With the power of the American passport declining and more travel restrictions in place for American citizens than others, the thought of gaining residency somewhere (anywhere!) else can be tempting. In fact, a recent YouGov study reveals that a third of Americans are interested in moving to Canada if the election doesn’t go their way. You might be surprised to discover that there are actually quite a few countries where you can buy citizenship.
Gaining citizenship for a new country without natural means won’t come cheap by any means, but it will enable you to beneficial residency options and a second passport.
Countries Where you Can Buy Citizenship & a Passport
1. St. Kitts
The St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program has been on the go since 1984. It requires investment of either a minimum donation of $150,000 to the Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF) or investment of $400,000 in real estate (can be reduced to $200,000 for connected investors).
Citizens of St. Kitts & Nevis enjoy visa free travel to over 156 countries, including the EU Schengen visa zone, the UK, Ireland and Switzerland.
2. PortugalÂ
An investment of €500,000 (or €350,000 reduced option) in real estate in Portugal will gain a residency permit for a family including dependent children. In order to gain citizenship you will need to demonstrate ties to the country, but you won’t have to reside there.
Citizenship of Portugal and a second passport gives the right to live, work and study anywhere in the European Union.
3. Antigua & Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda provides a second passport to investors. The passport offers visa-free travel to over 150 countries including the UK, EU Schengen zone, Hong Kong and Switzerland. To apply, you can choose to contribute $100,000 to the Antigua National Development Fund. They can invest $1.5m in establishing a business ($5.0m for two or more investors) or invest $400,000 in a government approved real estate project.
4. St. Lucia
Holders of a St. Lucia passport can enjoy visa-free travel to 146 countries. Best of all, you don’t even have to visit the island to apply for citizenship here!
The current minimum investments for donation to the investment fund are $100,000 for a single applicant, $165,000 for a couple and $190,000 for a family of four. For real estate the minimum is set at $300,000 for the main applicant.
5. Dominica
Applicants making such a contribution to Dominica are granted full citizenship for themselves and their family. This allows visa free travel to over 137 countries including the UK and the EU Schengen zone. The minimum investment is $100,000.
6. Ireland
More expensive, but a great option for families who want to base themselves in Europe. Ireland is home to world-class tech companies and schools. You must have a net worth in excess of €2 million, including €1 million in funds available for an investment in Ireland.
Investors can gain a €50,000 reduction if they have children who wish to attend university in Ireland. An Irish passport is one of the strongest in Europe.
7. Turkey
Turkey grants residency, citizenship and a second passport if you invest either in real estate or a bank deposit. Citizenship of Turkey is granted after 3-6 months following the applicants investment. The real estate option is pretty attractive. The minimum purchase price is just $250,000.
A Turkish passport allows visa free travel (or visa on arrival) to 114 countries worldwide. You can also apply for US residency.
Want to see more countries where you can buy citizenship? Check out some resources here and here.
