{"dataset":"citizenship-by-investment","resource":"programmes","page":1,"pages":1,"total":44,"page_size":5000,"next":null,"prev":null,"rows":[{"program_id":"are-citizenship-nomination","jurisdiction":"ARE","name":"UAE citizenship by nomination for investors and talents (amended Executive Regulation of Federal Law No. 17 of 1972 on Nationality and Passports)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2021-01-30","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Not a citizenship-by-investment programme with a price: candidates (investors who own UAE property, doctors, scientists, inventors, artists, and their families) cannot apply; they are nominated by Rulers' and Crown Princes' courts, executive councils or the Cabinet. Dual nationality allowed; citizenship can be withdrawn if conditions are breached. No numbers of grants have been published. Announced by WAM on 30 Jan 2021; the amended regulation itself was not found.","source_ids":"are-wam-citizenship-amendments-2021","short_name":"Citizenship by nomination"},{"program_id":"arg-cbi","jurisdiction":"ARG","name":"Argentina citizenship by investment (Ley de Ciudadanía 346, art. 2 inc. 2, as amended by Decreto 366/2025)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2025-05-29","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"not_operational","notes":"Legal basis exists but no operating programme was found. Decree of necessity and urgency 366/2025 (28 May 2025) lets foreigners who make a \"relevant investment\" naturalise regardless of residence and creates the Agencia de Programas de Ciudadanía por Inversión under the Ministry of Economy; Decreto 524/2025 sets the procedure; Ley 27802 (2026) settles tax residence of such citizens; the Agency got an executive director from 22 Apr 2026. The Ministry of Economy has to define what counts as a relevant investment: no such resolution was found in the Boletín Oficial up to 1 Oct 2026, so there are no published amounts. Whether Congress has reviewed or rejected the DNU was not checked.","source_ids":"arg-bora-dec-285-2026;arg-bora-dec-524-2025;arg-bora-dnu-366-2025;arg-bora-ley-27802-2026;arg-mecon-caputo-cbi-2026","short_name":"Citizenship by investment (not operating)"},{"program_id":"atg-cbi","jurisdiction":"ATG","name":"Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2013-04-11","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Set up by the Citizenship by Investment Act 2013 (gazetted 11 Apr 2013; launched is this publication date, because the Act comes into force on a date appointed by Ministerial Order, and that Order is not stored); run by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU). Routes: National Development Fund donation, real estate, business investment, and (from 2018) University of the West Indies Fund. 5,203 applications from inception to 30 Jun 2024.","source_ids":"atg-cbi-act-2013;atg-cbi-regs-2024;atg-ciu-6m-2024h1","short_name":"Citizenship by investment programme"},{"program_id":"aut-special-interest","jurisdiction":"AUT","name":"Austrian citizenship in the special interest of the Republic (Staatsbürgerschaftsgesetz 1985, § 10 Abs. 6, 'außerordentliche Leistungen')","kind":"citizenship","launched":"","legal_basis":"1965","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Not an advertised investment programme and no published price. A constitutional provision lets a Land grant citizenship without 10 years' residence, proof of income or renunciation of the old nationality when the federal government confirms that the person's past and expected 'extraordinary achievements' are in the special interest of the Republic. Used for scientists, artists, athletes and business people alike; official statistics do not split by field. Procedure regulated by BGBl. II 39/2014. Names and professions of confirmed persons are published (at least since 2016-2017). Statistik Austria counts 10 to 54 naturalisations a year in 2007-2023. The European Commission (COM(2019) 12, p. 4, fn. 10) lists Austria among states whose law equates national interest with economic interest. The provision has existed since the Citizenship Act 1965 (ministry statement 8483/AB); under METHODOLOGY decision 14 this general special-interest clause is the legal basis, not a launch, and no stored official text makes investing the route, so launched is empty.","source_ids":"aut-bgbl-ii-2014-39;aut-parl-ab-8483-2011;aut-parl-ab-9520-2022;aut-ris-stbg-s10-1985;aut-ris-stbg-s10-2026","short_name":"Citizenship for special interest"},{"program_id":"bgr-cbi","jurisdiction":"BGR","name":"Bulgarian citizenship by investment (Закон за българското гражданство, art. 12a ordinary route and art. 14a fast-track route)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2005","legal_basis":"","ended":"2022-04-01","status":"closed","notes":"Naturalisation for holders of investor permanent residence. Art. 12a (ordinary): after 5 years of permanent residence, investment of about EUR 500,000 (BGN 1 million). Art. 14a (fast track, added Feb 2013): after 1 year, investment increased to about EUR 1 million (BGN 2 million) or a priority-project route; no language test or real residence needed. Both repealed by the law in State Gazette no. 26 of 1 Apr 2022; pending procedures were ended and SANS was told to review past naturalisations. Ministry of Justice: 50 investor citizenships 2013-Jan 2019 (4 art. 12a, 46 art. 14a). launched=2005 is the year the Commission gives for the scheme's introduction; the fast track dates from 2013.","source_ids":"bgr-capital-2019-01-22;bgr-lex-zbg-2026;intl-ec-com-2019-12;intl-ec-swd-2019-5","short_name":"Citizenship for investors"},{"program_id":"blz-ecp","jurisdiction":"BLZ","name":"Belize economic citizenship programme","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1995","legal_basis":"","ended":"2002-01","status":"closed","notes":"Citizenship sold to 'economic citizens' under the Belize Nationality Act; the Act still mentions dependants of an 'economic citizen'. The US State Department listed Belize as selling economic citizenship in 2000 and 2001, at $25,000 per person (currency not stated), and reported that Belize announced it would stop in January 2002 after two buyers linked to a terrorist group were refused US visas. Launched: the year 1995, from an IMF working paper's table only; legal text and numbers sold not