Over 25 countries in the world offer an easy path to citizenship through property investment either directly or indirectly. The bigger the investment amount, the easier becomes path to citizenship. Caribbean nations grant fast track citizenship and passport against property investment.
Cyprus offers citizenship (EU) within 6 months, whereas Portugal, Spain or Greece, they require you to buy a property plus you must also live there for over 5 years, to naturalise for citizenship. Hungary and United Kingdom do not offer citizenship or residency through property investment.
There is a great demand for property based citizenship programs with the rich and wealthy from China, Russia, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Pakistan, India, South Africa and Vietnam.
I will show you about 26 countries offering citizenship or permanent residency through property investment to foreign investors.
1. Spain
- EUR 500,000 property purchase in Spain (home, apartment, villa)
- Permanent residency in the EU
- Free movement in the Schengen zone.
- No requirement to live in Spain.
- Citizenship after 10 years of uninterrupted living in Spain (non-EU).
- Processing time: 3 months
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2. Malta
- EUR 350,000 purchase of home in Malta, qualifies for fast track citizenship (total comes to €900,000) (or) get apply for just residency in Malta based on property investment €270,000 in south of Malta (you will not get citizenship under residency option)
- Citizenship or residency in the EU schengen area through Malta.
- No requirement to live in the country.
- Citizenship after 12 months (1 year)
- Processing time: 15 months (citizenship) and 3 months (residency)
- Dual citizenship allowed
3. Portugal
- EUR 350,000 property purchase in Portugal (home, apartment, villa)
- Property purchase of €350,000 (Lisbon buy 30 year old refurbished property outside Lisbon) or €500,000 in Lisbon
- Qualifies for permanent residency in the EU
- Free movement in the Schengen zone.
- No requirement to live in Portugal.
- Citizenship after 6 years of uninterrupted living.
- Very popular golden visa program.
- Processing time: 4-6 months
4. Cyprus
- EUR 2,150,000 property investment (luxury villa, beachfront houses)
- Immediate european citizenship/passport for family within 6 months.
- No requirement to live in Cyprus
- Free movement within Europa and UK using Cyprus passport (ID)
- Processing time: 3-5 months
5. United States
- USD 500,000 business investment (in real estate projects approved by EB-5 regional centers)
- Qualifies for immediate permanent residence (Green card) in the US including for family.
- Live anywhere in the US.
- US citizenship after 5 years of living in 7 years.
- Processing time 12-18 months
- Investors are taxed on worldwide income.
6. Greece
- EUR 250,000 property investment in Greece
- Permanent residency in Greece
- Free movement in Schengen zone
- No requirement to live in Greece
- Processing time is 6 months
- Greek citizenship after 7 years of uninterrupted living
7. Belgium
- EUR 350,000 property investment through Belgium company
- Live, work in Belgium with family
- Free movement in Schengen zone
- Citizenship after 5 years of uninterrupted living in Belgium.
- No requirement to live in Belgium for business.
8. Ireland
- EUR 1,000,000 in irish real estate trusts (or) €450,000 in residential property mixed investment with €500,000 (irish bonds) totalling EUR 950,000
- Qualifies for long term permanent residency in Ireland.
- Irish citizenship after 5 years of living legally.
- Processing time: 3 months.
9. France
- EUR 300,000 in real estate and construction in france (through a French business setup) under “exceptional economic contribution scheme”.
- Qualifies for 10 year long term residence permit in France
- Free movement in Schengen
- Processing time 3 months
- French citizenship after 10 years of legally living.
10. Netherlands
- EUR 1,250,000 venture capital in real estate and construction through Dutch business setup.
- Renewable residence permit to live and work in Netherlands.
- Free movement in Schengen
- No requirement to live in Netherlands.
- Citizenship after 5 years of living in Netherlands.
- Processing time: 1 month.
11. Latvia
- EUR 250,000 property investment in Latvia
- Free movement in schengen
- Long term temporary residence permit valid for 5 years
- No requirement to live in Latvia
- Citizenship after 10 years of living
- Processing time 3 months
12. Dominica
- USD 200,000 property investment (house, apartments, holiday resorts or hotel limited share)
- Fast track Dominica passport & citizenship within 4 months.
- No requirement to visit/live in Dominica
- Travel visa free to United Kingdom and Schengen countries (upto 110 countries) using Dominica passport.
- Dual citizen status.
- No taxes on personal income, wealth, inheritance
13. Grenada
- USD 220,000 property investment in approved Grenada real estate developments
- Fast track citizenship and passport within 2 months.
- Passport gives visa free travel to China, United Kingdom, EU Schengen states (120 countries)
- Apply for E2 business visa to United States after becoming a citizen of Grenada.
