There are three main ways to become citizen of any given country:

1. By ancestry (or birth) – some nations award children of their nationals with direct citizenship. At the same time, a few, like the US, have a jus soli law in place, which grants anyone born
   within their jurisdiction. 
2. By marriage – marrying a national of a certain country can eventually lead to citizenship. However, there are some nations that do not follow this rule, such as the KSA or Qatar.
3. By naturalization – the most common way to become a citizen of another country; naturalization means granting citizenship to someone who has met certain criteria, normally in the shape of residing legally for a certain period of time. However, there is another – less common – route to naturalization through investment, more commonly known as citizenship by investment or CBI. 

Only a handful of nations offer Citizenship by Investment, but the concept is gaining traction among both nations and applicants alike. Gaining citizenship by investment means you do not have to abide by the long residency requirements and spend years living abroad to obtain a passport and certificate of naturalization, but instead can finish the process and become a full-fledged national within a matter of months. 

The premise of citizenship by investment is a simple one as well; if a person has a clean criminal background, makes a qualifying investment according to the nation’s regulations, and submits a full application, they and their eligible family members can become citizens of the host nation. 

Hence, citizenship by investment is the easiest route to gaining a second citizenship by investment, and since eight countries currently have citizenship by investment programs (CIPs) in place, they are, logically, the easiest countries to get citizenship from, and we will go through each of them to help you decide which one suits you best. 

Caribbean nations

There are five nations in the Caribbean that host wildly popular CIPs, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, and St. lucia

They are all commonwealth nations with similar structured CIPs and strong passports that grant visa-free access to the EU, UK, Hong Kong, and many more destinations worldwide.

The premise of these nation’s CIPs is simple: make a qualified investment and obtain citizenship within 3-6 months. No need to live or even visit them in order to become a citizen. So let’s go into a bit more detail for each one. 

Antigua & Barbuda

The stunning Caribbean twin-island nation of Antigua & Barbuda hosts one of the world’s most enticing CIPs, having approved more than 1750 applications since its inception. The country permits the addition of an applicant’s spouse as well as their dependent children, parents, and grandparents to the same application. There are four investment options under the program:

• A non-refundable donation to the country’s National Development Fund (NDF) starting at 100,000 USD 
• Purchasing real estate (real property or shares in a five star resort) for no less than 200,000 USD
• A contribution to the University of West Indies Fund (UWIF) starting at 150,000 USD for a family of six
• Investing a minimum of 1,500,000 USD into an approved business

However, what makes the Antiguan CIP unique is the UWIF investment option, as it provides large families with the best value for money in terms of cost-effectiveness. While its passport provides its holder with visa=free travel to over 150 destinations worldwide, including the EU, the UK, and many more. 

Dominica

One of the most naturally stunning islands in the Caribbean Sea, Dominica also hosts a CIP very similar to the one in its neighboring nation of Antigua & Barbuda. Its passport is very similar as well, boasting visa-free travel to 143 destinations worldwide. 

However, Dominica goes one step further than Antigua & Barbuda in terms of dependents, allowing those who qualify for the Antiguan program to be added as well as the applicant’s dependent siblings. 

The nation keeps its investment options simple with two choices for investors:

• A contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund starting at 100,000 USD for a single applicant
• Investment in shares in resorts or real property for no less than 200,000 USD

Dominica is considered one of the most cost-effective options for small families or single applicants, and its government is working tirelessly on improving its overall visa-free score. Its status as a massive tax haven also plays a large role in its popularity. 

Grenada

Another commonwealth Caribbean nation on the list, Grenada, was the first to introduce siblings to a citizenship application. The nation has a diverse list of real estate investment options in the shape of real property or shares, and boasts one of the best offshore banking scenes in the world. 

Grenada, much like its neighboring nation of Dominica, offers two investment options for citizenship hopefuls:

• Donating to the National Transformation Fund starting at 150,000 USD
• Investing in real estate or shares for no less than 220,000 USD

Grenada’s passport has a visa-free listing made up of 144 destinations worldwide, including China, Singapore, and many more global business hubs throughout the UK and EU. But what makes Grenada really unique is that its nationals are eligible for the US E2 Treaty Visa. 

The E2 Visa is a route to residency in the US which grants its holders the right to live, work, and study on American soil. The catch is: not all nationalities can apply; only a select few are eligible under the treaty, and Grenadians are lucky enough to be on that list. 

st. Kitts & Nevis

The father of Citizenship by Investment programs, St. Kitts & Nevis was the first nation to launch a CIP way back in 1984. Since then, the Caribbean nation has obtained the expertise to perfect its program for both the foreign applicants and maximum economic benefit.

