Wealthy investors drive booming market for citizenship-by-investment programs
High-net-worth individuals are increasingly buying residency and citizenship through costly investment schemes offered by dozens of countries.
A growing number of states sell residency or citizenship in exchange for sizable financial contributions, with prices varying from €50,000 in Latvia to $400,000 for Turkish citizenship via property investment. The Caribbean islands of Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, as well as Pacific nations like Nauru, market their “golden passports” to affluent buyers. Günther Dobrauz-Saldapenna, who now leads Henley & Partners’ European operations, describes the service as helping successful individuals build a portfolio of travel documents.
At Zurich’s Safe Haven Forum, government leaders, parliamentarians and wealth managers highlighted reasons ranging from tax planning to safeguarding children from conscription. Premier Mark Brantley of Nevis defended the model, noting stricter vetting improves the program’s reputation despite EU concerns about security and migration risks.
Why it matters
Citizenship-by-investment schemes affect global mobility, tax policy and security oversight.
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