- Lifetime citizenship and passport for family from Grenada
- Fast processing time 2 months
14. St Kitts & Nevis
- USD 200,000 property investment in approved SKN real estate projects (limited share, full title etc) for 5 years
- Fast track passport and citizenship issued to family and children within 3 months.
- Passport gives visa free travel to United Kingdom, Brazil, EU schengen countries (120 countries)
- Processing time 4 months
- No requirement to visit or live in St Kitts required during the application process.
15. Antigua & Barbuda
- USD 200,000 property investment in approved Antigua real estate projects for 5 years.
- Fast track Lifetime citizenship and passport for family within 3 months
- No visit or residence requirements required
- Application processing time is 3 months.
- Antigua passport offers visa free travel to United Kingdom, EU Schengen states to over 130 countries.No wealth, inheritance, foreign income, personal income taxes
- No wealth, inheritance, foreign income, personal income taxes.
16. Saint Lucia
- USD 300,000 property investment in Saint Lucia government approved properties (homes, hotels, holiday resorts).
- Fast track St Lucia passport and citizenship within 2 months.
- Passport offers visa free travel to 125 countries including United Kingdom, EU schengen states.
- No residence requirements. No taxes. No tests. No personal visit required.
- 2 months processing time.
17. Bahamas
- USD 500,000 property investment purchase of home.
- Accelerated permanent residence given to investors and family.
- No income personal/corporate, no sales, no inheritance, no gift, no estate or no capital gains taxes in Bahamas. No double taxation agreements with other countries.
- Citizenship after 10 years by naturalising through permanent residence.
18. Andorra
- EUR 400,000 in Andorra real estate (property investment in buying a home).
- Investment gets long term residence permit to live in Andorra
- No free movement in Schengen (Andorra not in schengen)
- No personal tax, no wealth tax , 10% income tax, 10% corporate tax, no capital gains, no dividend taxes or estate duty taxes.
- Permanent residency after 10 years of living.
- Andorra citizenship after 20 years of living.
19. Bulgaria
- EUR 300,000 in bulgaria real estate (property investment in a home)
- Temporary residency to live in Bulgaria
- Processing time is 3 months.
- Permanent residence status after 5 years of living
- No free movement in Schengen zone (Bulgarian not schengen)
- Bulgaria citizenship after 6 years of uninterrupted living with PR status.
20. Fiji
- USD 125,000 property investment in Fiji real estate through a business enterprise.
- Qualifies for 7 year “investor permit” (permanent residence) to foreign investors.
- Citizenship after 5 years of living.
- Processing time 2-3 months.
21. Mauritius
- USD 500,000 in qualifying investment activity in construction and real estate
- Permanent residence issued for 10 years
- Citizenship possible after 2 years of living.
22. Monaco
- CHF 1,000,000 (swiss francs) property investment in Monaco (monte carlo)
- Qualifies for temporary residence permit to live in Monaco
- No income tax, no wealth tax, no local tax, no capital gains tax and very minimal inheritance taxes (tax haven in Europe).
- No double taxation agreements with other countries.
- Free movement in Schengen
- Permanent residence status after 5 years of living.
- Monaco citizenship after 10 years of uninterrupted living (dual citizen not allowed).
- Processing time is 2 months.
23. United Arab Emirates
- Property investment of USD 275,000 (AED 1 million)
- Qualifies for UAE residency (in Dubai, Abu Dhabi) incl for family.
- No citizenship, No PR, No dual citizen status
- Processing time is 2 months
24. Colombia
- USD 200,000 investment in real estate
- Qualifies for resident investor visa to live in Colombia including family
- Permanent residency after 5 years of lawful living.
- Citizenship after 10 years of living (exceptions are spanish, caribbean nationals can get in one or two years)
- Processing time is 2 months
25. Panama
- USD 300,000 investment in real estate in Panama (personal property)
- Qualifies for permanent residency status to live in Panama.
- Citizenship after 5 years of living in Panama.
- Processing time 2-3 months
26. Seychelles
- USD 400,000 property investment in Seychelles real estate (homes, villas, flats)
- Foreign investors qualify for 5 year permanent residence permit with family.
- Citizenship can be obtained after 10 years of living.
- Processing time 2 months.
I hope you have enjoyed this long article on countries offering citizenship or permanent residency based on property investment. Please contact us and we will be able to assist you in applying for any of the programs in the above countries.
About the Author
Mr. Balakrishnan is a world’s leading expert in investor citizenship and residency programs around the world. He is the founder and CEO of Best Citizenships (BC), assisting very wealthy, talented, high net worth families with global citizenship and residency programs including high end luxury real estate. The company has assisted several high profile firms, rich investors and families relocate to Europe, Caribbean and North America over the past 8 years.
