Citizenship by investment (CBI) programs offer immediate citizenship and passport to foreign investors. The demand for citizenship-by-investment passport programs is of historic high in 2017. It is possible to get a  fast track citizenship within 3 -4 months, waiving naturalisation requirements such as residency, paying taxes language requirement etc.

A second passport is a great way to diversify your assets and life abroad. CBI passports offer visa free travel to 26 schengen countries, United Kingdom, Singapore and over 110 countries in the world. This will save lot of your time applying for visa application process every time.

According to Christian Kalin of Henley & Partners,  citizenship by investment industry  $2 billion market yearly and is growing at a pace of  20% each year.

The Cheapest CBI passports are Saint Lucia, Dominica and Comoros. All the programs require rigorous background screening checks and passports are refused if found to have any criminal background or fraud.

Dual citizenship is permitted in all these countries.

1. Moldova

• EUR 100,000 (one-time donation to Public Government fund from 2018)
• Newly launched CBI program in  2018.
• Cheapest citizenship program for family.
• Cheap and best second passport program in eastern europe.
• Processing time is 2-3 months
• No interviews, No english tests, No business experience, No miltary service.
• Visa free travel to EU Schengen countries, Russia etc.
• Lifetime citizenship passed on to future generations
• No residence requirements. No citizenship tests.
• Dual citizenship allowed.

2. Montenegro

• Special citizenship by investment program opened on Jan 1, 2019
• EUR 250,000 investment in business/real estate + EUR 100,000 fee per family application
• Newly launched CBI program Eastern Europe.
• Best second passport from beautiful country
• Processing time is 2-3 months
• No interviews, No english tests, No business experience, No miltary service.
• Visa free travel to EU Schengen countries, Russia, UAE, Turkey, Singapore etc..
• Lifetime citizenship with onetime lump investment.
• Permanent residency and citizenship
• Dual citizenship allowed.

3. Saint Lucia

• USD 100,000 (one-time donation to Government fund from 2017) or USD 200,000 real estate investment or USD 500,000 Government bonds
• Newly launched CBI program in the Caribbean.
• Cheapest citizenship program for family.
• Cheapest and most popular citizenship program in the Caribbean in 2017
• Best 2nd passport in the Caribbean
• No requirement to visit the country for citizenship
• Processing time is 2-3 months
• No interviews, No english tests, No business experience, No miltary service.
• Visa free travel to United Kingdom, 26 Schengen countries
• Lifetime citizenship with onetime lump investment.
• No residence requirements. No citizenship tests.
• No wealth, gift, inheritance, foreign income or capital gains tax

4. Dominica

• USD 100,000 (donation to Government) or USD 200,000 (real estate investment)
• Cheapest Citizenship by investment (CBI) passport.
• Best 2nd passport in the Caribbean.
• Dominica Citizenship in 4-6 months with passport
• No requirement to visit Dominica.
• Citizenship for spouse, children and parents.
• Visa free travel to 26 EU schengen countries, United Kingdom, Singapore up to 110 countries.
• Citizenship for family and children.
• Dominica passport issued valid for 10 years
• No wealth, gift, inheritance, foreign income or capital gains tax
• Confidential application process through authorized agent.

5. Grenada

• USD 150,000 (donation one-time to government fund) or USD 350,000 (real estate investment)
• Best CBI passport in the Caribbean.
• Grenada passport in 2-3 months with citizenship certificate
• No interviews, No language tests, No business experience.
• Only CBI passport in the Caribbean offering visa free travel to China.
• Apply for E-2 business visa to United States as a ‘citizen’ of Grenada.
• Grenada passport offers visa free travel to China, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany to 110 countries.
• Lifetime Citizenship for family and children.
• No requirement to live in Grenada.
• Permanent residence card issued with citizenship.
• Grenada passport issued valid for 5 years.
• No wealth, gift, inheritance, foreign income or capital gains tax
• Confidential application process.
• Citizenship not reported to other countries.

