Citizenship by investment in 2026: which countries offer it, how much it costs and how long it takes
Citizenship by investment (CBI) lets a person obtain a second passport by making a qualifying contribution or investment in a country, usually without having to live there first. The number of programmes has fallen in recent years, and the rules of those that remain keep changing. This guide lists the active routes in 2026, what they require and how long they take.
Active programmes at a glance
The figures below are for a single applicant unless stated and come from industry summaries gathered in October 2026. Where sources disagree we show a range.
| Country | Minimum investment (single) | Typical time to passport |
|---|---|---|
| Dominica | USD 200,000 (donation or approved real estate) | About 4 to 9 months in practice (advertised 3 to 6) |
| Antigua and Barbuda | USD 230,000 donation; USD 300,000 real estate | About 6 to 18 months reported |
| Grenada | USD 235,000 donation; real estate from about USD 270,000 | About 4 to 9 months |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | USD 250,000 donation; real estate from USD 325,000 | About 3 to 8 months |
| Saint Lucia | USD 240,000 donation; USD 300,000 real estate or bond | About 6 to 26 months reported |
| Vanuatu | About USD 130,000 for a single applicant | About 1 to 4 months |
| Nauru | About USD 115,000 standard (a temporary discount to USD 90,000 was offered in 2026) | About 3 to 4 months |
| Türkiye | USD 400,000 in real estate (held 3 years); USD 500,000 for other routes | About 2 to 12 months reported |
| Egypt | USD 250,000 non-refundable; USD 300,000 real estate; USD 500,000 deposit | About 6 to 9 months |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | About USD 90,000 (single source) | About 1 to 3 months (single source) |
| Jordan | A large share investment (about JOD 500,000 to 1 million, sources differ) | About 3 to 6 months (single source) |
| Cambodia | About USD 1 million (single source) | About 6 to 9 months (single source) |
Treat the last four rows with extra care. We found them in only one or two summaries, and they are the kind of programmes that change or close without announcement.
What the figures leave out
- Government and due-diligence fees are usually extra. For the Caribbean programmes, summaries put total processing, due-diligence and passport fees at roughly USD 10,000 to 25,000 depending on family size. Egypt quotes a USD 10,000 family fee. Nauru quotes separate application and due-diligence fees.
- Family members raise the cost, although several Caribbean donation options cover a family of up to four at a single price.
- Agent and legal fees can add several thousand dollars more.
- Real estate routes need a holding period, from three years in Türkiye to five or seven years in parts of the Caribbean. Resale rules and resale values vary.
What has closed
- Malta ended its citizenship-by-investment scheme in 2025 after the EU Court of Justice ruled against it. It still offers a permanent residence programme, which is not citizenship.
- Cyprus closed its programme in 2020 after a corruption inquiry.
- Bulgaria scrapped its scheme.
- Summaries say no European Union country currently sells citizenship.
How long does it really take?
Advertised times are usually shorter than actual times. Industry data for late 2025 put the average wait at about five months in Saint Kitts and Nevis, seven months in Grenada, nine months in Dominica, 14 months in Antigua and Barbuda and 18 months in Saint Lucia, even though some programmes advertise three to six months. Allow time for gathering documents, source-of-funds evidence, interviews and biometrics, which are now common.
Choosing a programme
- Decide why you want the passport. Travel access, business, residence rights and security needs lead to different choices.
- Check visa-free access today. It can change quickly, and some programmes have recently faced new visa requirements from the US, UK and EU.
- Check your home country's rules on dual citizenship and tax residency.
- Compare the total cost, not just the headline contribution.
- Ask what happens if your application is refused, because fees are often non-refundable.
Read our detailed guides to the Caribbean programmes, the Pacific programmes (Vanuatu and Nauru), Türkiye and Egypt for the specifics of each.
Citizenship-by-investment programmes change often and are frequently suspended, repriced or restricted without much notice. Amounts and timelines below were gathered in October 2026 from law-firm and industry summaries, which sometimes disagree with each other; they are not official price lists. Always confirm figures with the government's own CBI unit or a licensed agent before paying anything, and take independent legal and tax advice. Visa Ray is not an immigration adviser. You can run a free assessment on Visa Ray to compare residence and citizenship pathways.