Short answer: Citizenship by investment (CBI) grants citizenship and a passport after qualifying investment or donation and diligence. Golden visas / investment residence grant residence or PR, generally not a passport. Write the family’s primary goal first.
Information current as of October 2026.
How to choose by goal?
| Primary goal | Often assess |
|---|---|
| Second passport / visa-free | Caribbean CBI etc. |
| EU living and schooling | Greece / Portugal / Malta etc. |
| Low-stay status | Greece, Cyprus, some Gulf options |
| Actual relocation | Portugal D7, European employment, Singapore etc. |
| US treaty investor | Grenada and similar + E-2 rules carefully |
Is CBI always faster?
Donation CBI is often faster, but diligence can extend timelines; European residence faces admin backlog.
Can a golden visa become a passport later?
Only under that country’s naturalisation rules—not automatic.
Can I pursue CBI and a golden visa together?
Possible in theory, but cost and disclosure must be managed; set a clear priority order.
Global Immigrate field notes
The most common regional-family mistake is being driven by a single country’s ads before ranking goals. Answer three questions first: passport or residence? Willing to live for real? What is five-year total cash and the exit path? Applications are handled by Global Immigrate’s in-house team; diligence disclosure must be complete.
Use the site’s programme-matching tool or contact our advisory team.
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.