Programme guides · US EB-5 Investor Immigration · Hong Kong New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) · Portugal Golden Visa (Fund Investment) · US EB-1A Extraordinary Ability · Hong Kong Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) · Japan Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) Visa · British Columbia BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration · Japan Business Manager Visa · Turkey Citizenship by Investment
How to Choose an Immigration Route: Investment, Talent, Business and Citizenship by Investment Compared
Global Immigrate consultants · Published · Updated
Written by Global Immigrate consultants · Reviewed by Oscar Yip, Founder & Managing Director
Summary
Immigration routes fall into four types: investment, talent, business and entrepreneur, and citizenship by investment. We compare their funding, timing, status and who they suit, with suggestions by goal.
The four types of route
Type
Main requirement
Status gained
Examples
Investment
Status through investing capital
Green card, PR or long-term residence
US EB-5, Hong Kong CIES, Portugal Golden Visa
Talent
Assessed on education, achievement or income
Green card or work-based residence
US EB-1A, Hong Kong TTPS, Japan HSP
Business and entrepreneur
Starting and running a business locally
PR once performance targets are met
Canadian provincial entrepreneur streams, Japan Business Manager visa
Citizenship by investment
A donation or investment
Citizenship and a passport
Turkey, Caribbean countries
Four questions to ask yourself
Funds: how much can you deploy, and can you clearly prove where it came from?
Timing: when do you want to move, and how tight is your children’s schooling timeline?
Residence: are you willing to relocate, or do you want to keep your current life and work?
Goal: do you need permanent residence, a second passport or a flexible residence option?
Choosing by goal
Goal
Routes to consider
US green cards, children studying in the US
EB-5, EB-1A, EB-2 NIW
Residence in Asia quickly
Hong Kong TTPS, Japan HSP
Starting a business and gaining PR
Canadian provincial entrepreneur streams
EU residence without relocating
Portugal or Greece Golden Visa
A second passport
Turkey or Caribbean citizenship by investment
Long-term residence at lower living costs
Malaysia My Second Home, Thailand long-term residence
Common mistakes
Comparing price only: a low threshold doesn’t mean the best fit; timing, risk and residence rules matter as much.
Overlooking children’s ages: some programmes cap dependants’ ages, so plan early.
Overlooking tax: a new status can change your tax residence, so plan before you move.
Next step
Most families have two or three workable options. Answer the four questions above, then compare the best two or three with a consultant.
FAQ
Can I apply to programmes in two countries at once?
Yes — many families plan two statuses, but watch your funding and each country’s residence rules.
Which type is fastest?
Talent schemes (such as Hong Kong’s TTPS) and citizenship by investment are generally faster, but it depends on the programme and your background.
What if I’m not sure which type suits me?
Book a free consultation and a consultant will compare the best two or three options for your background.
Hong Kong
Taiwan
Vietnam