found.","source_ids":"intl-globalcit-caribbean-2020;intl-usdos-incsr-2000;intl-usdos-incsr-2001","short_name":"Economic citizenship programme"},{"program_id":"com-ecp","jurisdiction":"COM","name":"Comoros economic citizenship programme (citoyenneté économique)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2008-11-27","legal_basis":"","ended":"2016-05","status":"closed","notes":"Law on economic citizenship signed by President Sambi on 27 Nov 2008 after an earlier rejection (July 2008); a parliamentary inquiry later found the vote broke procedure. Mainly bulk sales to the UAE (and talks with Kuwait) to document stateless Bidoon, who did not move to Comoros; an initial deal of $200m for 4,000 families, then (2011) EUR 4,600 per passport with a minimum of 5,000. The IMF describes it as citizenship for KMF 1 million (about US$3,000) per person, with receipts routed via the Banque de France. Proceeds were large relative to GDP (IMF: about 3-4.5% in 2012 in 2013 reports, over 6% in the 2015 report). Passports were also sold outside the official channel, including to Iranians. Suspended after President Azali took office in May 2016. A parliamentary commission (set up June 2017, report Dec 2017) estimated missing revenue of $100m (Reuters) or $971m (AFP); the State Security Court sentenced ex-president Sambi to life for 'high treason' on 28 Nov 2022. Official law text and commission report not obtained.","source_ids":"com-guardian-2015;com-imf-art4-2012;com-imf-art4-2014;com-reuters-2018-03-23;com-rfi-2022-11-28","short_name":"Economic citizenship programme"},{"program_id":"cpv-investor-citizenship","jurisdiction":"CPV","name":"Cabo Verde nationality by investment (Lei 33/X/2023 art. 14; formerly 'economic nationality', Lei 80/III/90 art. 12(3)-(4) as amended in 1992)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1992-04-06","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"not_operational","notes":"A legal route, not an operating programme with a price. From 1992 investors creating jobs could get the rights of citizens without political rights (Law 41/IV/92), later reworded as citizenship (Law 64/IV/92). The 2023 Nationality Act (art. 14) replaced this with nationality for 'relevant' investments (job-creating projects, tourism property, regional development companies, capital in investment funds, etc.) plus effective ties (language or regular stays); minimum amounts are left to a future law. An academic report (Jan 2026) says the special regulation is still pending. Industry claims of USD 80,000 or 200,000 routes have no legal basis found. No statistics. The launch date is the date of Law 41/IV/92 (6 April 1992) as given in the GLOBALCIT report; the law itself is not stored and no in-force date is stated.","source_ids":"cpv-bo-lei-33-x-2023;intl-eui-globalcit-cpv-2026","short_name":"Citizenship for investors (law, no price set)"},{"program_id":"cyp-cip","jurisdiction":"CYP","name":"Cyprus Investment Programme (Κυπριακό Επενδυτικό Πρόγραμμα, ΚΕΠ), incl. the 2007-2013 scheme for exceptional naturalisation of foreign investors","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2007-07-11","legal_basis":"2002","ended":"2020-10-31","status":"closed","notes":"Naturalisation by Council of Ministers decision, without residence: 2007-2013 under para 2(στ) of the Third Schedule of the Civil Registry Law (exceptional services), from 30 Apr 2013 under art. 111A(2) (Law 36(I)/2013), from 18 Aug 2020 under regulations ΚΔΠ 379/2020. Criteria changed 12 times by Council decisions. Abolished by decision of 13 Oct 2020: no applications after 31 Oct 2020; pending ones approved until 31 Jul 2021. 6,779 naturalisations to 17 Aug 2020 (inquiry); 3,517 investors and 3,810 family members to 31 Jul 2021 (Audit Office). Art. 111A(2) deleted by a law passed in late 2025 or early 2026; EU infringement closed 11 Mar 2026.","source_ids":"cyp-audit-cip-2022;cyp-inquiry-cip-2021;cyp-kdp-379-2020;cyp-lawoffice-ec-closure-2026","short_name":"Citizenship by investment programme"},{"program_id":"dma-cbi","jurisdiction":"DMA","name":"Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment Programme","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1993","legal_basis":"1978","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Originally the Economic Citizenship Programme (ECP); administered by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CBIU). Routes: Economic Diversification Fund contribution and approved real estate. Under EU request (June 2026) to phase out by 1 June 2028.","source_ids":"dma-budget-address-2016-17;dma-cbiu-brochure-2024;dma-sro8-2024","short_name":"Citizenship by investment programme"},{"program_id":"egy-cbi","jurisdiction":"EGY","name":"Egyptian citizenship through investment programmes (الجنسية المصرية بالبرامج الاستثمارية; Nationality Law 26/1975 Art. 4 bis)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2019-07-30","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Naturalisation by Prime Minister's decree on the recommendation of a Cabinet unit (members from Foreign Affairs, Interior, Investment/International Cooperation and security agencies), under Art. 4 bis of the Nationality Law as replaced by Law 140/2019 (30 Jul 2019). Routes and amounts set by PM Decree 3099/2019 (Dec 2019; text not obtained), amended by PM Decrees 876/2023 (in force 3 Mar 2023) and 3562/2023 (19 Sep 2023); the unit was organised by PM Decree 647/2020. Current routes: property USD 300,000; investment project USD 350,000 plus USD 100,000 to the Treasury; USD 500,000 deposit at the Central Bank refunded in EGP after 3 years without interest; USD 250,000 non-refundable payment. USD 10,000 application fee. Selling the property or project within 5 years requires a USD 250,000 payment to keep citizenship. No residence requirement. Each grant is published as a named PM decree in the Official Gazette; no aggregate statistics are published. 