One of the easiest ways till date to obtain legitimate citizenship without having to go through much stress is by investment. To legitimately obtain another country’s citizenship these days is not so easy, it never has been because if it’s not your birth country, or your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents are not from the country, it might take you a whole lot of time to finally get your citizenship and as far as these things are concerned, it might seem to be a really long shot. And in the diversified world that we live in now, it is only normal to want to explore and be a citizen of a particular country without having to go through a lot. Dual citizenship is a great way to tap into the expanded global mobility that others with dual citizenship get to enjoy. With growing concerns for how citizenship can be acquired in many countries, one of the best ways to do this is to acquire it through investment.
Citizenship by investment (also known as CBI, and the official term for buying citizenship) might be the most expensive way of getting a country’s citizenship, but from all indications, it is by far worth it in the end because it’s almost 100% certain that you’ll get it if you go through the investment channel. The only downside is that you have to be financially buoyant because it sometimes involves a lot of money and you might not just be able to see it through if you don’t have the financial capacity. However, if you have the financial power, it’ll be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make in your lifetime.
This is a very common and coveted option for a lot of people especially the rich and affluent – not only within the UAE expat community but worldwide, because it gives them easy access to several other countries, gives them the opportunity to run multinational businesses, and helps them avoid the sometimes hefty tax payment in their home country, among several other reasons.
Having said that, here are the top 10 best countries to easily get citizenship and passport by investment in 2021.
10. Turkey
Despite being a predominantly Muslim country, which you might find as a con if you have a different religion, Turkish citizenship still remains one of the most coveted in the world. A Turkish passport grants you visa-free access to 112 countries and that proves how powerful the passport is in the world. If you’re applying for Turkish citizenship, you’ll have to part ways with a minimum of $250,000 as an investment on one of real estate, government bonds, local businesses, or venture capitalist funds. What people love about CBI in this country are the zero residency requirements which make the application more straightforward compared to other countries.
9. Montenegro
Montenegro might be in Europe but the country is not a member of the EU and that is why it has one of the cheapest CBI programs in the world. A minimum donation of 100,000 euros to a government fund is mandatory, to start with, after which you’ll be made to pay 250,000 euros as part of real estate investment in the country. So, altogether, you should be looking to part ways with up to 350,000 euros which will be spread across donations and real estate in the country, although the value is expected to go up by 2025. This makes it one of the cheapest overall on the list, and the passport offers you access to 111 countries, excluding UK, US, China, Canada, and Japan.
8. Vanuatu
Vanuatu is a country in the region of Oceania and it offers one of the best CBI programs in the world. Applicants are expected to donate a minimum amount of $180,000 and the country’s passport will be acquired in just 45 days, making the country’s CBI the fastest in the world. The country’s citizenship caters to a family of 4 which supposedly should be the applicant, two children, and a spouse. Vanuatu password will grant you access to 116 different countries.
7. Malta
Malta is globally known to have the best value in Europe for citizenship by investment program. For a family of four, you’re expected to donate a sum of 650,000 Euros to the country’s National Development & Social Fund, invest a minimum of 350,000 Euros in the country’s real estate business, and invest at least 150,000 Euros in government-approved financial instruments like stocks, bonds, etc, while keeping them all for at least 5 years. In total, you’re likely to spend up to a million euros but while this might seem outlandishly high, you get to secure the country’s residency, passport, and then citizenship.
6. Cyprus
Cyprus’ citizenship by investment might be one of the best in the world but the hefty price it comes with can also be a drawback, especially for those with financial strains. To start with in Cyprus, you must first purchase a residence which is valued at 500 Euros, after which you have to invest over 2,000,000 overall investments to be eligible for the country’s citizenship which will be given to you after six months of the obligatory residency period. Cyprus’ passport grants you access to 152 countries.
5. Dominica
Dominica (not to be confused with the Dominican Republic) Like other countries that have featured on this list so far, you can also earn this country’s citizenship by donation and investment. A single applicant will have to part ways with a total of $109,600 as a donation to the country to be able to get the country’s citizenship and in terms of investment; you are required to purchase a $200,000 property which can sometimes rise to $233,500 due to some processing fees. Either way, your investment, and donation will earn you the country’s passport which gives you visa-free access to 122 countries, including the Schengen area, UK, and Brazil. You can get a Dominican passport in less than four months and it’s always good to be in possession of a password that is ranked 37th in the world.
4. Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is one of the most popular countries in the Caribbean region and although the country is not tax-free, obtaining the country’s citizenship by investment still remains a wise choice as the country’s passport gives you access to 123 countries without a visa. Donation is one of the ways of investing in the country, and this cannot entirely be called investment as it is very unlikely you get your money back, at least not all. The better choices still remain investing in the country’s government-approved real estate business and purchasing government bonds which might cost you $359,500 and $509,500 respectively.
3. Grenada
A choice between donating to the country’s National Transformation Fund buying a real estate property will fetch you this country’s citizenship, or the passport at the very least. While donation for a single applicant will cost over $150,000, real estate investment costs a lot more with $350,000 which automatically qualifies you for a second passport. The country’s passport offers you access to 131 countries, including China, making it the only Caribbean passport with that kind of access. The country’s citizenship by investment might as well be most valuable in the Caribbean axis due to its US E-2 visa opportunity.
2. Antigua and Barbuda
To earn this country’s citizenship by investment, you can decide to donate to the National Development Fund, which is still by far the cheapest option to get the country’s passport and citizenship, although it is very much unlikely that you get your money back. The country also offers investment in real estate and local business as you can get a government-approved real estate property for a minimum of $200,000, granting you the opportunity to own the country’s citizenship as an investor.
1. Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis is a Caribbean country that has a reputation for its economic citizenship which has quite earned it a stable economy, making the inhabitants of this country comfortable. You can earn citizenship in this country by donation and investment in government pre-approved properties like hotels, villas, and condominium units which are likely to cost you $242,800 as a single applicant, or $287,900 for a family of four. That automatically earns you the country’s passport which gives you visa-free access to 131 countries.
