What is the minimum budget for a passport or residency by investment?

The lowest entry points are São Tomé and Príncipe and Nauru, from $90,000 for a single applicant. In the Caribbean the range starts at $200,000 with Dominica.

How long does it realistically take to get residency or a passport?

The fastest passports are Vanuatu, Nauru and São Tomé and Príncipe, from three months. For residency it is Cyprus and Greece (golden visas, from four months) or Spain (the digital nomad visa, from three months).

Migronis · licensed investment migration agent · since 2012

Citizenship and residency by investment — 24 programs

Q: What is the difference between citizenship, residency and permanent residency?

Citizenship (CBI) is a second passport, the same as the one you were born with, and it passes to your children. Residency (RBI) gives you the right to live and work in the country and a future route to citizenship. Permanent residency sits in between: in substance it is long-term residency.

Q: Can I keep my current citizenship?

In most cases yes. Countries that grant citizenship by investment allow dual citizenship. Any restriction usually comes from the country whose passport you already hold.

Migronis is a licensed agent for citizenship (CBI) and residency (RBI) by investment, working since 2012. 2,400+ successful cases, a 97% approval rate, offices in Lisbon (Portugal) and Csomád (Hungary).

Citizenship by investment (a second passport) — 9 programs

Program	Investment from	Timeline	Visa-free	What stands out
Grenada Citizenship by Investment	$235,000	8–12 mo	147	Access to US E-2 visa
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment	$250,000	6–10 mo	157	World's oldest CBI (since 1984)
Antigua & Barbuda Citizenship by Investment	$230,000	6–9 mo	154	Best value for families of 4+
Dominica Citizenship by Investment	$200,000	6–9 mo	145	Lowest-entry Caribbean CBI
St Lucia Citizenship by Investment	$240,000	6–9 mo	144	Refundable government bonds option
Türkiye Citizenship by Investment	$400,000	4–8 mo	113	Access to US E-2 visa
São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment	$90,000	3–6 mo	58	Low entry, simplified path to a Portuguese passport
Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment	$100,000	4–6 mo	87	World's fastest CBI
Nauru Citizenship by Investment	$90,000	3–5 mo	86	New program with the lowest entry threshold

* Minimum investment and standard timelines.

Residency and permanent residency by investment — 15 programs

Program	Investment from	Timeline	What stands out
Portugal Golden Visa	€200,000	18–36 mo	EU residency without mandatory stay
Portugal HQA Visa	contract pay from €1,611/mo	4–6 mo	EU residency via a company contract
Spain Digital Nomad Visa	income from €2,849/mo	1–6 mo	Fast EU residency + tax breaks
Greece Golden Visa	€250,000	4–6 mo	The only EU program with a real-estate investment
Cyprus Golden Visa (Permanent Residency)	€300,000	6–12 mo	Permanent residency in the shortest time
Hungary Investor Visa	€250,000	4–6 mo	New EU residency program – fund investment or donation
Malta Global Residence Programme	entry no investment	3–4 mo	EU residency without buying property
Panama Qualified Investor Program	$300,000	1–3 mo	Permanent residency upfront, no temporary stage
Latvia Residency by Investment	€250,000	4 mo	EU residency through real estate
Colombia Investment Visa	$191,000	3–4 mo	Residency through real estate or business
USA EB-5 Visa	$800,000	12–30 mo	US Green Card via investment
USA E-2 Visa	$200,000	3–6 mo	Business visa
Costa Rica Investor Visa	$150,000	4–8 mo	New investor visa with a sustainability focus
Uruguay Residency	income from $1,000/mo	8–12 mo	Residency by income from $1,000/mo, path to citizenship
Brazil Investor Visa	$170,000	9–14 mo	Real-estate investment from $170k depending on state

How to choose a program — quick pointers

Lowest entry point: São Tomé and Príncipe and Nauru — from $90,000.
Lowest entry point in the Caribbean: Dominica — from $200,000.
Widest visa-free access: St Kitts & Nevis — 157 destinations.
Best entry for a family of four or more: Antigua & Barbuda — from $230,000.
Access to the US: the US E-2 business visa is opened by a Grenada passport (from $235,000) or Türkiye citizenship (from $400,000).
Fastest passport: Vanuatu (4–6 months) and Nauru (3–5 months).
Refundable government bonds: St Lucia — from $240,000.
EU entry without buying property: Malta, Global Residence Programme. The only EU program with a real-estate investment: Greece — from €250,000.

Where Migronis clients move

Lisbon and Cascais (a family of four budgets about €4,000/mo), Porto (about €3,200/mo), Barcelona (about €3,800/mo), Athens and Glyfada (about €2,900/mo), Florianópolis (about $3,200/mo), Limassol (about €3,600/mo), San José (about $2,600/mo). Each city guide covers neighborhoods for families, international schools (IB, British, American) and what living there actually costs.

Investing through Migronis

Real estate in Brazil (Florianópolis): our own licensed agency, escrow service, 5–6% rental yield and +20–30% on resale. Support with the Brazilian investor visa.
A fund in Portugal: supervised by the CMVM regulator, eligible for the Golden Visa, 4–7% a year.
Tax regimes: Portugal IFICI (ten years of relief for people working in IT and science), Spain's Beckham law (24% for six years), Costa Rica's territorial taxation, the Cyprus non-dom regime with 0% on dividends.

Frequently asked

What is the difference between citizenship, residency and permanent residency?

Citizenship (CBI) is a second passport and it passes to your children. Residency (RBI) is the right to live and work in the country, with a route to citizenship later. Permanent residency is long-term residency without renewals.

What is the minimum budget?

From $90,000 for a single applicant with São Tomé and Príncipe or Nauru. In the Caribbean, from $200,000 with Dominica.

How long does a passport or residency realistically take?

Passports: Vanuatu, Nauru and São Tomé and Príncipe from three months. Residency: Greece from four months, Spain's digital nomad visa from one month.

Can I keep my current citizenship?

In most cases yes: CBI countries allow dual citizenship. Any restriction usually comes from the country you hold now.

Do the funds come back?

Deposits and bonds are returned after three to seven years. A donation is not. Funds and real estate are realised on a timeline that depends on the asset and the country.

Where is Migronis based?

The team works from several countries, with offices in Lisbon (Portugal) and Csomád (Hungary). In every country that needs a lawyer on the ground there is a specialist representing the client before immigration authorities and banks.

Talk to a lawyer

A free 30-minute consultation with a lawyer — your budget, your family and the programs that fit, with no obligation.