'launched' is Law 140/2019, the first text making investment a route (decision 14); 30 Jul 2019 is the date the law was issued (promulgated): it came into force the day after its publication in the Official Gazette, and the publication date is not in the stored text. Amounts were set by the December 2019 decree and applications reportedly opened in 2020.","source_ids":"egy-ecu-about-2026;egy-ecu-programmes-2026;egy-gazette-pmd-3562-2023;egy-gazette-pmd-876-2023;egy-law-140-2019","short_name":"Citizenship through investment"},{"program_id":"grd-cbi","jurisdiction":"GRD","name":"Grenada Citizenship by Investment Programme (Investment Migration Agency Grenada)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2013-08","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Legal basis: Grenada Citizenship by Investment Act No. 15 of 2013 and SRO 17 of 2013. First approvals 2014. Routes: NTF donation, approved real estate, significant investment (from 2024 statistics). Unit rebranded IMA in March 2024. The launch date (August 2013) is the month Parliament passed Act No. 15 of 2013, as given by the IMA; neither the Act's publication date nor its in-force date is in a stored document.","source_ids":"grd-ima-web-2024;grd-imf-art4-2024;grd-imf-ecf1-2014","short_name":"Citizenship by investment programme"},{"program_id":"grd-ecp","jurisdiction":"GRD","name":"Grenada Economic Citizenship Program (1997-2001)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1997","legal_basis":"","ended":"2001-11","status":"closed","notes":"Predecessor scheme; suspended indefinitely after 9/11 (UNGA statement Nov 2001). Launch 1997 per the US State Department (the 1997 Citizenship Amendment Act 'enables' purchase); an industry account says the Act made an existing scheme more attractive. Both accounts are on the timeline. Proposed as a separate program_id; merge into grd-cbi if the dataset prefers one id per jurisdiction.","source_ids":"grd-bestcitizens-2019;grd-un-ga-2001;intl-usdos-incsr-2000","short_name":"Economic citizenship (1997-2001)"},{"program_id":"irl-ibn","jurisdiction":"IRL","name":"Investment-based naturalisation scheme ('passports for investment')","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1988","legal_basis":"1956","ended":"1998-04-20","status":"closed","notes":"No law of its own: the Minister for Justice used the discretion in section 16 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 (as amended 1986) to waive the residence condition for investors, treating the investment as 'Irish associations'. Government approved the approach in April 1989, but the Department's review counts naturalisations from 1988 (and the 2002 Minister said it was introduced in 1988; the 2000 Minister said 1989). Applicant, spouse and children under 18 could be included. Before 1994 the Department's working rule was about IR£500,000; from October 1994 an advisory group applied a minimum net investment of IR£1 million per applicant, a residence to be kept 5 years and 60 days' presence in the 2 years after naturalisation. New applications stopped on 4 Sep 1996; the scheme was formally ended on 20 Apr 1998, but cases already accepted were processed later (naturalisations recorded up to 2004). Section 10 of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 removed the legal basis. Totals given to the Dáil: 143 persons by Feb 1998; 183 persons (107 investors) in the final count. The Department's 1998 review found most early cases did not meet the published conditions (e.g. good-character evidence in 17 of 66).","source_ids":"irl-dail-pq-1994-10-25;irl-dail-pq-1998-06-25;irl-dail-wa-2004-12-14;irl-inca-2004","short_name":"Citizenship by investment scheme"},{"program_id":"jor-cbi","jurisdiction":"JOR","name":"Jordanian citizenship for investors (أسس منح المستثمرين الجنسية الأردنية)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2018","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Not a statute: Cabinet decisions setting 'bases' for naturalising investors (Nationality Law allows Cabinet discretion). Rules changed in Dec 2019 (amounts cut), 12 Sep 2021 (decision 3657: deposit+bonds, shares, new and existing projects; 500 investors a year cap), 2022 (decision 6404: sector routes; employment route), and 2 Jul 2025 (decision 4375: amounts in JOD, deposit/bond route dropped). New-project investors first get a 3-year temporary passport (no political rights) and citizenship after 3 years of compliance. Applications go to the Ministry of Investment (earlier the Jordan Investment Commission); a special investors committee chaired by the Interior Minister (decision 5995 of 19 Aug 2019) recommends to the Cabinet; security approval is required. Launch year 2018 is reported (JIC/Jordan Times give the 'previous' amounts); the 2018 decision itself was not obtained.","source_ids":"jor-jic-206-investors-2020;jor-moin-bases-2023;jor-moin-mechanism-4375-2025;jor-pm-cabinet-bases-2021","short_name":"Citizenship for investors"},{"program_id":"khm-cbi","jurisdiction":"KHM","name":"Cambodia: naturalisation by investment or donation (Law on Nationality 1996, Arts 10-12; Law on Nationality 2018, Arts 21-22; Sub-decree No. 225 of 2025)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1996-10-09","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Under the 1996 law, investors spending 1,250,000,000 riels were exempted from the 7-year residence requirement and donors of 1,000,000,000 riels to the national budget could apply; granted by Royal Decree, with an optional Khmer name. The 2018 law moved the amounts into a sub-decree (No. 112 of 30 Aug 2018, not found) and added 12 months' (investors) or 6 months' (donors) legal residence. Sub-decree No. 225 of 1 Dec 2025 sets 4,000,000,000 riel (investment in priority sectors) and 12,000,000,000 riel (donation). Naturalisations were published in the Royal Gazette until February 2024 (about 50 a month in 2020-2023, all routes); no official count by route. Several naturalised China-born businessmen were later sanctioned or prosecuted abroad. Launch date is the 1996 law's promulgation date: the stored (unofficial English) text states no in-force date.","source_ids":"khm-ann-ppp-thresholds-2026;khm-cdc-law-nationality-1996;khm-law-nationality-2018;khm-law-nationality-amend-2025;khm-subdecree-225-2025","short_name":"Citizenship by investment or donation"},{"program_id":"kna-cbi","jurisdiction":"KNA","name":"St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1984","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Oldest CBI program. Routes over time: SIDF donation (from 2006), Hurricane Relief Fund (c. 2017-2018), Sustainable Growth Fund (to July 2023), Sustainable Island State Contribution (from 27 July 2023), approved real estate, private homes, public benefit option, alternative investment options (2020-2023). CIU became a statutory body