yes (only by donating €600,000 or above through Exceptional citizenship direct investment)
|
| New Zealand | Min. investment: NZ$10 million (about US$6.76 million) for at least 3 years (Investor 1); NZ$3 million (about US$2.03 million) for at least 4 years (Investor 2) Visa type: Resident (can apply for permanent residence after end of investment period) Length of stay: Indefinite Family members: Partner; children aged 24 and under |
Yes
Min. residence period: 5 years |
| Poland | Min. investment: €100,000, (about US$110,000) with generating annual company profit of at least €15,000 (US$16,281). Visa type: Schengen visa (type C), National visa (type D) Length of stay: Indefinite. After 3 years of temporary residency, an investor is eligible for a permanent residence permit. The residence card is valid for 10 years and can be renewed. Family members: Direct family members. Minor children are eligible for citizenship upon naturalization of the investor. |
Yes
Min. residence period: At least 10 years of permanent residency. |
| Portugal | Min. investment: €250,000 (about US$276,623) (Cultural / Artistic Productions); €350,000 (about US$387,273) (Research Activities, Investment Funds, Commercial Company); €500,000 (about US$553,247) (Investment Funds) Visa type: Provisional (can subsequently apply for permanent residence if requirements met) Length of stay: 5 years Family members: Spouse, children 18 and under, dependent older children attending Portuguese school, dependent first-degree ascendants of applicant or spouse, dependent minor siblings. |
Yes
Min. residence: 5 years Minimum periods of residence: 7 consecutive or interpolated days in the first year; 14 consecutive or interpolated days for subsequent 2- year periods. |
| San Marino | Min. investment: purchase for €500,000 (about US$543,000) of a building or portion of a building to be used as a home or a family unit before May 31, 2017, which has already been completed; or non-interest- bearing deposit (government bonds) for a duration of 10 years of €600,000 (about US$662,000) in securities issued by the San Marino government or in a fund specifically set up for this purpose. Visa type: “Elective Residence” granted by the State Congress. The maximum number of elective residences that can be granted each year is fixed. For the year 2017, this number was set at 50. Length of stay: 2 years, renewable for an additional 3- year period. No limit to the number of renewals. Family members: Spouse or concubine (convivente more uxorio), children 25 years of age or younger, disabled children of any age |
Yes. After 10 years of legal residence.
|
| Singapore | Min. investment: SG$2.5 mil (about US$1.84 mil) Visa type: Permanent Length of stay: Re-Entry Permit (a permit that allows maintaining permanent residence status when out of Singapore) valid for 5 years; can be renewed if conditions met. Family members: Spouse; unmarried children below 21 |
Yes
Min. residence period: 2 years |
| Slovakia | Min. investment: No limit. Visa issued on a case-by-case basis upon government’s approval of a business plan and company investments. Visa type: Slovakia Investment Visa |
Yes
Min. residence period: 10 years. Citizenship can be granted earlier to a permanent resident |
| Slovenia | Min. investment: €50,000 (approx. US$55,000) Visa type: Temporary Length of stay: Renewable temporary residence permit for 12-24 months, permanent residency after holding temporary residence permit for 5 years. Family members: Spouse and children after holding a residence permit for a minimum period of 1 year |
Yes
Min. residence period: 2 years of permanent residency. Major investors can receive citizenship directly for their contributions. |
| South Korea | Min. investment: Immigrant Investor Scheme for Real Estate: At least 500 million won (about US$417,000) in a designated development area. Immigrant Investor Scheme for Public Business: 500 million won (persons up to 54 years old) or 300 million won (about US$250,000) (retirees at least 55 years old) investment in designated public fund. Retiree family’s assets must be at least 300 million won. Visa type: Resident Length of stay: 5 years Family members: Spouse and unmarried children |
Yes.
Min. residence period: After 5 years, eligible for permanent resident status. Later, normal naturalization procedure may apply |
| Spain | Min. investment: €500,000 (about US$554,000) in real estate, or €1 million to €2 million (about US$1.1 million to US$2.2 million) in capital investment Visa type: Residency Length of stay: 2 years, may be renewed for another 2 years. After 5 years, may apply for permanent residence. Family members: Dependent family members, including spouse, partner, dependent children |
Yes
Min. residence period: 10 years |
| Switzerland | Min. taxation or lump-sum2 taxation: None. Amount must further “substantial/significant cantonal fiscal interests,” amount varies by canton, e.g., a tax burden of at least 400,000 Swiss Francs (about US$435,332) in the Canton of Lucerne or 500,000 Swiss Francs (about US$543,871) in the Canton of Schaffhausen. Visa type: Short-term residence permit (L) or residence permit (B) Length of stay: up to 1 year, renewable (L permit); more than 1 year, renewable (B permit); (can apply for permanent settlement permit after 10 years) Family members: spouses; minor unmarried children |
Yes.
Min. residence period: 10 years; must hold permanent settlement permit (C) |
| Taiwan | Min. investment: NT$15 mil (about US$0.55 mil) in for- profit enterprises, or NT$30 mil (about US$1.09 mil) in Central Government Bonds Visa type: Permanent (must be reviewed and permitted by National Immigration Agency) Length of stay: Indefinite Family members: Spouse; children under 18 |
Not specified (aliens can be naturalized under the Nationality Act; investment migration, however, is not addressed by this law) Min. residence period: N/A
|
Source: Library of Congress