• st. Kitts & Nevis has two investment options much like Grenada and Dominica, but also gives investors the freedom to choose alternative investments under special circumstances:
• investment options
  • Donation to the Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF) starting at 150,000 USD
  • Investing in real estate for no less than 200,000 USD
  • Alternative Investment Option of 200,000 USD through a Private Enterprise Developer
  • Alternative Investment Option of 225,000 USD through a Public Good Project Developer

The country has one of the quickest CIPs in the world, even offering expedited processing for a fee, and those who pay that fee can expect to become a citizen of a St. Kitts & Nevis (which offers visa free travel to a staggering 157 destinations) within 60 days. 

st. lucia

The last of the Caribbean nations on the list, St. Lucia offers a similarly structured program to its neighbors. With a passport that offers visa-free travel to 146 destinations worldwide, it also offers similar global mobility.

st. Lucia’s program is gaining traction, having attracted more than 725 applications between 2016-2019, and part of that may be due to its impressive investment options.

It is the only country on the list that allows for naturalization through the investment in government bonds, and its current offer on COVID relief bonds for a discounted price has gained massive traction, albeit the offer is coming to an end on the first day of January 2022. The investments available in St. Lucia are:

• COVID-19 relief bond investment of 250,000 USD 
• Government Bond investment of 500,000 USD
• Donation to the National Economic Fund starting at 100,000 USD
• Investing in shares or real estate for no less than 300,000 USD  
• Enterprise establishment for at least 3,500,000 USD

Montenegro

Leaving the Caribbean and setting our sights on the European continent, we find Montenegro’s short-lived CIP. The European nation announced its program in 2020, and after just one year in actual processing, the government announced it would officially close the CIP on the last day of December 2021. 

The program requires a qualifying investment in the shape of a 100,000 euro investment along with a 250,000 euro investment in real estate in the northern region of the country, and that amount rises to 450,000 in real estate in the south of Montenegro. 

Although pricier than its Caribbean counterparts as well as having similar processing timeframes and slightly lower global mobility (124 destinations worldwide), the program was welcomed with great fanfare, most probably due to Montenegro’s official EU accession evaluation being in process, meaning a person could potentially become an EU citizen for a very reasonable investment. 

Turkey

The world’s most popular program, Turkey’s CIP has taken the world by storm, naturalizing more than 9000 people since its establishment in 2017.

However, it wasn’t till 2018, when the government slashed the required investment threshold, that the CIP really began skyrocketing.

Turkey’s program may be the simplest one on the market, with simple and quick processing of 3-6 months, minimal documentation requirements, and enticing investment options. Investors are free to choose to invest in either:

• Purchasing immovable property for 250,000 USD
• Invest 500,000 USD in fixed capital 
• Deposit at least 500,000 USD in a Turkish bank and hold them for three years
• Acquire government bonds for at least 500,000 USD
• Commission at least 500,000 USD into real estate investment fund share or venture capital investment fund share
• Create jobs for at least 50 people through business establishment

What really makes the Turkish CIP unique is the open-market investment options. There is no government list narrowing the applicant’s choices, but rather an entire market and an endless stream of financial benefits to take advantage of while simultaneously becoming a Turkish national. If you’d like to learn more please go over to our Turkish Citizenship by Investment Guide by clicking here.

Vanuatu

The Pacific nation of Vanuatu has a CIP similar to those in the Caribbean. Its uniqueness comes from the quick, remote processing that makes it very easy to obtain a Vanuatu passport, which independently provides visa-free access to 135 destinations worldwide, within two months. 

Quite peculiarly, Vanuatu only has one investment option: a direct donation to the government’s economy. A donation of 130,000 USD is sufficient for a single applicant, while 220,000 USD covers a family of four. Any additional dependents will incur an extra fee. 

A wide array of choices, all made simple by Smart Citizenship

While citizenship by investment is the simplest route to gaining second citizenship, choosing the right program for you and your family can prove quite the conundrum. Choosing the right investment option is also a complex task as you want an investment that pays itself back during its holding period, and one which is easy to liquefy when you need the cast. 

This is where we come in. At Smart Citizenship , we scout your case to present you with the optimal CIP and investment option that meets your needs, objectives, and budget. All we need to do is for you to contact us and book a free consultation with one of our citizenship by investment consultants.