in 2024.","source_ids":"kna-canada-gazette-sor-2014-267;kna-imf-art4-2021;intl-imf-wp-15-93;kna-sro-26-2023","short_name":"Citizenship by investment programme"},{"program_id":"lca-cbi","jurisdiction":"LCA","name":"Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP Saint Lucia)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2015-08-24","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Act No. 14 of 2015; regulations SI 89 of 2015 (2 Oct 2015); CIU operating from Oct 2015; first applications 1 Jan 2016. Fiscal year April-March.","source_ids":"lca-cbi-act-2015;lca-cbi-regs-2015;lca-ciu-ar-2021-22","short_name":"Citizenship by investment programme"},{"program_id":"mda-cbi","jurisdiction":"MDA","name":"Programul de dobândire a cetățeniei prin investiție (Citizenship by Investment Programme of the Republic of Moldova)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2018-11","legal_basis":"","ended":"2020-09-01","status":"closed","notes":"Legal basis: art. 17(11)-(12) of Citizenship Law no. 1024/2000 as amended (bill registered Dec 2016) and Government Decision no. 786 of 4 Oct 2017 (regulation). Run with Henley & Partners as the government's exclusive private operator. Routes as reported in the press: a non-refundable contribution of at least EUR 100,000 to the Public Investment Fund for Sustainable Development, or an investment of EUR 250,000 in a strategic sector held 60 months. Cap of 5,000 main applicants (CJI). Launched Nov 2018; moratorium on new applications from summer 2019 (Law 107/2019), extended; Parliament abolished the scheme on 18 Jun 2020 with effect from 1 Sep 2020. 38 applications for 98 people; 20 applications (52 people) successful by mid-2021 (EC). The text of HG 786/2017 itself was not read (legis.md blocked).","source_ids":"intl-ec-swd-2020-132;intl-ec-swd-2021-206;mda-moldovaorg-2019-08-06;mda-zdg-2020-08-07","short_name":"Citizenship by investment programme"},{"program_id":"mhl-passport-sales","jurisdiction":"MHL","name":"Marshall Islands sale of passports and citizenship (Citizenship Act 1984 s. 404(4), 'passport investment and sales program')","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1989","legal_basis":"1984-03-14","ended":"2001-10-18","status":"closed","notes":"Real and legal: s. 404 of the Citizenship Act 1984 let Cabinet naturalise people for distinguished service or 'in the public interest', and a subsection (4) on the sale of passports was added by P.L. 1989-37; P.L. 1989-68 lowered the fee for a passport from $200,000 to $100,000 (currency not named). Cabinet suspended the programme on 20 June 1996 (reported), citing misleading advertising in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China and US concerns; the subsection was repealed on 18 Oct 2001. An academic report dates sales to 1987-1996 and estimates about 2,000 citizenships sold, mainly to Chinese buyers. Unofficial agents sold passports for $30,000 with false promises of US entry. Today s. 404 allows at most five discretionary naturalisations a year. 'launched' is the year of the enabling amendment; the amending acts and any official count were not found.","source_ids":"intl-eui-globalcit-oceania-2020;mhl-ag-citizenship-act-1984-consol;mhl-mij-1996-06-22;mhl-mvariety-2002-05-30","short_name":"Passport sales (1987–2001)"},{"program_id":"mkd-economic-interest","jurisdiction":"MKD","name":"North Macedonia: naturalisation for special economic interest (Закон за државјанството, член 11; Уредба за утврдување на критериумите за особен ... национален интерес)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2005-02-10","legal_basis":"1992-11-03","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Art. 11 of the Law on Citizenship (since 1992; reworded 2004) allows naturalisation without residence where it is of special scientific, economic, cultural, sporting or other national interest; the Government decides. Criteria decree of 2005 (no amounts); EUR 400,000 direct investment plus 10 jobs from 20 Dec 2012; EUR 200,000 private investment fund route added 14 Dec 2019. The Ministries of Finance and Economy assess economic interest and the security agency vets. 121 economic-interest grants 2005-2022 (40 refusals); one or two a year since. The European Commission (Dec 2025) says the scheme must be abolished under the Visa Suspension Mechanism; a June 2026 draft law would remove fixed amounts but keep investment as a criterion. This row covers the economic-interest route; some observations give other Art. 11 grounds (sport, culture, science) via breakdown. 'launched' is the first criteria decree; the legal basis dates from 1992.","source_ids":"intl-ec-com-2025-792;mkd-sv-decree-2005-9;mkd-sv-decree-2012-161;mkd-sv-decree-2019-255;mkd-sv-decree-2021-42;mkd-sv-law-citizenship-1992;mkd-sv-law-citizenship-amend-2004","short_name":"Citizenship for economic interest"},{"program_id":"mlt-iip","jurisdiction":"MLT","name":"Individual Investor Programme of the Republic of Malta (IIP)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2013-11-15","legal_basis":"","ended":"2020-07-31","status":"closed","notes":"Created by Act XV of 2013 amending the Maltese Citizenship Act (Government Gazette No 19,166, 15 Nov 2013); launched is that publication date, because the Act's in-force date is not in any stored document (the Act is not stored). Regulations L.N. 450 of 2013, replaced by L.N. 47 of 2014. Closed to new applications 31 Jul 2020. Pending applications were processed until 2024 (6 naturalisations in 2024). Cap of 1,800 main applicants; 1,555 were naturalised.","source_ids":"mlt-ln-2014-47;mlt-orgcem-ar-2020;mlt-orgcem-ar-2024","short_name":"Individual Investor Programme"},{"program_id":"mlt-mec","jurisdiction":"MLT","name":"Maltese Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment (Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services, GCES)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2020-11-20","legal_basis":"2020-07-28","ended":"2025-07-24","status":"closed","notes":"Set up by the Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services Regulations, 2020 (L.N. 437 of 2020, S.L. 188.06; Government Gazette No 20,524 of 20 November 2020); launched is that publication date, because the regulations state no in-force date. Legal basis: Art. 10(9) of the Maltese Citizenship Act as amended by Act XXXVIII of 2020 (adopted 28 July 2020, Gazette 31 July 