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Buy Citizenship Passport: Costs, Countries & How to Apply

Citizenship passports can be purchased through investment, starting from $115,000 in countries like Dominica and Vanuatu.

Posted: October 27, 2026
Editor: Tessa Quinn; 6 min read

Contents

What you receive
Citizenship by Investment: Country Comparison
How to Get Citizenship by Investment
Risks, Limitations and Guarantees
Minimum Investment Required by Country in 2024
Sources consulted

Citizenship by investment starts at US$200,000 in Dominica, US$230,000 in Antigua and Barbuda, and US$235,000 in Grenada. Vanuatu offers the lowest documented minimum at US$115,000–US$130,000 with roughly 2 months processing. Turkey requires US$400,000 in real estate and takes about 3 months. Malta costs €750,000 and takes about 12 months. First step: confirm the current official programme terms with the issuing government before paying any fees.

What you receive

A second passport: Successful applicants obtain citizenship and a passport from the chosen country. The passport allows visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to a set of destinations, which varies by country.
Citizenship for family members: Several programmes extend eligibility to a spouse and dependent children. For example, St Kitts and Nevis covers a single applicant or a family of up to four persons under the US$250,000 SISC contribution [1]. Grenada's US$235,000 NTF donation also applies to a single applicant or up to a family of four [1].
A non-refundable government contribution: The core payment is a non-refundable contribution to a state fund. Antigua and Barbuda requires US$230,000 to the National Development Fund for a single applicant [2]. Dominica's Economic Diversification Fund minimum is US$200,000 [3].
Additional processing and due diligence fees: The stated minimums do not include all costs. Dominica's 2024 brochure confirms processing fees and due diligence fees apply in addition to the US$200,000 contribution [3]. Real estate options carry separate government fees, such as US$75,000 for a single applicant in Dominica from July 1, 2024 [4].
A defined processing timeline: Each programme publishes an approximate processing period. Vanuatu takes about 2 months [5]. Turkey and Egypt take about 3 months [5]. Malta, Jordan, and Cambodia take about 12 months [5].
A minimum price floor in the Caribbean: From July 1, 2024, five Caribbean countries set a minimum price of US$200,000 for any citizenship by investment option. Discounting below this agreed minimum is explicitly illegal under the Memorandum of Agreement [6].

Citizenship by Investment: Country Comparison

Country & Programme	Minimum Investment	Processing Time	Requirements	Limitations
Vanuatu – Donation	$115,000–$130,000	~2 months [5]	Clarify with authority	Clarify with authority
Dominica – Economic Diversification Fund	$200,000 + processing & due diligence fees [3]	Clarify with authority	Clarify with authority	Minimum $200,000 effective July 2024; discounting below prohibited [6]
Dominica – Real Estate	$200,000 property + $75,000 govt fees (single) / $100,000 (family of four) [4]	Clarify with authority	Clarify with authority	Minimum $200,000 effective July 2024 [4]
Antigua and Barbuda – National Development Fund	$230,000 [2]	Clarify with authority	Primary applicant 18+ years [7]	Minimum $200,000 effective July 2024; discounting below prohibited [6]
Grenada – National Transformation Fund	$235,000 (single or family up to four) [1]	Clarify with authority	Clarify with authority	Minimum $200,000 effective July 2024; discounting below prohibited [6]
St Kitts and Nevis – Sustainable Island State Contribution	$250,000 (single or family up to four) [1]	Clarify with authority	Clarify with authority	Minimum $200,000 effective July 2024; discounting below prohibited [6]
Egypt – Real Estate	$250,000 [5]	~3 months [5]	Clarify with authority	Clarify with authority
Cambodia – Donation	$250,000 [5]	~12 months [5]	Clarify with authority	Clarify with authority
Turkey – Real Estate	$400,000 [5]	~3 months [5]	Clarify with authority	Clarify with authority
Malta – Donation	€750,000 [5]	~12 months [5]	Clarify with authority	Clarify with authority
Jordan – Capital Investment	$1,500,000 [5]	~12 months [5]	Clarify with authority	Clarify with authority

How to Get Citizenship by Investment

Confirm your budget and choose a country

Minimum contributions start at US$115,000 in Vanuatu and US$200,000 in Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and St Kitts and Nevis. Turkey requires US$400,000 in real estate, Malta €750,000, and Jordan US$1,500,000. Government fees and due diligence costs are additional.

Select an investment option

Antigua and Barbuda accepts a US$230,000 National Development Fund contribution. Dominica offers the Economic Diversification Fund at US$200,000 or real estate from US$200,000 plus government fees of US$75,000 for a single applicant. St Kitts and Nevis uses the Sustainable Island State Contribution at US$250,000.

