The information below will be of interest to those who are prepared to invest in order to obtain a second passport or a legal residence permit in a foreign country. First, we list the countries that ‘sell’ their citizenship to wealthy foreigners. The main advantage that they offer is a fast speed of second citizenship acquisition. Some Caribbean countries in particular do not charge too much for their passports. A second passport will come at the lowest cost if you make a non-returnable donation to the state fund of a Caribbean country. Citizenship of Vanuatu in the South Pacific is quite affordable too while the prices are considerably higher in Europe.
You can acquire citizenship of the following countries by investment:
Austria
- Minimum investment amount: $3,000,000
- Investment type: funds
- Waiting period: 12-24 months
Antigua and Barbuda
- Minimum investment amount: $100,000
- Investment type: non-returnable
- Waiting period: 3-6 months
Vanuatu
- Minimum investment amount: $145,000
- Investment type: non-returnable
- Waiting period: 3-6 months
Grenada
- Minimum investment amount: $150,000
- Investment type: non-returnable
- Waiting period: 3-6 months
Dominica
- Minimum investment amount: $100,000
- Investment type: non-returnable
- Waiting period: 3-6 months
Egypt
- Minimum investment amount: $350,000
- Investment type: non-returnable
- Waiting period: none
Jordan
- Minimum investment amount: $750,000
- Investment type: business
- Waiting period: 3-6 months
Cambodia
- Minimum investment amount: $245,000
- Investment type: non-returnable
- Waiting period: 3-4 months
Malta
- Minimum investment amount: $700,000 + rent or purchase of property
- Investment type: non-returnable
- Waiting period: 3 years
Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Minimum investment amount: $125,000
- Investment type: non-returnable
- Waiting period: 3-6 months
Saint Lucia
- Minimum investment amount: $100,000
- Investment type: funds
- Waiting period: 3-6 months
Turkey
- Minimum investment amount: $400,000
- Investment type: property
- Waiting period: 2 months
Many more countries offer residence-by-investment opportunities. A foreign national can qualify for a residence card in any of the countries listed below if he/ she makes a ‘significant contribution’ to the country’s economy, that is, puts a certain amount of money there. The required investment amounts differ greatly from one country to another. As a rule, there is a personal presence requirement. Permanent residence in a foreign country leads to citizenship by naturalization after several years. Some exceptions apply though.
You can acquire residence by in investment in the following countries:
Andorra
- Permit validity term: 2 years
- Minimum investment: €400,000
- Investment type: property, funds, business
- Waiting period: 2-4 months
- Personal presence: 90 days
- To citizenship: 20 years
Australia
- Permit validity term: 5 years
- Minimum investment: €750,000
- Investment type: funds
- Waiting period: 12-36 months
- Personal presence: 270 days
- To citizenship: 4 years
Brazil
- Permit validity term: 2 years
- Minimum investment: $30,000
- Investment type: property, business
- Waiting period: 4-6 months
- Personal presence: 180 days
- To citizenship: 4 years
Venezuela
- Permit validity term: 3 years
- Minimum investment: undefined
- Investment type: business
- Waiting period: 1-3 months
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: 10 years
Georgia
- Permit validity term: 1 year
- Minimum investment: $100,000
- Investment type: property, business
- Waiting period: 10-30 days
- Personal presence: 270 days
- To citizenship: 10 years
Greece
- Permit validity term: permanent residence
- Minimum investment: €250,000
- Investment type: property, funds, business
- Waiting period: 2-4 months
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: 7 years
Guernsey
- Permit validity term: 2 years
- Minimum investment: £200,000
- Investment type: property, business, bank deposit
- Waiting period: 1-2 months
- Personal presence: 180 days
- To citizenship: 6 years
Spain
- Permit validity term: 3 years
- Minimum investment: €500,000
- Investment type: property, funds, bank deposit
- Waiting period: 1-2 months
- Personal presence: 2 months in 5 years
- To citizenship: 10 years
Cambodia
- Permit validity term: 10 years
- Minimum investment: $100,000
- Investment type: property, business
- Waiting period: 2 weeks
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: 5 years
Cyprus
- Permit validity term: permanent residence
- Minimum investment: €300,000
- Investment type: property, funds, business