2020). Found contrary to EU law by the CJEU on 29 Apr 2025 (C-181/23). Discontinued by Act XXI of 2025, whose transitional clause keeps applications filed before it under the old rules. The date new applications actually stopped (reportedly 29 Apr 2025) was not verified in a primary source.","source_ids":"mlt-act-xxi-2025;mlt-cjeu-c181-23;mlt-ln-2020-437","short_name":"Citizenship for exceptional services"},{"program_id":"mne-cbi","jurisdiction":"MNE","name":"Posebni program ulaganja od posebnog značaja za privredni i ekonomski interes Crne Gore (Special Investment Programme of Special Importance for the Economic Interest of Montenegro; \"economic citizenship\")","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2018-12-15","legal_basis":"","ended":"2022-12-31","status":"closed","notes":"Created by Government decision of 22 Nov 2018 (Službeni list CG 79/2018 of 7 Dec 2018), in force on the eighth day after publication (15 Dec 2018, the launched date) and applied from 1 Jan 2019 to 31 Dec 2021. It rests on art. 3a(2) of the Government decision on criteria for scientific, economic, cultural and sporting interest for naturalisation (Službeni list CG 34/10, 40/16, 62/18). Applicant pays EUR 100,000 into an escrow account for less developed municipalities and invests at least EUR 450,000 (Podgorica or coast) or EUR 250,000 (north/centre) in a government-listed development project (in practice condo-hotel units), plus fees of EUR 15,000 per applicant and EUR 10,000 per family member. From 31 Dec 2021 an extra EUR 100,000 to the Innovation Fund. Cap of 2,000 decisions. Applications only through licensed intermediary agents (Henley & Partners, Arton, Apex), with due-diligence agents. Originally to end 31 Dec 2021; extended on 30 Dec 2021 to 31 Dec 2022, then expired; pending applications still decided in 2026 (5 left on 1 Sep 2026). 1,113 applications filed nationally, 869 approved, 239 refused; the EC counts 556 main applicants with 1,281 family members. Over 70% of passports to 2022 went to Russian citizens (EC).","source_ids":"intl-ec-com-2025-792;mne-ec-report-2023;mne-mediterannews-2026-09-11;mne-sl-143-2021;mne-sl-68-2022;mne-sl-79-2018","short_name":"Special investment programme"},{"program_id":"mus-investor-naturalisation","jurisdiction":"MUS","name":"Mauritius naturalisation with reduced residence for investors (Mauritius Citizenship Act s. 9(3))","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1995-08-23","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"not_operational","notes":"Not a citizenship-by-investment programme with a price: the Minister may, at discretion, accept 2 years' continuous residence instead of the normal requirement (12 months immediately before plus 5 of the previous 7 years) for a person who has invested at least MUR 3 million (1995) or USD 500,000 'or such other sum as may be prescribed' (1999). The 1995 Act replaced an earlier version of s. 9(3) whose terms were not read. Applicants had to renounce other nationalities (s. 9(4) in the 2003 consolidation). A proposed USD 1 million citizenship scheme in the 2018-19 budget was not legislated. Current text and any use figures were not found. launched is the assent date of Act No. 24 of 1995 (23 August 1995): the Act came into force on a day fixed by Proclamation, which is not in any stored document.","source_ids":"mus-citizenship-act-consol-2003;mus-citizenship-amend-1995;mus-citizenship-amend-1999","short_name":"Investor citizenship, shorter residence"},{"program_id":"nru-citizen-investor","jurisdiction":"NRU","name":"Nauru Citizen Investor scheme (Nauruan Community Act 1956-1997, s. 5(6)-(9))","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1997-06-13","legal_basis":"","ended":"2003","status":"closed","notes":"Created by the Nauruan Community Ordinance Amendment Act 1997 (No. 11 of 1997): citizenship for a person who made an investment \"of such form and in such amount as determined by Cabinet\", vetted by a Nauru Citizen Investment Board. Launch date is the day the Speaker certified the Act (13 June 1997): the Act came into force on a date to be notified by the Minister in the Gazette, and that notice has not been found. Dates of operation (1998 to 2003), the about 1,000 sales and the end after concerns about passports used by suspected terrorists come from an academic report citing secondary work, not from official records.","source_ids":"intl-eui-globalcit-oceania-2020;nru-act-11-1997","short_name":"Citizen Investor scheme"},{"program_id":"nru-ecrcp","jurisdiction":"NRU","name":"Nauru (Naoero) Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program (NECRCP / ECRCP)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2024-08-20","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Set up by the Nauru Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Act 2024 (No. 15 of 2024, certified 20 Aug 2024); prices in Regulations SL 28 of 2024 (gazetted 30 Oct 2024). Unveiled at COP29 on 13 Nov 2024 and launched by the President in Singapore on 28 Nov 2024; the IMF gives 2025 as inception year. One route: a non-refundable contribution to the Treasury Fund, applications only through licensed agents, run by a Program Office; the budget papers say it was designed and is run with Henley & Partners. Amended by Act No. 50 of 2025 (Cabinet sets contributions and may grant temporary 'Special Project' discounts) and Act No. 13 of 2026 (the Minister may refuse applications directly). Prices were restructured on 29 Jan 2026 (USD 115,000 single applicant) and a temporary USD 90,000 discount applies to 31 Dec 2026. No programme statistics are published, but the 2026-27 budget speech reported 103 applications, 52 approvals and 9 rejections in FY2025-26. Revenue: AU$0.24 million in FY2024/25 and about AU$3.4-3.7 million in FY2025/26, against AU$9 million budgeted each year.","source_ids":"nru-act-13-2026;nru-act-15-2024;nru-act-50-2025;nru-imf-art4-2025;nru-mof-bp1-2025;nru-mof-bp1-2026;nru-mof-bp2-2025;nru-parl-approp-speech-2026;nru-regs-amend-2026;nru-sl-28-2024","short_name":"Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship"},{"program_id":"png-investor-naturalisation","jurisdiction":"PNG","name":"Papua New Guinea naturalisation of investors (Constitution s. 67(4)(b); Citizenship Act s. 6B)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2016-08-29","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"not_operational","notes":"Not a priced citizenship-by-investment programme: since 2016 the minister may, at discretion and subject to the Citizenship Advisory Committee, naturalise a person with the capital and commitment to invest, create jobs and transfer skills, waiving one of the ordinary naturalisation requirements (s. 67(5), which keeps the others). No investment amount is set in law; the fee is to be set by instrument (not found). No figures on investors naturalised were found. 