Prepare your documents

You must be over 18 years of age and meet the application requirements of your chosen programme. Each country requests proof of funds, identification, and background information for due diligence checks. Processing fees apply in addition to the minimum contribution.

Submit your application

Applications go through the official citizenship by investment unit of the selected country. From July 1, 2024, five Caribbean countries prohibit discounts below US$200,000 under their Memorandum of Agreement. Discounting below this minimum is explicitly illegal.

Wait for processing

Vanuatu takes approximately 2 months. Turkey and Egypt take approximately 3 months. Malta, Jordan, and Cambodia take approximately 12 months. Processing times are estimates and depend on document completeness and due diligence.

Receive your citizenship and passport

After approval, you complete the investment and receive your certificate of citizenship. You can then apply for a passport. Check the official programme website for current status and document requirements before you start.

Risks, Limitations and Guarantees

Citizenship by investment carries specific risks and limitations that you must verify before committing funds.

Non-refundable contributions: All minimum payments to government funds are non-refundable[2][3]. If your application is rejected after due diligence, you may lose processing fees even if the main contribution is returned. Check each programme's refund policy for failed applications before you pay.

Additional fees beyond the minimum: Published minimums do not cover all costs. Dominica's US$200,000 Economic Diversification Fund contribution excludes processing fees and due diligence fees[3]. The real estate option adds US$75,000 in government fees for a single applicant from July 1, 2024[4]. Request a full breakdown of fees from the official programme unit before you start.

Price floor and illegal discounts: Five Caribbean countries set a minimum price of US$200,000 for any citizenship by investment option from July 1, 2024[6]. Discounting below this agreed minimum is explicitly illegal under the Memorandum of Agreement[6]. Any agent offering a lower price is operating outside the law; your application may be rejected and your payment forfeited.

No guaranteed approval: Meeting the minimum investment and age requirement does not guarantee citizenship[7]. Each country conducts due diligence checks on your background, source of funds, and criminal record. Approval depends on passing these checks.

No cancellation after submission: Once you submit your application and pay fees, you cannot cancel and recover costs. Verify all programme terms with the issuing government before you commit.

Minimum Investment Required by Country in 2024

The minimum investment is the floor, not the final cost. Each country adds processing fees, due diligence charges, and sometimes separate government levies. The table below shows documented minimums from official sources and published programme data. All figures are in US dollars unless stated otherwise.

Country	Minimum Investment	Type	Processing Time
Vanuatu	$115,000–$130,000	Donation	~2 months[5]
Dominica	$200,000	Economic Diversification Fund	Not stated in source[3]
Dominica (real estate)	$200,000 + $75,000 govt fees	Property	Not stated in source[4]
Antigua and Barbuda	$230,000	National Development Fund	Not stated in source[2]
Grenada	$235,000	National Transformation Fund	Not stated in source[1]
St Kitts and Nevis	$250,000	Sustainable Island State Contribution	Not stated in source[1]
Egypt	$250,000	Real estate	~3 months[5]
Cambodia	$250,000	Donation	~12 months[5]
Turkey	$400,000	Real estate	~3 months[5]
Malta	€750,000	Donation	~12 months[5]
Jordan	$1,500,000	Capital investment	~12 months[5]

The Caribbean price floor changed the market from July 1, 2024. Five signatory countries agreed that no citizenship by investment option may be sold below US$200,000[6]. This applies to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia[6]. Discounting below this threshold is explicitly illegal under the Memorandum of Agreement[6].

Dominica illustrates how the floor works in practice. The Economic Diversification Fund minimum rose to US$200,000 for a main applicant to align with the OECS Memorandum[4]. The real estate route keeps a US$200,000 property threshold but adds government fees of US$75,000 for a single applicant or US$100,000 for a family of four from July 1, 2024[4]. These fees are separate from the property price and from processing or due diligence charges[3].

Vanuatu remains the lowest documented entry point at US$115,000–US$130,000[5]. It is not a signatory to the Caribbean Memorandum of Agreement, so the US$200,000 floor does not apply there. The processing time of roughly 2 months is also the shortest among the documented programmes[5].

When comparing minimums, check what each figure includes. A US$200,000 contribution in Dominica is not the same as a US$200,000 property purchase plus US$75,000 in government fees. A US$250,000 donation in Cambodia may cover a single applicant, while the same amount in St Kitts and Nevis covers a family of up to four[1][5]. Always request a written breakdown of total costs from the official programme unit before you commit.

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