Golden visas & residency by investment in 2026, ranked by minimum

A US-citizens-only self-employment route under the 1956 treaty: register a Dutch business and keep about €4,500 in its account, and you skip the points test other nationalities face. Family can join and work; five continuous years lead to permanent residency (Dutch citizenship also needs an A2 exam and, for now, renouncing your US passport).

Membership-fee program, not an investment. Tiers from THB 650K (~$19K, 5 years) up to THB 5M (~$143K, 20 years). Pure pay-for-a-long-stay visa with concierge perks; no income/asset test. Grants no PR, no citizenship, and no work rights. Fee is a one-time membership, not a refundable investment.

For founders building a real business in France: at least €30,000 of project financing (not necessarily liquid cash), a Master's degree or five years' experience, and personal resources at about the annual minimum wage. The multi-year 'Talent' card runs up to four years, family gets immediate work rights, and a 10-year card is possible after three years.

Relaunched 2024 as a climate-funding CBI. Single-applicant donation from ~$105K (a temporary 'Iruwa' discount to ~$90K ran to mid-2026). Citizenship in ~3–4 months, no residence needed. New program with a smaller (~119 destinations) visa-free footprint and evolving international acceptance — verify current travel access before relying on it.

Vietnam's only genuine long-stay route: capital in a Vietnamese company earns a residence card — about $114k (DT3) gives three years, with five- and ten-year cards at far higher tiers. Permanent residence is possible only after three continuous years, not from the investment alone, and there is no retirement or digital-nomad visa.

Fastest CBI — citizenship in as little as 1–2 months for a ~$130K donation. Caveat: the EU suspended visa-free access for Vanuatu passport holders (from late 2024/2025) over due-diligence concerns, sharply reducing the passport's travel value. Still no residence requirement. Weigh the reduced visa-free utility.

$150K in real estate, a registered business, shares, or moveable assets. 2-year temporary residence, renewable; permanent residence after 3 years, and citizenship possible after ~7 years continuous residence. Requires only ~1 visit per year. Popular for lifestyle/retirement.

Restructured into tiers: Silver needs a $150K fixed deposit + RM600K property; Gold $500K deposit / 15-yr visa; Platinum $1M deposit / 20-yr visa; a cheaper SEZ (Forest City) tier exists. Property purchase is now mandatory, with a 10-year resale lock. Up to 50% of the deposit is withdrawable after buying property. Renewable long-stay visa, not a route to Malaysian PR or citizenship.

PR (not citizenship) and still legal after the ECJ struck down Malta's CBI. Combined cost ~€150K government contribution (with rental) or higher with purchase, plus €30K+ admin/donation fees and a property lease (~€14K/yr) or purchase (~€375K). Total outlay typically €150K+. Grants indefinite Malta/Schengen residence; no path to citizenship via this route.

Cheapest Caribbean CBI: $200K donation to the Economic Diversification Fund, or $200K in approved real estate (3–5 yr hold). Citizenship in ~4–9 months, no residence requirement. Meets the harmonised $200K regional floor. Known for lower fees; enhanced due diligence (mandatory interview) since 2024.

For nationals of ~50 'friendly' countries. $200K in titled real estate (registered value, mortgage allowed) or a $200K 3-year bank fixed deposit. Since 2021 it is no longer instant PR — you get 2 years provisional residence first, then permanent. Naturalisation possible after ~5 years. Territorial tax system.

$230K to the National Development Fund (best value for a family of up to 4 — same price covers the family), or $300K real estate, or a $260K University of the West Indies fund option for families of 6+. Requires a 5-day physical visit within the first 5 years. Citizenship in ~4–6 months.

$235K donation to the National Transformation Fund, or $270K approved real estate (5-yr hold). Uniquely, Grenada citizens can apply for the US E-2 treaty-investor visa, making it popular for US-bound entrepreneurs. Also visa-free to China. No residence requirement; ~4–6 month processing.

$240K to the National Economic Fund, or $300K real estate, or government bonds. Newest of the five Caribbean CBIs (2015). Complies with the $200K harmonised floor. No residence requirement; ~4–6 month processing. Visa-free to Schengen and the UK.