'launched' is the certification of the constitutional amendment (29 Aug 2016; the text states no separate commencement date), the first text making investment a route; the criteria are left to the Citizenship Act (decision 14).","source_ids":"intl-eui-globalcit-oceania-2020;png-act-42-2016;png-const-amend-43-2016","short_name":"Citizenship for investors (minister's discretion)"},{"program_id":"rwa-investor-naturalisation","jurisdiction":"RWA","name":"Rwanda nationality by acquisition on grounds of substantial sustainable investment (Organic Law 002/2021.OL, art. 15)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2021-07-28","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"","notes":"A foreigner may apply for Rwandan nationality by acquisition on grounds of 'substantial sustainable investment or activities' in Rwanda, supported by a letter from a relevant public body describing the investment, plus integrity and no threat to national security (Organic Law 002/2021.OL of 16 Jul 2021, art. 15, in force on publication 28 Jul 2021). The 2022 ministerial order (art. 12) asks for proof of properties owned and of registration as an investor in Rwanda. No minimum amount, price or fee schedule is set in the texts read, so the route is discretionary; launched is the law's in-force date, as the first text found that names investment as a ground (the 2008 law it replaced was not read). Separate investor residence permits exist (permit class A1 'investor' under the immigration ministerial order, defined by reference to the investment law); they were not added because no amount was found in the immigration texts. No counts of nationality grants on this ground found. Status left empty: no document says whether anyone has been naturalised this way.","source_ids":"rwa-og-ministerial-order-nationality-2022;rwa-og-nationality-law-2021","short_name":"Rwanda nationality by acquisition on grounds of substantial sustainable investment (Organic Law 002/2021.OL, art. 15)"},{"program_id":"sle-go-for-gold","jurisdiction":"SLE","name":"Sierra Leone GO-FOR-GOLD programme (permanent residency through gold purchase and programme fees; special naturalisation of investors)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2024-12","legal_basis":"1973","ended":"","status":"","notes":"Run by the Sierra Leone Immigration Department with private promoters. By the promoters' account it has two parts: permanent residency through a gold bullion purchase and programme fees, and 'special naturalisation' of investors, with a company and a corporate bank account included. A press release in the Immigration Department's name (2 Jan 2025; the copy was found only on an industry site and gives a private press contact) says the GO-FOR-GOLD residency programme was launched in December 2024, and announces arrangements to naturalise high-net-worth investors and people of Sierra Leonean heritage; it gives no amounts and no legal basis. launched follows that press release; the promoters (Nov 2025) and TechCabal (2026) date the launch to January 2025. Promoters and press give USD 140,000 for the main applicant (fast-track citizenship in about 90 days), USD 100,000 on a heritage route for people of African ancestry (Jan 2025), USD 10,000-20,000 per dependant, a +1 business partner at USD 30,000 or USD 85,000 (the Nov 2025 update contradicts itself), and due-diligence fees. The promoters say citizenship is granted under the President's power in s. 27A of the Citizenship Act 1973 (legal_basis; the Act itself is not stored), that 13 families were naturalised in a six-month pilot, and that an amendment to the Act and a Citizenship (Special Naturalization) Regulation 2025 are pending; none of this was found in an official publication. Ordinary naturalisation needs 8 years' residence (15 for applicants not of Negro African descent). Current status not confirmed by a government source (the promoters said in Nov 2025 that it was active): in Oct 2026 the Immigration Department's rebuilt website (slid.gov.sl: news, notices, FAQ, fees), State House search and the archived lists of Parliament's bills and acts for 2024-2025 showed no mention of GO-FOR-GOLD, no Citizenship (Amendment) Act and no special naturalisation regulation.","source_ids":"intl-techcabal-africa-cbi-2026;sle-gfg-update-2025;sle-slid-pr-2025;sle-telegraph-2025","short_name":"Sierra Leone GO-FOR-GOLD programme (permanent residency through gold purchase and programme fees; special naturalisation of investors)"},{"program_id":"slv-investor-naturalisation","jurisdiction":"SLV","name":"El Salvador naturalisation and permanent residence for investors and donors in government programmes (Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería arts. 156(5) and 152(13); 'Freedom Visa')","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2024-01-17","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"","notes":"D.L. 918 of 20 Dec 2023 (D.O. 9 Jan 2024) added art. 156(5): foreigners who meet government programmes for attracting investors or donors who inject capital in legal tender may apply for naturalisation. Launched 2024-01-17 (in force 8 days after publication in Diario Oficial 5 of 9 January 2024, date computed): D.L. 918 itself is not stored, so its in-force date (Salvadoran decrees usually state one) cannot be checked; the publication date of 9 Jan 2024 is kept as a 'legal' event. D.L. 286 of 2025 (in force 13 May 2025, eight days after publication on 5 May; counted by us) lets people joining central-government programmes obtain permanent residence directly, with no absence limit and a USD 690 fee. The press reports the 'Freedom Visa' (launched 7 Dec 2023 with Tether, before the law was published): USD 1 million donation in bitcoin or USDT, 1,000 places a year; no official text of the programme's requirements or any count was found. Status not