Outcomes
Citizenship routes
The legal outcome here is a passport: full nationality, consular protection and (depending on the issuing country) visa-free travel.
CBI grants it directly on approval with no residence period. Naturalization grants it after a qualifying residence period — with cohort-dependent rule versions. Both are tracked as distinct programs with their own statuses, costs and sources.
Portugal Naturalization by Residence (post-May 2026 law)
Portuguese citizenship by residence: seven years for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries or EU member states and ten years for other nationals under the law effective 19 May 2026.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Greece Naturalization by Residence
Greek citizenship after 7 years of continuous legal residence, with Greek language proficiency and other conditions.
Research cutoff 2026-09-19 · 2 source references · review pending
Spain Citizenship by Ordinary Residence
Spanish citizenship by residence: ten years generally, five for refugees, two for nationals of the listed countries and Sephardim, and one for specified Article 22 categories.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 3 source references · review pending
St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment (CBI)
St. Kitts & Nevis passport and citizenship immediately upon approval — no residence requirement — with family inclusion.
Research cutoff 2026-09-19 · 3 source references · review pending
Antigua & Barbuda Citizenship by Investment
Antigua & Barbuda citizenship (full nationality + passport) immediately on approval, for the applicant and eligible family — no residence requirement.
Research cutoff 2026-09-19 · 2 source references · review pending
Dominica Citizenship by Investment (CBI)
Dominican citizenship after government approval and completion of either the Economic Diversification Fund contribution or a qualifying government-approved real-estate investment.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 4 source references · review pending
Argentine Citizenship by Birth
Argentine citizenship for a child born in Argentina, subject to the statutory diplomatic exception and registration rules.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 1 source references · review pending
Argentine Citizenship by Naturalization
Application for Argentine citizenship after two years of continuous, legal residence immediately before filing under the post-May 2025 rules.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Brazilian Citizenship by Birth
Brazilian nationality for most children born in Brazil, except where foreign parents are serving their country.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Brazilian Ordinary Naturalization
Brazilian citizenship application after four years of qualifying residence generally, reduced to one year for specified applicants including a parent of a Brazilian child or spouse of a Brazilian.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Mexican Nationality by Birth
Mexican nationality for a person born in Mexican territory regardless of the parents’ nationality, under Article 30 of the Constitution.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 1 source references · review pending
Mexican Naturalization by Residence
Mexican naturalization after five years of qualifying residence generally, or two years for specified applicants including those with Mexican-born children and Latin American or Iberian nationals.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Canadian Citizenship by Birth
Canadian citizenship for most people born in Canada, with an exception for specified children of foreign representatives with diplomatic privileges.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 1 source references · review pending
Canadian Citizenship by Naturalization
Canadian citizenship application for an eligible permanent resident with at least 1,095 days of physical presence during the five-year eligibility period and the other current requirements.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Grenada Citizenship by Investment
Grenadian citizenship through a National Transformation Fund contribution or an approved-project investment, after government due diligence and approval.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment
Saint Lucian citizenship after approval, due diligence and completion of a qualifying fund, real-estate, enterprise or government-bond option.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Türkiye Exceptional Citizenship by Investment
Eligibility to request exceptional Turkish citizenship through a qualifying investment certified by the responsible authority, subject to a presidential decision.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Nauru Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship
Nauruan citizenship through a direct Treasury Fund contribution supporting climate-resilience and development projects, after due diligence, interview and approval.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment Programme
Eligibility to receive São Toméan citizenship after the programme unit completes due diligence and the competent authorities grant the application.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 1 source references · review pending
Egyptian Citizenship by Investment
Egyptian citizenship following preliminary review, completion of a qualifying investment programme and a final government decision.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Jordanian Citizenship Through Investment
Jordanian citizenship or a staged temporary-passport route for investors who satisfy the applicable capital, holding and employment conditions.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Vanuatu Citizenship Investment Programmes
Vanuatu citizenship through an official investment category, subject to Commission approval, enhanced due diligence and the selected programme rules.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
Malta Citizenship by Naturalisation on the Basis of Merit
Discretionary Maltese naturalisation for a person whose exceptional service, contribution or interest is judged to benefit Malta or humanity.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21 · 2 source references · review pending
The distinction that matters
CBI, citizenship by birth, descent and naturalization are different legal bases. A child’s citizenship never proves a parent’s citizenship, and a residence permit never becomes a passport automatically. Compare the legal outcome before comparing cost or timing.
Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
What is citizenship by investment?
It is a statutory process in which a government may grant citizenship after an applicant passes due diligence and completes a qualifying contribution or investment. Approval remains sovereign and discretionary; transferring money alone never creates citizenship.
Which citizenship-by-investment programs are active?
The directory covers source-confirmed routes in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Türkiye, Nauru, São Tomé and Príncipe, Egypt, Jordan and Vanuatu. Status, structures and eligibility differ and are rechecked against the listed authority.
Does Malta still sell citizenship by investment?
No. Malta announced the discontinuation of its former direct-investment citizenship program in 2025. Its current merit-based naturalisation route is discretionary, case-specific and based on exceptional contribution—not a standard CBI purchase.
Is a CBI application guaranteed if I meet the minimum investment?
No. Minimum capital is only one condition. Governments can refuse an application after identity, source-of-funds, sanctions, security, reputation or other due-diligence checks.
Can I apply directly to a CBI government?
Many programs require a licensed or authorised agent; others use a dedicated government unit or staged investment approval. Check the responsible authority and agent register before sharing documents or money.
Can my family receive citizenship with me?
Often a spouse and defined dependent children can be included, and some programs allow parents or limited other dependants. Age, dependency, custody, education and extra-fee rules are program-specific.
Is the advertised minimum the total cost?
No. Due diligence, government processing, interviews, agent or legal work, documents, translations, property charges and family additions can materially change the total. Treat a headline minimum as only one component.
Does a second citizenship change my tax residence?
Not automatically. Citizenship, immigration residence, domicile and tax residence are separate concepts. Obtain country-specific tax advice before assuming a passport changes reporting or tax obligations.
Can a CBI passport lose visa-free access?
Yes. Travel access is controlled by destination countries and can change independently of the citizenship grant. Never treat a current visa-free list as a guaranteed lifetime feature.
How do I avoid CBI scams?
Start with the government authority, verify the agent on an official register, reject unofficial discounts, confirm payment instructions independently and do not transfer funds merely because a website uses government-looking branding.
Research cutoff 2026-09-21; verify before acting.