What counts as citizenship by investment?
A genuine CBI route has a legal basis, a responsible government authority and a defined qualifying contribution or investment. It still includes identity, source-of-funds and security review, and the state retains the final decision.
DoublePassport separates direct programs from residence-by-investment and discretionary merit naturalisation. That distinction prevents a permanent-residence card or an exceptional-contribution process from being sold as an ordinary passport product.
Which direct programs are covered?
The current directory includes the five established Eastern Caribbean programs—Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia—along with Türkiye, Nauru, São Tomé and Príncipe, Egypt and Vanuatu.
Jordan is also covered, but some of its investor pathways are staged: capital and Jordanian employment may need to be maintained before a final citizenship recommendation. The route page explains that sequence rather than compressing it into an instant-CBI label.
Why is Malta listed differently?
Malta discontinued the Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment program in 2025. Its current naturalisation-on-merit route asks for a documented exceptional service, contribution or national interest and is evaluated case by case.
A website still selling the discontinued program as a predictable investment product is using an obsolete description. Malta's separate permanent-residence program remains a residence route, not citizenship.
How should a shortlist be built?
Start with the legal outcome and the authority, then compare total cost, liquidity, family eligibility, due diligence, travel-access risk and any ongoing investment condition. Verify the agent and payment instructions on the authority's current site before sharing documents or money.
Key points
- Direct citizenship, staged citizenship and residence are different outcomes
- Malta's old direct-investment citizenship program is discontinued
- Official authority and agent verification come before price
- Travel access and program rules can change after publication