confirmed.","source_ids":"slv-cointelegraph-freedomvisa-2023-12;slv-csj-lem-consol-2026;slv-dl-286-2025","short_name":"El Salvador naturalisation and permanent residence for investors and donors in government programmes (Ley Especial de Migración y de Extranjería arts. 156(5) and 152(13); 'Freedom Visa')"},{"program_id":"stp-cbi","jurisdiction":"STP","name":"São Tomé and Príncipe Citizenship by Investment or Donation Programme (Programa de Cidadania por Investimento ou Doação, PCID)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2025-08-01","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Legal basis: Nationality Law No. 7/2022 of 10 Mar 2022 (art. 10(2), art. 26) and Decree-Law No. 07/2025 (approved 10 May 2025, published and in force 1 Aug 2025), which creates the programme, the Citizenship by Investment and Donation Unit (UCID, under the Justice Minister) and the National Transformation Fund (FNT). One route: non-refundable contribution to the FNT after approval in principle (USD 90,000 single applicant). The Decree-Law requires quarterly reports to the Justice Minister, Public Prosecutor and National Assembly and an annual independent audit of the FNT; none were found published. The programme site claims more than 220 applications by 2 Mar 2026. A formal national launch conference was held in Oct 2025.","source_ids":"stp-cip-web-200-applications-2026;stp-cip-web-ntf-2026;stp-dr-dl-7-2025","short_name":"Citizenship by investment or donation"},{"program_id":"syc-investor-citizenship","jurisdiction":"SYC","name":"Seychelles citizenship under special circumstances for investors (Citizenship Act s. 5(2), 5A-5C)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Not a citizenship-by-investment programme: requires an investment of at least USD 1 million in a Seychelles business plus 11 years' aggregate residence, a citizenship exam (80% in a national language), sponsors and public notices. Introduced by the 2013 amendments to the Citizenship Act (text not obtained; no in-force date found). The only source is the Immigration Department's November 2013 guide, which says the amendments 'will introduce' the rules, so launched is empty (decision 14; it was briefly set to the guide's month). Fee SCR 350,000 (2020 list). No counts found.","source_ids":"syc-ics-fees-2020;syc-ics-quickguide-2013;syc-ics-special-circumstances-2014;syc-ics-web-acquisition-2026;syc-statehouse-cabinet-2022-11-16;syc-statehouse-cabinet-immigration-2013","short_name":"Citizenship for investors"},{"program_id":"ton-passport-sales","jurisdiction":"TON","name":"Tonga passport and citizenship sales (Tongan Protected Person passports and naturalisation), proceeds held in the Tonga Trust Fund","kind":"citizenship","launched":"1982","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"closed","notes":"Proposed to the King by Hong Kong businessman George Chen. First 'Tongan Protected Person' passports (travel document, no right to live in Tonga), later full Tongan nationality. Buyers were mostly Hong Kong Chinese; Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos were among them. 'launched' is the year the King and Privy Council created the Protected Person Passports (1982, per an academic report; the decision itself was not found); press accounts date the sales from 1983. Press accounts give 1983-1991, over 5,000 sold and about $30 million raised (currency not stated); the US State Department still said Tonga sold economic citizenship in 2000. The money was held in the Tonga Trust Fund at Bank of America, San Francisco; from 1999 it was managed on the advice of the King's 'court jester' Jesse Bogdonoff and largely lost in Millennium Asset Management (viatical insurance). Tonga sued in San Francisco in June 2002 and settled in February 2004. No official Tongan document found.","source_ids":"intl-usdos-incsr-2000;ton-bbc-2003;ton-cnn-2001;ton-nyt-1992;ton-smh-2004","short_name":"Passport and citizenship sales"},{"program_id":"tur-cbi","jurisdiction":"TUR","name":"Turkish citizenship by investment (Türk Vatandaşlığı Kanununun Uygulanmasına İlişkin Yönetmelik, Art. 20(2))","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2017-01-12","legal_basis":"2016-08-13","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Exceptional naturalisation under Law 5901 Art. 12(1)(b) by presidential decision (Council of Ministers until Sept 2018). Routes: real estate, fixed capital, jobs, bank deposit, government bonds, investment funds, private pension (from 2022). Certifying bodies: TKGM/Ministry of Environment (real estate), Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Labour, BDDK, Treasury, SPK, SEDDK. Security vetting by police and MİT; decision prepared by the DG of Population and Citizenship Affairs.","source_ids":"tur-mevzuat-tvk-reg-consolidated;tur-rg-2016-08-13-law6735;tur-rg-2017-01-12-reg","short_name":"Citizenship by investment"},{"program_id":"vct-ecp","jurisdiction":"VCT","name":"St Vincent and the Grenadines economic citizenship programme (2000-2001)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2000","legal_basis":"","ended":"2001-04","status":"closed","notes":"Legislative framework created around 2000; the government projected about US$4.5 million in 2000 from passport sales. Revoked in April 2001; the US State Department says no passports had been issued. Only source found: US INCSR.","source_ids":"intl-usdos-incsr-2000;intl-usdos-incsr-2001","short_name":"Economic citizenship (2000-2001)"},{"program_id":"vut-1990s","jurisdiction":"VUT","name":"1990s passport-sale schemes","kind":"citizenship","launched":"","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"closed","notes":"The IMF (2015) describes attempts in the 1990s to sell passports, about 300 passports sold in 1996-1997, and reports of illegal issuance that led some countries, such as Canada, to drop visa waivers. Names, legal basis and dates not found in official sources.","source_ids":"vut-imf-art4-2015;vut-ombudsman-diplomatic-passports-1998;vut-ombudsman-resort-las-vegas-1997","short_name":"1990s passport sales"},{"program_id":"vut-ciip","jurisdiction":"VUT","name":"Capital Investment Immigration Plan (CIIP)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2014","legal_basis":"2011","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Citizenship for investors (Form D), legal basis s.13B-13C of the Citizenship Act inserted by Act No. 