6. St Kitts & Nevis

• USD 150,000 Sustainable Growth Fund or USD 200,000 (real estate with $50,000 Government fee)
• Economic Citizenship by investment programme (CIP)
• Oldest and most popular citizenship program since 1984
• Citizenship possible through $400,000 property investment in St Kitts real estate.
• Citizenship granted in 3-4 months with passport
• No interviews, No language tests, No business experience.
• St Kitts passport offers visa free travel to United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany to 120 countries.
• Citizenship for family and children.
• No residence requirements and no requirement to visit or live in St Kitts
• No wealth, gift, inheritance, foreign income or capital gains tax
• Discrete and Confidential application process.
• Citizenship not reported to other countries.
• Lifetime citizenship for family and children
• St Kitts passport issued is valid for 10 years.

7. Antigua & Barbuda

• USD 100,000 (one-time donation to NDF government fund)
• Economic Citizenship by investment program (CIP)
• Qualifying investments (donation, real estate, business capital)
• Antigua citizenship/passport in 3 months.
• Antigua passport valid for 5 years and must be present in the country for 5 years to renew the passport after expiry.
• Permanent residence card with citizenship.
• Citizenship through $400,000 real estate investment in approved Antigua property developments.
• No interviews, No language tests, No business experience.
• Antigua passport offers visa free travel to United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany to 120 countries.
• Lifetime Citizenship for family and children against one time investment.
• No wealth, gift, inheritance, foreign income, capital gains taxes
• Confidential and discrete citizenship application process.
• Citizenship is confidential and not reported to other countries.
• Dual citizenship allowed with other countries.

8. Vanuatu

• USD 150,000 one time contribution (single) or USD 180,000 (family.
• Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment – Vanuatu CIP
• Qualifying investments: One time contribution
• Vanuatu citizenship in 2 months
• No income tax, capital gains or estate taxes.
• Only CBI passport to have visa free travel to Russia
• Vanuatu passport offers visa free access to 126 countries including EU schengen states, UK, Russia.
• Freedom becoming a dual citizen.
• Additional costs apply for family application.

European Passports

All the CBI passports from Europe, are very expensive and never cheap and involves very rigorous screening process for applicants. Malta is the cheapest CBI in Europe. All other european countries require residence first and it is not possible to get EU passports not before atleast six years.

9. Malta

• €1,200,000  Malta individual investor program (MIIP) for HNWI families
• Malta Citizenship only after 12 months of holding residence card.
•  No requirement to permanently live in the Country.
•  No military service.  language tests. No citizenship tests.
• Application approval within 3-4 months.
• Maltese passport after 12-15 months after proving genuine link (residency requirement)
• Citizenship in the European Union.
• EU passport for Family and children.
• No taxes in Malta unless you decide to live there for more than 6 months.
• EU/EEA citizens are eligible to apply.
• Visa free travel to over 160 countries including Europe, United Kingdom, United States (ESTA).
• Live, work, study, settle in any EU member states (Germany, Switzerland, France, Denmark etc..)
• No requirement to live or move to Malta after the citizenship.

10. Cyprus

• €2,000,000 one time investment in Real estate, Government bonds or business.
• Ultra high-net worth families.
• Cyprus citizenship approved after 6 months holding residence card.
• Become a EU citizen through cyprus naturalisation by exception scheme.
• Live, work, study in 35 EU member states (Switzerland, France, Germany, Sweden etc..)
• European passport for wealthy families
• Application processing time is 3 months
• No residence requirements.
• No military service. No language tests. No citizenship tests.
• Best education, healthcare and low cost of living.
• Visa free travel to UK, EU member states, Canada, Singapore etc. over 160 countries
• Easy application process with high approval rates.
• Dual citizenship option permitted
• The acquisition of citizenship in Cyprus is not reported to other countries.
• Open to all country nationals

11. Turkey

• Newly launched citizenship by investment in 2018
• SD 250,000 real estate investment or USD 500,000 (government securities)
• Turkish passport for investors and their family
• Visa free travel to 100 countries
• Open to all country nationals