Citizenship by investment programs and second nationality grant the applicant a second passport that allows the holder the right to travel around the entire world without the need to apply for a visa each time travel is required.
Caribbean second nationality
There are five Caribbean countries that offer the citizenship by investment program. These are St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Lucia and Dominica. Through a donation to the government or real estate options, an applicant can avail of a second passports and visa-free travel to over 150 to 160 countries worldwide including the EU Schengen area, the United Kingdom, Hongkong and Singapore. The value of the donation varies according to the country requirements and the amounts range from a minimum of US$100,000 to US$150,000. For real estate, the minimum amount is US$200,000 to US$400,000. Processing time for the second passport is only between sixty to one hundred twenty days for the Caribbean countries.
European second nationality
Europe also has citizenship by investment programs that offer a variety of investment options designed to cater to each family’s requirements and grant the applicant residency for a number of years after which they can apply for citizenship and a second passport. In Europe, the countries that have this program are Spain, Portugal and Greece where the purchase of real estate will gain the applicant a residency permit that includes the full family. The value of the real estate investment is from a minimum of €250,000 to €500,000 depending on the country program and the type of real estate. The amount of time required to gain citizenship and a second passport varies from two years in Spain for citizens from former Spanish colonies like the Philippines, some South American countries and Equatorial Guinea to ten years for citizens of other countries. For Portugal, it is five years and for Greece it is seven years to citizenship and a second passport. Spain, Portugal and Greece gives the holder the flexibility to travel visa-free throughout the European Union Schengen zone and the opportunity to live, work and study anywhere in the European Union.