39 of 2013 (in force 21 Jan 2014), linked to a residence permit under the Immigration Visa Regulation No. 180 of 2011. IMF (2015): USD 260,000 investment returnable after 7 years (25% NBV deposit, 25% government bonds, 50% real investment) plus a $40,000 fee. The Citizenship Office now lists a \"Citizenship Fee\" of USD 260,000 for applicant, spouse and one child. Practically dormant in 2020 (VT 10,000 receipts), reactivated as a cheaper alternative in 2024, suspended March 2025 and resumed June 2025 (IMF).","source_ids":"vut-cit-amend-act-39-2013;vut-cit-amend-act-40-2014;vut-coc-chargeable-fees;vut-coc-web-ciip-agents;vut-coc-web-fees;vut-imf-art4-2015;vut-imf-art4-2024;vut-imf-art4-2025","short_name":"Capital Investment Immigration Plan"},{"program_id":"vut-dsp","jurisdiction":"VUT","name":"Vanuatu Development Support Program (DSP / VDSP)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2017-03","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Main scheme since 2017; first run as \"Honorary Citizenship DSP\" (fees reduced by Order No. 94 of 2018), put on a statutory footing by s.13E (Act No. 34 of 2018, in force 7 Jan 2019) and regulated by Order No. 33 of 2019 (24 Apr 2019): government fee USD 80,000 (single) to 130,000 (couple and two children), minimum selling price via licensed Vanuatu-citizen agents USD 130,000 to 180,000, FIU due diligence (USD 2,000, USD 5,000 from 27 Mar 2020). Decision within 3 months; no residence required.","source_ids":"vut-cit-amend-act-34-2018;vut-dsp-amend-order-39-2020;vut-dsp-regs-order-33-2019;vut-mfem-monthly-2017-12","short_name":"Development Support Program"},{"program_id":"vut-reo","jurisdiction":"VUT","name":"Real Estate Option Program (REO)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2021-07-23","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Citizenship for buying property in a Vanuatu Government Approved Project plus prescribed fees; s.13F of the Citizenship Act and Regulation Order No. 93 of 2021; sole master agent Naika Holdings Ltd. An earlier REO route (s.13CA, Act No. 18 of 2014, in force 8 Jul 2014), repealed by Act No. 40 of 2014 (23 Jan 2015), is recorded as its own programme (vut-reo-2014). The Treasury said in 2021-22 its revenue potential was low or unproven. Prices not found.","source_ids":"vut-cit-amend-act-18-2014;vut-cit-amend-act-40-2014;vut-coc-reo-commencement-2021;vut-coc-web-reo;vut-mfem-hyefr-2022","short_name":"Real Estate Option Program"},{"program_id":"vut-reo-2014","jurisdiction":"VUT","name":"Real Estate Option Program, first route (Citizenship Act s.13CA, 2014-2015)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2014-07-08","legal_basis":"","ended":"2015-01-23","status":"closed","notes":"First Real Estate Option route: s.13CA of the Citizenship Act, inserted by Act No. 18 of 2014 (assent 19 Jun 2014, in force on publication in the Gazette, 8 Jul 2014), let an investor holding a residence visa under the Real Estate Option Program of the Immigration Visa Regulation Order No. 180 of 2011 apply for citizenship. Repealed by Act No. 40 of 2014 (in force 23 Jan 2015). A separate Real Estate Option Program was created in 2021 under s.13F (vut-reo). No figures found.","source_ids":"vut-cit-amend-act-18-2014;vut-cit-amend-act-40-2014","short_name":"Real Estate Option Program, first route (Citizenship Act s.13CA, 2014-2015)"},{"program_id":"vut-vcp","jurisdiction":"VUT","name":"Vanuatu Contribution Program (VCP)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2016","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Legal basis s.13D of the Citizenship Act (substituted by Act No. 8 of 2016) and the Citizenship (Contribution Program) Regulations Order No. 220 of 2016 (not found online); amended by Order No. 34 of 2019 and Order No. 38 of 2020. Same government minimum contribution and minimum selling price as the DSP (Citizenship Office directive, April 2020). 'launched' is the year of Act No. 8 of 2016, which substituted s.13D (Contribution Program); its exact in-force date is not in a stored document. The Treasury says VDSP and VCP replaced VERP by March 2017. Industry sources say it was reserved for Chinese applicants; not confirmed officially.","source_ids":"vut-citizenship-act-cap112-2021;vut-coc-fees-directive-2020;vut-mfem-monthly-2017-12;vut-vcp-amend-order-38-2020","short_name":"Contribution Program"},{"program_id":"vut-verp","jurisdiction":"VUT","name":"Vanuatu Economic Rehabilitation Program (VERP), honorary citizenship after Cyclone Pam","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2015","legal_basis":"","ended":"2017-03","status":"closed","notes":"Honorary citizenship sold to raise revenue after Cyclone Pam (March 2015), using the honorary citizenship power in s.20 of the Citizenship Act. ABC reported a launch in Hong Kong in April 2015 (price $162,000, quota 100); the IMF dates the launch to late 2015. Phased out by March 2017 and replaced by the VDSP and VCP (Treasury).","source_ids":"vut-abc-verp-2015;vut-imf-art4-2016;vut-mfem-monthly-2016-12;vut-mfem-monthly-2017-12","short_name":"Economic Rehabilitation Program"},{"program_id":"wsm-cia","jurisdiction":"WSM","name":"Samoa citizenship by investment (Citizenship Investment Act 2015)","kind":"citizenship","launched":"2017-01-31","legal_basis":"","ended":"","status":"active","notes":"Not an instant passport: investors worth at least WST 2.5 million who commit to invest WST 4 million in listed sectors within 3 years (70% first held in a Samoan fixed deposit) get a 3-year permanent residence permit, then may apply for citizenship if they spent 15 days a year in Samoa and kept to the investment plan. Run by a Citizenship Investment Committee chaired by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour. Fees: WST 120,000 application and WST 20,000 due diligence for the principal applicant. The Committee must report yearly to Parliament (s. 22), but no report or official count was found (a press report that the scheme drew almost no interest could not be read). In Oct 2025 applicants tied to foreign governments were barred (reported). Separately, Samoan passports (not citizenship) were sold illegally in Hong Kong and China in the 1990s (academic report).","source_ids":"intl-eui-globalcit-oceania-2020;wsm-cia-2015;wsm-cir-2016;wsm-mcil-brochure-2024;wsm-observer-2025-10-26","short_name":"Citizenship by investment"}]}