5 Countries Where a Real Estate Investment Can Make You a Citizen

You may not have known that several countries across the world provide real estate investment programs that can automatically make you a citizen.

Consider this to be like killing two birds with one stone. Take, for instance, you buy a house in a foreign country, and that automatically makes you a citizen. 

Let’s consider some of the countries where real estate investment can help you become a citizen.

St. Kitts and Nevis

The citizenship by investment program in St. Kitts and Nevis has been in place for about 38 years and is the oldest of its kind. You must be at least 18 years old to become a citizen.

To become a citizen, you can do the following: purchase a $150k property and own it for seven years; purchase and own a $400k property for five years; invest in hotel resorts or touristic lands and projects, and for a family of four, donate $150k to the Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF).

With the country’s visa, you can travel visa-free to 156 countries such as Russia, South America, the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, and many others.

Investors can obtain citizenship within 60 days of applying.

Grenada

Grenada citizenship by investment is one of the most successful dual citizenship initiatives. It was first released in 2013.

Having a Grenada passport has several advantages, such as the visa-free entrance to more than 143 countries, including Hong Kong, Russia, Singapore, China, and the United Kingdom.

You can apply for an E-2 investor visa in the United States. The passport is granted within three to four months of application.

To be a citizen, you can invest $220,000 in a real estate project and hold it for at least five years. Or, make a $150K donation to the National Transformation Fund. For a family of four, you will donate $200K.

Vanuatu

Vanuatu is the only Asian-Pacific Hemisphere country with the program. It enables people to get citizenship through investing quickly and securely.

The nation is made up of 80 islands and is part of the Commonwealth. Its passport has one of the best tax systems, and residents and non-residents have the same tax rates. There is also no wealth, income, or inheritance tax.

For a single person, you must invest $130,000, while couples must invest $150,000. The passport gives access to 148 countries throughout the world. The quick processing time is one of the country’s benefits.

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St. Lucia

St. Lucia started the program in 2016. It takes up to 4 months to complete, and your passport grants you visa-free entry to 157 countries.

Apart from the $1000 government processing cost, the country provides a variety of alternatives to becoming a citizen. You are officially a member through $300,000 in real estate investments, a $100,000 donation, or investments in government-sponsored projects.

The $100,000 donation goes to the National Economic Fund (NCF). A single person will pay $100K, a family of four will pay $190K, and a couple will pay $165K. Processing and due diligence costs may be charged in addition, and the costs vary depending on the family’s size and age.

Investors must provide $300,000 plus extra processing fees for the government-based initiatives. The investor must own the property for at least five years.

Also, the country adopted a temporary relief bond that allows the person to receive the money with no interest following a five-year holding period. In December 2022, this option will expire.

Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda citizenship is one of the most competitive countries in the Caribbean, with visa-free travel to 151 countries.

As a citizen, you can conduct international business, save money on taxes, open accounts with global banks, and register the property.

You must stay in the country for five days during the first five years. This will help you understand and become acquainted with the inhabitants, as well as discuss any issues with officials.

The minimum investment is roughly $100k to $150k, and the entire process might take two to six months. You can either invest in real estate or contribute to the state fund with a non-refundable contribution. 

Additional administrative costs include diligence fees ranging from $5k to $7k per family member and $25k to $50k for the main applicant.

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