- Waiting period: from 5 months
- Personal presence: visit once in 2 years
- To citizenship: 7 years
Columbia
- Permit validity term: 3 years
- Minimum investment: $25,000
- Investment type: property, business
- Waiting period: 1-2 months
- Personal presence: 180 days
- To citizenship: 10 years
Costa Rica
- Permit validity term: 2 years
- Minimum investment: $100,000
- Investment type: property, business
- Waiting period: 9 months
- Personal presence: 180 days
- To citizenship: 7 years
Luxembourg
- Permit validity term: 5 years
- Minimum investment: €500,000
- Investment type: property, funds, business
- Waiting period: 4-6 months
- Personal presence: 180 days
- To citizenship: 5 years
Malta
- Permit validity term: permanent residence
- Minimum investment: €150,000
- Investment type: property, non-returnable
- Waiting period: 6-8 months
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: 5 years
Monaco
- Permit validity term: 1 year
- Minimum investment: €500,000
- Investment type: property, bank deposit
- Waiting period: 2-3 months
- Personal presence: 180 days
- To citizenship: 10 years
Netherlands
- Permit validity term: 3 years
- Minimum investment: €1,250,000
- Investment type: funds, business
- Waiting period: 1-2 months
- Personal presence: 240 days
- To citizenship: 5 years
New Zealand
- Permit validity term: 4 years
- Minimum investment: $9,000,000
- Investment type: property, funds, business
- Waiting period: 5-6 months
- Personal presence: 117 days within 4 years
- To citizenship: 5 years
Nicaragua
- Permit validity term: permanent residence
- Minimum investment: $30,000
- Investment type: property, business
- Waiting period: 3-6 months
- Personal presence: 30 days
- To citizenship: 2 years
UAE
- Permit validity term: 5 years
- Minimum investment: $136,000
- Investment type: property, business, funds
- Waiting period: 1-2 months
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: unavailable
Panama
- Permit validity term: permanent residence
- Minimum investment: $300,000
- Investment type: property, funds, bank deposit
- Waiting period: 1-2 months
- Personal presence: visit once in 2 years
- To citizenship: 5 years
Paraguay
- Permit validity term: permanent residence
- Minimum investment: $70,000
- Investment type: business
- Waiting period: 1-6 months
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: 3 years
Portugal
- Permit validity term: 5 years
- Minimum investment: €280,000
- Investment type: funds, business, charity
- Waiting period: 6-18 months
- Personal presence: 35 days within 5 years
- To citizenship: 5 years
USA
- Permit validity term: 2 years
- Minimum investment: $800,000
- Investment type: business
- Waiting period: 1-2 years
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: 5 years
Taiwan
- Permit validity term: permanent residence
- Minimum investment: $480,000
- Investment type: business, funds
- Waiting period: 1-2 months
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: 5 years
Thailand
- Permit validity term: 5 years
- Minimum investment: $19,000
- Investment type: non-returnable
- Waiting period: 1-2 months
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: unavailable
Uruguay
- Permit validity term: permanent residence
- Minimum investment: $530,000
- Investment type: property, business
- Waiting period: 1-3 months
- Personal presence: 60 days
- To citizenship: 5 years
Philippines
- Permit validity term: permanent residence
- Minimum investment: $75,000
- Investment type: business, funds
- Waiting period: 1-2 months
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: 10 years
France
- Permit validity term: 4 years
- Minimum investment: €300,000
- Investment type: business
- Waiting period: 4 months
- Personal presence: 180 days
- To citizenship: 5 years
Chili
- Permit validity term: 2 years
- Minimum investment: $500,000
- Investment type: property, funds, business
- Waiting period: 2-4 months
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: 5 years
Ecuador
- Permit validity term: 2 years
- Minimum investment: $31,500
- Investment type: property, funds, business
- Waiting period: 2-3 months
- Personal presence: 180 days
- To citizenship: 4 years
South Korea
- Permit validity term: 3 years
- Minimum investment: $250,000
- Investment type: property, funds
- Waiting period: 20 days
- Personal presence: undefined
- To citizenship: 5 years
Please apply for professional assistance if you would like to obtain a second passport or a residence permit in a foreign country. This is a bureaucratic process that involves certain legal formalities.
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