The United States is hardly the only country that offers immigration opportunities in exchange for investments.
Other countries have their own versions of the EB-5 program in the United States, which provides green cards in exchange for employment-generating investments of $500,000 or more.
Some countries offer citizenship in exchange for investments – normally in real estate – while others offer a residency visa.
Business Insider compiled the following list of countries that offer residency or citizenship in exchange for a minimum amount of investment (denominated here in U.S. dollars):
~Thailand – “elite residency” for $15,253.
~Latvia – residency for $74,973.
~Saint Lucia – citizenship for $100,000.
~Dominica – citizenship for $100,000.
~Antigua and Barbuda – citizenship for $100,000.
~St. Kitts and Nevis – citizenship for $150,000.
~Grenada – citizenship for $150,000.
~ Vanuatu – citizenship for $155,000.
~Moldova – citizenship for $169,292.
~Cambodia – citizenship for $245,230.
~Greece – residency for $290,143.
~Portugal – “golden visa” for $406,200.
~Montenegro – citizenship for $406,200.
~United States – citizenship for $500,000.
~Spain – “golden visa” for $580,286
~Bulgaria – citizenship for $593,384.
~Canada – citizenship for $612,075.
~Turkey – citizenship for $1 million.
~Malta – citizenship for $1 million.
~ Australia – residency for $1.08 million.
~Cyprus – citizenship for $1.74 million.
~New Zealand – residency for $1.98 million.
~UK – visa for $2.57 million.
According to a 2017 survey of wealthy people by CS Global Partners, 89 percent wanted a second passport, and 34 percent had explored investment as a means of attaining citizenship in another country.
Nuri Katz, president of international advisory firm Apex Capital Partners, told Business Insider that many wealthy individuals seek a second or third passport for travel benefits and tax advantages, and for some, residency or citizenship in another country is a status symbol comparable to an expensive car. [Evening Standard] – Mike Seemuth