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Citizenship by investment
Results: 19
The EU Court ruling on Malta's investor citizenship: case C-181/23, the conditions of the 2020 scheme, and what the ruling says and does not say
On 29 April 2025 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Malta's 2020 investor citizenship scheme is contrary to EU law, because it grants nationality in exchange for predetermined payments or investments. Based on the official text of the judgment and the Court's press release, this article explains the scheme's conditions, the course of the case, the Court's reasoning, the limits of the ruling and two examples.
Portugal's investment residence (ARI) today: five routes without property, EUR 250,000 to EUR 500,000, stays of 7 and 14 days, and AIMA's official fees
Portugal still offers a residence permit for investment (ARI), but according to the current official page no route may lead, directly or indirectly, to real estate. Based on the official pages of Portugal's Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), this article explains the five current routes, the minimum stay, family members, documents, fees and two examples.
The end of Spain's investor visa: repealed from 3 April 2025, the earlier EUR 500,000 to EUR 2 million conditions, and the rules for pending applications and renewals
With Organic Law 1/2025, Spain emptied the articles on investor visas and residence of their content from 3 April 2025; this route included buying property for EUR 500,000. Based on the official text of the law in Spain's Official State Gazette and the government's announcement, this article explains the earlier conditions, the rules for applications already filed and valid residence permits, the other routes left in the same law and two examples.
The US "Gold Card" in the official texts: a gift of one or two million dollars, a USD 15,000 fee, permanent residence not citizenship, and the effect of the December 2025 entry restrictions
The US President's executive order of 19 September 2025 created the "Gold Card" programme: a gift of one million dollars from an individual or two million dollars from a company, as evidence for an expedited immigrant visa. Based on the text of the order, the White House fact sheet and the programme's official website, this article explains the conditions, fees, tax, family members, the link with the entry-restriction proclamation and two examples.
FATCA and a second passport: the US foreign account reporting law for Dominica, Vanuatu and the UAE
FATCA is a 2010 US law that requires foreign financial institutions to report the accounts of US taxpayers. According to the US Treasury's official table, Dominica and the UAE have a "Model 1" intergovernmental agreement and Vanuatu is not in the table. This article explains FATCA, the two agreement models, how it differs from the CRS and what it means for second passport holders, with tables and examples.
What is citizenship by investment?
In citizenship by investment programmes, a government grants citizenship to someone who makes an approved investment or financial contribution and passes due diligence. This article explains how these programmes work, who runs them, their benefits and limits, and the questions to ask before deciding.
What an Authorised Agent is and why it matters
In Dominica's citizenship programme, an application is accepted only through an Authorised Agent: someone licensed by the Cabinet. This article explains who an Authorised Agent is, what they do, what they do not do and how to check their licence.
The Caribbean citizenship programmes at a glance
Five Eastern Caribbean countries run citizenship by investment programmes: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. This article sets out their common features, the official bodies, the minimum agreed in 2024 and sample official amounts from two countries.
The Caribbean agreement on citizenship programmes: a US$200,000 minimum
In 2024, the Eastern Caribbean countries that run citizenship by investment programmes agreed to raise the minimum investment to US$200,000 and make it the same everywhere. This article explains the agreement's text, the countries, the timing and what it means for a Dominica applicant, with sources.
Common myths about citizenship by investment
"You buy a passport", "approval is guaranteed", "you must live there", "a second passport ends your taxes": these are some common but wrong beliefs about citizenship by investment. This article sets each one against the facts documented by official sources.
A checklist before choosing a citizenship programme
Before signing a contract and paying anything, go through this list: your goal, eligibility, nationality, source of funds, total cost, the refund rule, timing, travel, family and the credentials of whoever submits the application. Each point refers to an official source or to its full article.
How to read citizenship news correctly
News about citizenship programmes and visas is plentiful and sometimes misleading: "programme cancelled", "visa suspended" or "price changed" may be a proposal, a decision or a final measure in force. This article shows how to weigh each item's source, date and stage and check it against the official source.