$250K non-refundable contribution to the state treasury is the fastest route; alternatives are $300K property, $350K business investment, or a $500K bank deposit. Citizenship in ~6–9 months. Grants US E-2 visa eligibility. Modest visa-free travel (~50 destinations) — chosen mainly for E-2 access and a low donation, not passport strength.

Oldest CBI (since 1984). $250K donation to the Sustainable Island State Contribution fund, or real estate from $325K (condo/shares, 7-yr hold) / $600K (home). Citizenship in ~4–6 months, no residence or visit required. Part of the 2024 Caribbean pricing accord setting a $200K regional floor. Strong visa-free travel (incl. Schengen).

10-year visa (govt fee only ~THB 50K). 'Wealthy Global Citizen' category needs $1M in assets + $500K Thai investment + $80K income. 'Wealthy Pensioner' needs $250K investment (bonds/property/fund) plus pension income. Flat 17% income-tax rate for eligible categories. Not a path to Thai citizenship or PR.

Three-tier real-estate system since 2024: €250K (only for commercial-to-residential conversions or restoration of listed buildings), €400K (most of Greece), €800K (Attica/Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini). Short-term/Airbnb rental of the property is banned. No minimum-stay requirement; renewable every 5 years.

Relaunched 2024. €250K into units of an approved real-estate investment fund (regulated by the Hungarian National Bank), or a €1M university donation. The direct-property purchase option was announced then postponed. 10-year residence permit, renewable. Investment must be completed within 93 days of first entry.

Four options: €250K into an innovative Italian startup, €500K into an Italian company, €2M in government bonds, or €1M philanthropic donation. Pre-approval granted before you invest; 2-year permit renewable for 3 more years, no minimum-stay requirement. Citizenship by naturalisation takes 10 years of residence.

€250K in real estate (Riga or within 30km), plus a ~5% state fee. Cheaper capital routes exist (€50K into a Latvian company + fee, or ~€280K bank subordinated capital). 5-year residence permit, no physical-presence requirement to maintain. Naturalisation requires ~10 years residence and a Latvian-language test.

Grants immediate permanent residence (no prior provisional stage) for a larger investment: $300K in real estate (rising toward $500K over time), $500K in the Panama stock exchange, or $750K bank deposit. Open to any nationality. Funds must come from abroad. Naturalisation possible after ~5 years.

The direct-investment route: at least €300,000 into the fixed assets of a French company, with a commitment to create or keep jobs. The multi-year 'Talent' card runs up to four years with family included, a 10-year resident card follows after three years, and naturalisation after about five.

€300K (+VAT) in new-build residential property, or commercial/company/fund. Requires €50K+ annual foreign income (more for dependents). Cyprus's former citizenship-by-investment 'golden passport' was scrapped in 2020; this is PR only. Naturalisation needs ~8 years actual residence — the fast-track 5-year passport option is gone. Must visit at least once every 2 years to keep PR.

$375K into an approved real-estate scheme (IRS, RES, PDS, Smart City, etc.) grants residence tied to holding the property. Residence permit is renewable/long-term and leads to permanent residence; naturalisation is possible after ~7 years but discretionary. Low-tax jurisdiction (15% flat).

$400K in real estate (held 3 years) grants full Turkish citizenship in ~6–12 months — no residency, language test, or minimum stay. Alternatives: $500K bank deposit, fixed capital, or government bonds (also 3-year hold). Lowest-priced tier-1 CBI passport. Turkey allows dual citizenship. Grants a US E-2 treaty-investor visa eligibility.

AED 2M (~$545K) in property qualifies for a 10-year renewable residency. As of Feb 2026 the old 50% down-payment rule was removed — you now qualify on the full DLD-certified value regardless of mortgage status. No minimum-stay requirement (residency survives 6+ months abroad). Sponsors spouse, children of any age, parents. No path to Emirati citizenship (that is by exceptional nomination only).

Real-estate route ABOLISHED in Oct 2023 — no property, no capital transfer, no real-estate-linked funds. Main route now €500K into a qualifying non-real-estate fund; alternatives include €250K cultural/heritage donation, scientific research, or job creation. 2024 nationality-law reforms raised citizenship residency from 5 to potentially 10 years (bill pending); count from residency-card issuance. Only ~7 days/year presence required.