Malta is ranked first among the top citizenship by investment programs in The Henley & Partners – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index (QNI). The survey provides a comprehensive ranking of the quality of nationalities worldwide.
Christian Kalin, in expert commentry said “The acquisition of citizenship by investment is an accelerating global trend. Rather than the lengthy periods of residence, language tests, and other requirements that are typically part of naturalization procedures, countries are increasingly offering foreign individuals the option of becoming citizens in exchange for a signi cant direct contribution to the country.”
Prof. Dr. Dimitry Kochenov, a leading constitutional and citizenship law professor and co-creator of the Index, says “QNI proves that it is not true that the most prosperous and economically important countries endow their citizens with the best nationalities: while China is an economic giant, its nationality has a very modest objective value, and while Liechtenstein has a micro-economy compared to that of China, its nationality is world-leading. Some nationalities are great, while others are quite simply terrible. Now, we can see which is which.”
In the Caribbean, according to QNI
- Commonwealth of Dominica scored 38.5% on the 2017 General Ranking, 0.3% more than in the previous year, and
- The Grenadian nationality scored 39.4%, 0.5% more than in the previous year.
- The nationality of St. Kitts and Nevis did not change in value, scoring 41.5% in 2017.
- The St. Lucian nationality scored 39.4%, 0.2% less than in the previous year.
- The nationality of Antigua and Barbuda scored 41.9%, 1% less than in the previous year.
Top Citizenship-by-Investment Programs
| Program | HPI | QNI | Minimum Capital Requirement | Time Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malta | Visa-free travel to 173 countries | 23rd | EUR 1 million | Approximately 12 months |
| 2 | Cyprus | Visa-free travel to 163 countries | 24th | EUR 2 million | Approval in 3 months, passport in 6 months |
| 3 | Austria | Visa-free travel to 177 countries | 10th | EUR 8 million | 24 to 36 months |
| 4 | Antigua and Barbuda | Visa-free travel to 140 countries | 56th | USD 100,000 | 3 to 4 months |
| 5 | Grenada | Visa-free travel to 131 countries | 67th | USD 150,000 | 3 to 4 months |
| 6 | St. Kitts and Nevis | Visa-free travel to 141 countries | 58th | USD 150,000 | 3 to 4 months |
| 7 | St. Lucia | Visa-free travel to 132 countries | 67th | USD 100,000 | 3 to 4 months |
Top Residence-by-Investment Programs
| Program | HPI | QNI | Minimum Capital Requirement | Time Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portugal | Visa-free travel to 177 countries | 12th | USD 250,000 | 3 to 8 months |
| 2 | Malta | Visa-free travel to 173 countries | 23rd | EUR 550,000 | 4 to 6 months |
| 3 | Thailand | Visa-free travel to 75 countries | 101st | THB 500,000 | Less than 1 month |
| 4 | UK | Visa-free travel to 177 countries | 13th | GBP 2 million | Less than 2 month |
| 5 | US | Visa-free travel to 176 countries | 27th | USD 500,000 | 12 to 18 months |
| 6 | Switzerland | Visa-free travel to 176 countries | 9th | Annual lump-sum tax payment of between CHF 150,000 and CHF 1 million dependent on the canton of residence | 2 to 6 months |
| 7 | Canada | Visa-free travel to 176 countries | 33rd | CAD 800,000 | 24 to 48 months |
| 8 | Cyprus | Visa-free travel to 163 countries | 24th | EUR 300,000 | 2 months |
Source: https://nationalityindex.com/citizenship-by-investment
