Citizenship by Investment 2026All 22 Programs Compared by Cost & Passport Power
Official publications · refreshed 2026-08-22
- Programs tracked
- 22
- Lowest published minimum
- $75,000 (announced)
- Strongest CBI passport
- 111 visa-free
- Allow dual citizenship
- 14
Citizenship by investment (CBI) grants a second passport for a qualifying investment - a donation, approved real estate, or a business stake - and every programme below sits next to what its passport is worth in our passport rankings. The lowest enacted minimum is $90,000.
Citizenship by Investment Countries List 2026: All 22 Programs, Cheapest First
Ranked by lowest published USD minimum, which excludes processing, due diligence and dependant fees. Amounts in other currencies are shown as published, never converted, and sit unranked at the bottom.
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| # | Passport & programme | From | Investment routes | Processing & conditions | Passport power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇧🇼Botswanaannounced, not enactedCitizenship by Investment Programme (Citizenship Amendment Act 2025 / Impact Investment Program)Africa · official source ↗ | $75,000 | Other qualifying investment $75,000 | not publishedno residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 39 visa-free · #118/199passport · entry rules |
| 2 | 🇳🇷NauruNauru Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program (ECRCP)Oceania · official source ↗ | $90,000 | Donation $90,000 | Three to four months from date of application submissionno residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 50 visa-free · #99/199passport · entry rules |
| 3 | 🇸🇹São Tomé and PríncipeSão Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment ProgramAfrica · official source ↗ | $90,000 | Donation $90,000 | 1.5-3 months to decision (official CIP site states 'approvals in as little as two months'); post-approval passport issuance approximately 3 monthsno residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 21 visa-free · #150/199passport · entry rules |
| 4 | 🇻🇺VanuatuVanuatu Citizenship by Investment (Programs: DSP/VCP, CIIP/Form D, REO)Oceania · official source ↗ | $130,000 | Donation $130,000 · Real estate (not published) · Other qualifying investment $260,000 | Not specified on official pages; 3 months allowed to complete oath and pay fees after Commission approval (with possible 2-month extension upon written request).no residency requirement | 42 visa-free · #109/199passport · entry rules |
| 5 | 🇩🇲DominicaCommonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment ProgrammeAmericas · official source ↗ | $200,000 | Donation $200,000 · Real estate $200,000 | 3 to 4 months from application submission to approval in principleno residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 85 visa-free · #69/199passport · entry rules |
| 6 | 🇦🇬Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment ProgrammeAmericas · official source ↗ | $230,000 | Donation $230,000 · Real estate $300,000 · Business investment $400,000 · Fund contribution $260,000 | Not published on the official programme site (cip.gov.ag)residency required · dual citizenship allowed | 88 visa-free · #61/199passport · entry rules |
| 7 | 🇬🇩GrenadaGrenada Citizenship by Investment ProgrammeAmericas · official source ↗ | $235,000 | Donation $235,000 · Real estate $270,000 | 3-4 monthsno residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 86 visa-free · #64/199passport · entry rules |
| 8 | 🇱🇨Saint LuciaSaint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP)Americas · official source ↗ | $240,000 | Donation $240,000 · Government bonds $300,000 · Real estate $300,000 · Business investment $3,500,000 | Approximately 90 days from acceptance of application for processingno residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 81 visa-free · #68/199passport · entry rules |
| 9 | 🇪🇬EgyptUnit for Granting Egyptian Citizenship in Exchange for InvestmentAfrica · official source ↗ | $250,000 | Donation $250,000 · Real estate $500,000 · Business investment $400,000 · Fund contribution $1,000,000 · Government bonds $750,000 | 3 to 6 monthsno residency requirement | 16 visa-free · #155/199passport · entry rules |
| 10 | 🇰🇳Saint Kitts and NevisSt. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment ProgrammeAmericas · official source ↗ | $250,000 | Donation $250,000 · Real estate $325,000 · Real estate $600,000 | 160-180 days from submission to approval in principleno residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 88 visa-free · #58/199passport · entry rules |
| 11 | 🇹🇷TurkeyTurkish Citizenship by Investment (Exceptional Naturalisation)Asia · official source ↗ | $400,000 | Real estate $400,000 · Other qualifying investment $500,000 · Other qualifying investment (not published) · Government bonds $500,000 · Fund contribution $500,000 | Not specified on official page; decision rests with the President of the Republic of Turkeyno residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 66 visa-free · #75/199passport · entry rules |
| 12 | 🇱🇦LaosHonorary Citizenship by Investment (Decree No. 14 of 2022)Asia · official source ↗ | $500,000 | Donation $500,000 · Business investment $1,000,000 | Ministry of Justice reviews within 5 business days of receipt, then evaluates for 30 days before forwarding to government for further review. Applications submitted to Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Lao consulate/embassy abroad.no residency requirement | 16 visa-free · #177/199passport · entry rules |
| 13 | 🇲🇺MauritiusNaturalization for Investors (Section 9(3) Mauritius Citizenship Act)Africa · official source ↗ | $500,000 | Business investment $500,000 | not publishedresidency required | 88 visa-free · #57/199passport · entry rules |
