Many countries offer citizenship to foreigners who invest in these countries. Turkish Citizenship by Investment Program is definitely one of the best among these programs. We will compare the Turkish Citizenship by Investment Program with the residency or citizenship programs of other countries.
Group I – Residency only:
Colombia, Brazil, Panama, Dubai, and Spain are the countries which offer residency for foreigners which invest in real estate. They do not offer citizenship by investment.
Group II – Citizenship after 5+ Residency:
Some other countries offer residency by investment and the applicants who live in the country for a specific period will be eligible for citizenship. The residency requirements vary from 5 to 20 years. Except for Fiji, the investment required for residency is $300,000 or more.
Greece, Latvia, Hungary, Belgium, The Bahamas, The United States, Mauritius, Ireland, Portugal, Bulgaria, Malta, Switzerland, and Monaco are among these countries. Malta also requires a non-refundable donation to the government fund.
Group III – Direct Citizenship by Investment and/or Donation to Government:
Another group of countries offers direct citizenship by investment. Some countries expect the applicants to pay a donation to a government fund. Dominica, Vanuatu, Turkey, Saint Lucia, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Montenegro, and Cyprus are in this group.
St. Lucia and Grenada have the donation option instead of real estate purchase.
- When we compare them, we see that Group I countries never offer the passport.
- Group II countries offer the passport after 5+ years of residency.
- The most advantageous programmes are offered by Group III countries which offer citizenship directly without any residency requirement.
Among Group III countries, minimum investment requirements are as follows:
- $200,000 in Dominica and Vanuatu,
- $250,000 in Turkey,
- $300,000 in St. Lucia,
- $350,000 in Grenada,
- $400,000 in St.Kitts & Nevis and Antigua & Barbuda,
- $595,000 in Montenegro and
- $2,400,000 in Cyprus.
In Turkey, the minimum investment requirement is low whereas the expected ROI and appreciation on properties are the best. Therefore, Turkish Citizenship by Investment Program is the optimal program for investors who look for a second passport and/or a second safe home.
Here is the detailed list for countries with residency and/or citizenship by investment programs:
Group I – Residency only:
- Colombia: $150,000 investment to get residency.
- Brazil: $160,000 investment to get residency.
- Panama: $200,000 investment in real estate to get residency.
- Dubai: $272,000 investment on real estate to get residency.
- Spain: $595,000 investment to get residency.
Group II – Citizenship after 5+ Residency:
- Fiji: $125,000 investment in real estate to get residency. 5-year residency to get citizenship.
- Greece: $300,000 investment in real estate to get residency. 7-year residency to get citizenship.
- Latvia: $327,00 investment in real estate to get residency. 10-year residency to get citizenship.
- Hungary: $356,000 investment in real estate to get residency. 8-year residency to get citizenship.
- Belgium: $416,000 investment in real estate to get residency. 5-year residency to get citizenship.
- The Bahamas: $500,000 investment in real estate to get residency. 10-year residency to get citizenship.
- The United States of America: $500,000 investment for the Green Card. 5-year residency to get citizenship.
- Mauritius: $500,000 investment in real estate to get residency. 2-year residency to get citizenship.
- Ireland: $595,000 investment to get residency. 5-year residency to get citizenship.
- Portugal: $595,000 investment to get residency. 6-year residency to get citizenship.
- Bulgaria: $595,000 investment to get residency. 5-year residency to get citizenship.
- Switzerland: $1,000,000 investment to get residency. 12-year residency to get citizenship.
- Malta: $650,000 euros non-refundable contribution to the National Development and Social Fund for the main applicant and 25,000 or 50,000 euros contribution for each dependent after 350,000 euros investment in real estate and 5-year residency.
- Monaco: $1,200,000 investment to get residency. 10-year residency to get citizenship.
Group III – Direct Citizenship by Investment and/or Donation to Government:
- Dominica: $200,000 investment in real estate to get citizenship.
- Vanuatu: $200,000 investment in real estate to get citizenship.
- Turkey: $250,000 investment in real estate to get citizenship.
- Saint Lucia: $300,000 investment on real estate or $100,000 donation to sovereign wealth fund to get citizenship.
- Grenada: $350,000 investment on real estate or $200,000 donation to sovereign wealth fund to get citizenship.
- Saint Kitts and Nevis: $400,000 investment in real estate to get citizenship.
- Antigua and Barbuda: $400,000 investment in real estate to get citizenship.
- Montenegro: $595,000 investment in real estate to get citizenship.
- Cyprus: $2,400,000 investment to get citizenship.
