Comparison Chart of Residence and Citizenship Programs

EU Programs with immediate citizenship
Austria Cyprus Malta
Type of program Citizenship Citizenship Residence permit, leading to
citizenship
Program benefit EU settlement and excellent
visa-free travel		 EU settlement and excellent
visa-free travel		 EU settlement and excellent
visa-free travel
Minimum time to qualify
for citizenship		 Immediate Immediate 1 year
Application processing times 12-24 months 3-6 months 6 months
Minimum investment Over €3 million direct
investment		 1) €2.5 million in a residential
real estate;
or 2) €5 million
bank deposit and €500,000
residential real estate		 1) €650,000 donation to
NDSF; and 2) €350,000 real
estate purchase or €16,000
p.a. rental; and 3) €150,000
eligible stocks, bonds or
debentures
Min. capital outlay
for single applicant (in US$)		 Min. US$ 4.16 million Min. US$ 3.47 million Min. US$ 1.22 million
Term of investment Subjective 3 years 5 years for 2) and 3)

 

EU Residence Programs with Schengen privileges
Belgium Portugal Spain Greece
Type of program Residence permit, leading to
citizenship		 Residence permit, leading
to eligibility for citizenship
application		 Residence permit Residence permit
Program benefit No minimum stay requirement
and Schengen travel		 7 days/year average stay requirement
and Schengen travel		 No minimum stay requirement
and Schengen travel		 No minimum stay requirement
and Schengen travel
Minimum time to qualify
for citizenship		 5 years of residence 6 years of residence Legal residence
for 10 years		 Legal residence
for 7 years
Application processing times 3-6 months 2-3 months TBC
(opens in Q2 2014)		 Under 8 weeks
Minimum investment Investment in business set-up 1) €1 Million capital
investment;
or
2) €500,000 real estate;
or
3) Creation of at least 10
new jobs		 €500,000 Real estate
investment		 €250,000 Real estate
investment
Min. capital outlay
for single applicant (in US$)		 Case by case, but can be
negligible (< US$ 500,000)		 Min. US$ 800,000 Min. US$ 700,000 Min. US$ 350,000
Term of investment 5 years 5 years Indefinite Indefinite
Passport visa-free travel 171 countries 170 countries 170 countries 167 countries

 

EU non-Schengen
Ireland United Kingdom
Type of program Entry clearance visa, leading
to Indefinite Leave to Remain
and citizenship		 Entry clearance visa, leading
to Indefinite Leave to Remain
and citizenship
Program benefit No minimum stay requirement Expedited path to ILR and fast
processing
Minimum time to qualify
for citizenship		 5 years of residence 5 Years of residence
Application processing times Under 12 weeks Under 8 weeks
Minimum investment £500,000 invested in an
approved fund or £1 million
in a government bond		 £1 million/5 years;
or £5 million/3 years;
or £10 million/2 years; held in
government bonds or stocks
Min. capital outlay
for single applicant (in US$)		 Min. US$ 850,000 Min. US$ 1.7 million
Term of investment 5 years 5 / 3 / 2 years, depending on
investment
Passport visa-free travel 170 countries 173 countries

 

Outside EU Residence Programs leading to citizenship Outside EU with immediate citizenship
Singapore Quebec/Canada USA St Kitts or Antigua Dominica
Type of program Permanent resident
permit		 Permanent resident
permit		 2-year resident visa, leading
to a Green Card		 Citizenship Citizenship
Program benefit Permanent resident status and
expedited path to citizenship		 Immediate permanent resident
status		 Relatively low cost to achieving
a US Green Card		 Minimal or no minimum stay
requirement and excellent
visa-free travel		 No minimum stay requirement
and very inexpensive Program
Minimum time to qualify
for citizenship		 2 years of residence 3 years of uninterrupted
residence		 5 years of “continuous”
residence; 30 months
of physical residence		 Immediate Immediate
Application processing times 8-10 months 24-48 months 12-18 months 2-8 months 6-12 months
Minimum investment SG$ 2.5 Million in GIP fund
or in a business		 CA$ 800,000 in Quebec
Government Bond		 US$ 500,000 in a “Regional
Center” EB-5 Fund		 1) US$ 250,000 donation;
or
2) US$ 400,000 real estate
purchase		 US$ 100,000 donation
Min. capital outlay
for single applicant (in US$)		 US$ 2 million US$ 730,000 US$ 500,000 Min. US$ 250,000 Min. US$ 100,000
Term of investment 5 years 5 years 5 years 5 years 5 years
Passport visa-free travel 167 countries 170 countries 172 countries 131 countries 87 Countries