Best Countries to Consider Citizenship by Investment

Obtaining a second passport through a citizenship by investment is steadily growing in popularity. More and more countries across the globe are opening up their doors to investors. Gaining a second passport offers a huge range of benefits including global mobility, personal security and business and tax exemption to name a few.

There are a number of different investment options for those looking into a second passport. These include contributing to a government fund, a bank deposit, approved government bonds, approved business investment or improved real estate investment. Each country has its own requirements for obtaining citizenship, and naturally all also come with their own set of benefits.

Caribbean

There are a few different countries in the Caribbean that offer citizenship by investment. These include Saint Lucia, Barbuda, Antigua and Saint Kitts and Nevis. The amount needed to invest depends on the country, and comes in the form of approved real estate. The best thing about investing in the Caribbean is that in 5 years you are able to sell on the real estate, making a return on investment while still maintaining second citizenship in the country.

EU

The amount needed to invest for citizenship is much higher than in the Caribbean, yet for many it is much more desirable. For Malta for example, you will need at least 650,000 euros plus another 25,000 if you want a spouse to be included in the programme. then an additional 150,000 investment in stocks and you will need to buy a property over the value of 350,000 euros. Becoming a Maltese citizen is very expensive. However, many people feel that is additional investment is worth it in the long run as the benefits outweigh the cost.

Investment in Europe is particularly important at the moment because of Brexit. Many investors are getting involved in various programmes because they still want to remain an EU citizen post Brexit, and citizenship by investment is one way of achieving this. Other European countries that allow citizenship by investment include Portugal, Cyprus and Switzerland.

Asia

Cambodia is one of the only Asian countries that offers a citizenship by investment programme. A Cambodian Passport offers visa free access to 54 different countries, including Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia, ideal for those that are interested in doing business or living in this part of the world. The investment goes towards the economic rebuilding of the country.

Egypt

After amending its citizenship laws, Egypt has recently opened a new citizenship by investment programme. People from all over the world are able to become an Egyptian citizen by investing in real estate, although other investment options are also available. It offers visa free access to 49 countries in the world.

These are just a few of the countries that are currently offering citizenship by investment programmes, with other countries including Jordan, Bulgaria, Samoa and Turkey. There are plenty of opportunities out there, and it is expected that we will see even more in the years to come.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes