Top Ten Most Expensive Golden Visa Programmes

Ethiopia now tops the global ranking as the world’s most expensive golden visa program, requiring a minimum investment of $10 million, or $5 million paired with job creation targets, in exchange for a ten-year residency permit.

Based on an analysis by BusinessDay from data from Henley & Partners, the country’s investment amount tops 47 other countries offering investment migration programs, with four African countries making it to the top ten such as Ethiopia, Mozambique, Seychelles and Rwanda. 

Singapore’s Global Investor Programme ranks as the second most expensive, demanding a $7.8 million investment for a two-year pathway to permanent status. Mozambique follows with its tiered investor residency program requiring $5 million for a ten-year permit. Other high-cost destinations such as Hong Kong, New Zealand, Jersey, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, Seychelles, and Rwanda, United States and Bulgaria range from $582,000 to $3.9 million.

Here are the top 10 most expensive golden visa or citizenship by investment programs:

Money

Ethiopia

Ethiopia recently launched the world’s most expensive investment migration programme, requiring a minimum investment of $10 million on July 8 granting a ten-year residency permit.To qualify, applicants will need to invest at least $10 million, or $5 million alongside substantial local job creation, to qualify. 

The card-based residence permit carries a $10,000 processing fee, rising to $12,500 for express handling, with a premium “home service” delivery option also on offer.

Investors who undertake projects that generate employment may qualify under a reduced $5 million threshold. Rather than offering a direct route to citizenship, the programme , targeting large-scale investments in sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure and industrial development.

The Ethiopian passport ranks 91st to 93rd globally on the Henley Passport Index, granting visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to around 43 to 47 destinations.

Singapore

Singapore’s Global Investor Programme requires a minimum investment of SGD10 million, which is approximately $7.8 million, making it the second most expensive programme globally. Eligible investors can obtain permanent residency, with the opportunity to apply for Singaporean citizenship after two years, subject to meeting residency requirements and government approval. Investments are typically made in businesses, approved funds or family offices.

Singapore ranks as the world’s most powerful passport on the Henley Passport Index, offering visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 192 destinations.

Singapore Skyline

Mozambique

Mozambique’s Tiered Investor- Residency program ranks third, requiring a minimum investment of $5 million. The programme is designed to attract major foreign direct investment into the country’s economy and offers investors a ten-year residency permit rather than an immediate path to citizenship. Priority sectors include infrastructure, energy, agriculture and industrial projects.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Capital Investment Entrant Scheme requires applicants to invest HK$30 million, equivalent to $3.9 million. In September 2003, the Immigration Department of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China introduced this scheme.The programme provides a pathway to permanent residency after seven years of ordinary residence, provided applicants maintain their qualifying investments throughout the required period.

New Zealand

New Zealand’s Active Investor Plus Visa requires a minimum investment of NZ$5 million, approximately $3 million. It was announced in September 2022, for eligible investors to  qualify for permanent residency and eventually citizenship after five years, subject to meeting investment and residency obligations.

The Active Investor Plus Visa allows applicants to live, work, and study in the country indefinitely, as long as they have met all the investment and time-in-country requirements.

Beautiful New Zealand Mountains

Jersey

Jersey, a British Crown Dependency, requires a minimum real estate investment of £1.75 million which is equivalent to $2.33 million, plus annual taxes of £250,000.

 Successful applicants follow the same citizenship pathway as the United Kingdom, with eligibility determined under UK nationality laws

Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands offers long-term residency to investors making a minimum investment of $1 million.

The investment is typically made in developed real estate and other qualifying assets. While the programme provides residency rights, no specific citizenship pathway is stated under the scheme.#

Bahamas, Seychelles and Rwanda

Bahamas

The Bahamas requires a minimum investment of $1 million, primarily in real estate or approved business ventures. Successful applicants may obtain permanent residency, while citizenship is generally available after ten years, subject to residency and other legal requirements

Seychelles

Seychelles permanent residency requirement requires a minimum investment of $1 million.The programme is designed to encourage investment in approved sectors of the economy and offers residency to qualifying investors. The route to citizenship starts with a valid visa or permit for at least one year before qualifying for permanent residence, then later citizenship which typically takes about 11 years after legal physical residency.

Rwanda

Rwanda investor visa program involves a minimum investment requirement of $1 million. The programme seeks to attract investors into strategic sectors such as manufacturing, tourism, technology and financial services. Successful applicants can obtain residency and may become eligible to apply for citizenship after five years of legal residency, subject to the country’s naturalisation requirements.

United States

The United States (US) EB-5 Immigrant Investor program is $800,000 but does not offer a direct Citizenship by Investment (CBI) route, but  permanent residency for investors who can ultimately qualify forcitizenship by meeting three core milestones: making a qualifying financial investment, creating at least ten full-time American jobs, and completing the standard naturalization timeline.

Citizenship can be gotten after seven years, subsequent to two years of legal residency.

USA Bald Eagle

Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s current Golden Visa scheme costs €512,000, approximately  $582,000 which enables foreign investors to receive granted permanent residency, establishing a standard five-year naturalization runway to full Bulgarian, and by extension, European Union citizenship.

The country officially shut the door on direct citizenship by investment, abolishing its fast-track passport option in favor of a strictly regulated residency model

Eligible investments include licensed Bulgarian alternative investment funds (AIFs), venture capital, private equity, or collective investment schemes.