| 14 | 🇰🇭CambodiaCitizenship by Investment / Naturalization by Investment (Sub-Decree No. 225)Asia · official source ↗ | $1,000,000 | Business investment $1,000,000 · Donation $3,000,000 | Not specified officially; applications require approval from Ministry of Interior and final grant by Royal Decree.dual citizenship allowed | 14 visa-free · #167/199passport · entry rules |
| 15 | 🇸🇻El SalvadorAdopting El Salvador - Freedom Passport (Pasaporte de la Libertad)Americas · official source ↗ | $1,000,000 | Other qualifying investment $1,000,000 | Approximately 6 weeks (as stated on official world.adoptingelsalvador.gob.sv)no residency requirement | 68 visa-free · #76/199passport · entry rules |
| - | 🇬🇪GeorgiaGeorgian Citizenship by Exception / Special Contribution Citizenship ProgramAsia · official source ↗ | €300,000 | Business investment €3,000,000 · Fund contribution €2,000,000 · Donation €300,000 | 3 to 6 monthsno residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 67 visa-free · #77/199passport · entry rules |
| - | 🇯🇴JordanJordanian Citizenship by Investment ProgramAsia · official source ↗ | JOD 350,000 | Business investment JOD 3,000,000 · Business investment JOD 700,000 · Business investment JOD 350,000 · Fund contribution JOD 1,000,000 · Other qualifying investment (not published) · Business investment JOD 500,000 | Not stated on official pageno residency requirement | 14 visa-free · #174/199passport · entry rules |
| - | 🇲🇰North MacedoniaNorth Macedonia Citizenship by Investment ProgramEurope · official source ↗ | €200,000 | Fund contribution €200,000 · Business investment €400,000 | 5-10 months (officially stated as ~5 months; industry sources estimate 8-10 months)no residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 60 visa-free · #91/199passport · entry rules |
| - | 🇼🇸SamoaCitizenship Investment Program (Citizenship Investment Act 2015)Oceania · official source ↗ | WST 4,000,000 | Business investment WST 4,000,000 · Fund contribution WST 4,000,000 | Minimum 3-year timeline: begins with temporary resident permit, progresses to permanent resident permit (with minimum 15 days per year physical presence requirement), then citizenship eligibility after 3 years.residency required | 71 visa-free · #73/199passport · entry rules |
| - | 🇦🇷ArgentinasuspendedCitizenship by Investment (Ciudadanía por Inversión) - Decreto 524/2025Americas · official source ↗ | not published | Other qualifying investment (not published) | 30 business days is the National Directorate of Migration decision window per Decreto 524/2025 Art. 4, but the program is NOT operational (see notes) - no end-to-end timeline existsno residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 102 visa-free · #37/199passport · entry rules |
| - | 🇦🇹AustriaAustrian Citizenship for Exceptional Services (Staatsbürgerschaftsgesetz §10 Abs. 6)Europe · official source ↗ | not published | Other qualifying investment (not published) | Not specified on official source. Council of Ministers meets twice yearly to decide applications.no residency requirement · dual citizenship allowed | 111 visa-free · #24/199passport · entry rules |
| - | 🇸🇱Sierra LeoneNaturalization of Qualifying Foreign National Investors (GO-FOR-GOLD pathway)Africa · official source ↗ | not published | - | not published | 35 visa-free · #132/199passport · entry rules |
Passport power counts every destination reachable without a pre-arranged visa (visa-free + visa on arrival + eTA) - compare all 199 passports in the Earth Visa passport rankings.
Citizenship by Investment FAQ
What is citizenship by investment?
Citizenship by investment (CBI) is a legal route to a second passport: a country grants full citizenship in exchange for a qualifying investment, typically a non-refundable donation to a national fund, an approved real estate purchase, or a business investment. Earth Visa tracks 22 such programs in 2026, compiled from official government publications.
What is the cheapest citizenship by investment in 2026?
The lowest USD-denominated published minimums in our data are $75,000 (Botswana), $90,000 (Nauru) and $90,000 (São Tomé and Príncipe). Per our source notes, Botswana's figure is an announced amount that had not been formally enacted at our last data refresh. Fees for due diligence, processing and dependants come on top of the headline minimum.
How many countries offer citizenship by investment in 2026?
Our dataset (last refreshed 2026-08-22) tracks 22 countries with an operating, announced, or legally-authorized citizenship by investment route: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Botswana, Cambodia, Dominica, Egypt, El Salvador, Georgia, Grenada, Jordan, Laos, Mauritius, Nauru, North Macedonia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Turkey, Vanuatu. Of these, Argentina is legally authorized but currently suspended, with applications not open - see its entry below.
How long does citizenship by investment take?
It varies by program, and many official sources do not publish a timeline. Examples of published processing times in our data - Dominica: 3 to 4 months from application submission to approval in principle; Egypt: 3 to 6 months; El Salvador: Approximately 6 weeks (as stated on official world.adoptingelsalvador.gob.sv); Georgia: 3 to 6 months. Timelines run from application submission and exclude document preparation and due diligence delays.
Which citizenship by investment passport is the strongest?
Among CBI countries in our data, the Austria passport has the highest visa-free count: 111 destinations, ranked #24 of 199 passports. It is followed by Antigua and Barbuda (88 visa-free) and Mauritius (88 visa-free). Note that Austria's route has no published investment schedule and is granted at government discretion per the official source.
Do citizenship by investment countries allow dual citizenship?
14 of the 22 programs in our data explicitly allow dual citizenship per their official sources; for the remainder the official source does not state a position. Also check the rules of your current country of citizenship - some countries restrict their own citizens from holding a second passport.