Citizenship by investment is nothing new in Europe. Only 4 nations in Europe will be ready to give you a direct passport for investments. Be prepared to undergo very strict criminal and background checks with loads of paperwork. All other countries have indirect citizenship through residency and naturalization. This process itself will consume more than 5 years..
Here are the list of countries where you can get citizenship by investment in Europe
| Investment | Type | Passport time | |
| Malta | €750,000 | Donation | 12 months |
| Bulgaria | €1 million | Business / Property | 20-24 months |
| Montenegro | €350,000 (closing in 2022) | Property | 3 months |
| Turkey | $250,000 | Property | 3-4 months |
It is important to understand the difference between ‘Europe’ and ‘EU’ should not be confused with each other. Europe is continent, wile EU is ‘European commission’. Golden visa schemes should not be confused for citizenship by investment. These programs grant only instant residency, with deferred passport/citizenship.
Malta, Bulgaria are the only EU member states bestow you ‘EU citizen’ status. Turkey and Montenegro are not. Montenegro expected to join EU on or after 2025, so it will be a great future investment, considering property prices are lowest in Europe.
Cyprus another EU member state closed its doors for investors seeking citizenship back in 2020. It is also worth mentioning, Moldova which closed its passport investor scheme a while ago.
Malta has the highest refusal rates of all, where one in 3 applications are rejected. In the above list, only Malta is in schengen. You and family members will undergo four layers of due diligence checks including AML checks.
It is best for UHNWI to consider a Plan B passport in Europe to offset high risks during their lifetime. Perhaps investing in their families, perhaps is one of the best investments in life securing them for generations.
When you decide, be clear what you want – citizenship, residency or passport. Citizenship planning takes a lot of time and you have to do your research and homework. If you are spending six figures, be sure to consider a peaceful nation with safety, climate and a strong financial system to protect your family and wealth. Family comes first!
