CBI
Citizenship by Investment
A program under which a foreigner receives a country passport in exchange for an investment: a contribution to a fund, a real estate purchase, or a deposit. Available in Grenada, Dominica, St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia, Malta, Turkey, and Vanuatu.
- What it is
- A full passport of a country in exchange for an investment in its economy
- Where it applies
- The Caribbean (Grenada, Dominica, St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia), Malta, Turkey
- Cost
- From $200,000 as a fund contribution (Caribbean); Malta is more expensive (the only EU option)
- Duration
- Usually 4-8 months (Caribbean); longer for Malta
- Can you prepare
- Yes: choose a country and assemble a source-of-funds file for due diligence
In plain words
CBI (citizenship by investment) is a programme under which a foreigner receives a full passport of a country in exchange for an investment in its economy. There are three types of investment: a non-refundable contribution to a state fund, the purchase of approved real estate, or a deposit. In return you and your family become citizens — with all the rights that entails, including passing citizenship on to your children.
By immigration standards it is fast: you do not need to live in the country for years or sit language exams. Everything turns on the check (due diligence) and making the investment. The classic Caribbean programmes — Grenada, Dominica, St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia — cost from $200,000 to $250,000 as a contribution and usually take 4-8 months. Malta (the MEIN programme) stands apart — the only EU passport by investment, more expensive and slower.
Why people do it: visa-free travel to 140-150 countries, a fallback option for the family, access to the US E-2 visa (through Grenada), calm tax planning. The passport stays with you and your children for good, even if you sell the real estate investment a few years later.
Why people choose CBI
What CBI gives
- Principal investor
- Spouse and children
- Parents and grandparents (in some programmes)
- Non-refundable fund contribution
- Approved real estate
- Government bonds or a business
- Visa-free access to 140+ countries
- Second citizenship
- Freedom of movement
- Passed on to children for good
- Tax planning
- US E-2 visa (Grenada)
How to obtain citizenship through CBI
- 01Choosing the country and option
- 02Due diligence check
- 03Investment (contribution or real estate)
- 04Filing and approval
- 05Oath and passport
What you need to know
- No residence required, and no language exams either
- Due diligence decides everything: with a bad record no passport will be issued
- In 2024 the Caribbean countries raised the minimum contribution to $200,000
- The passport is yours for good and passes to your children, even if the property is sold
- Malta is the only EU passport by investment, more expensive and with a residence period
What CBI costs: contributions by country
- Dominicafrom $200,000A non-refundable contribution to a state fund (EDF). The most affordable entry in the Caribbean.
- Antigua and Barbudafrom $230,000A contribution to the national fund (NDF), covering a family of up to 4.
- Grenadafrom $235,000A contribution to the fund (NTF). The only Caribbean passport with access to the US E-2 visa.
- Saint Luciafrom $240,000A non-refundable contribution to the national fund.
- Saint Kitts and Nevisfrom $250,000A contribution to the fund (SISC). The oldest CBI programme in the world (since 1984).
- Turkeyfrom $400,000A property purchase with an obligation to hold it for 3 years. Not the EU, but a large economy.
- Maltafrom €600,000+A contribution + real estate + a residence period. The only direct EU passport by investment.
The figure shown is the minimum contribution to the state fund for the principal applicant or the family. On top come government fees, the mandatory check (due diligence) for each adult and legal support. The real estate option costs more at entry, but the property can be sold after the holding period. We calculate the exact budget for your family composition.
Timelines
- Processing time
- Usually 4-8 months (Caribbean); Malta — a year or longer
- Who carries it out
- The country’s government, through an authorised agent
- What it depends on
- The country, family composition, depth of due diligence
- Residence
- Not required in the classic programmes; Malta has a residence period
Common mistakes
- Filing without first checking the source of funds — and being refused at due diligence
- Concealing episodes in your background: the reviewer will find them, and the check fee is not refunded
- Chasing price alone without looking at visa-free access and the programme’s reputation
- Selling the property before the mandatory holding period and losing the basis
- Waiting for prices to go up: countries regularly raise their thresholds
What this means for a BRIDGES client
We take you through CBI from the first conversation to the passport in your hands: we choose the country for your goal (travel, the US, taxes), prepare the source-of-funds file in advance so that the check passes first time, and keep the timeline under control at every stage.
View programs →Frequently asked questions
01 /Do you need to live in the country to get a CBI passport?
No. The classic programmes do not require physical residence — that is their point. It is enough to pass the check and make the investment; some programmes ask for one short visit for biometrics or the oath.
02 /Which is cheaper — a fund contribution or real estate?
A fund contribution is usually cheaper and simpler: you pay once and that is it. Real estate costs more at entry, but the property can be sold after 3-7 years and part of the outlay recovered.
03 /Will the passport be taken away if I sell the property?
No. Once the mandatory holding period (usually 3-7 years) has been observed, you sell the property and the citizenship stays with you and passes to your children.
04 /Which Caribbean programme is the cheapest?
Dominica — from $200,000 as a contribution to the state fund. The difference between the Caribbean programmes today lies more in visa-free access and reputation than in price: their minimum threshold has been agreed.
05 /Does CBI give an EU passport?
Only Malta (the MEIN programme) gives a direct EU passport by investment, and it is more expensive and slower. Caribbean passports are not EU passports, but they open visa-free entry to the Schengen area for up to 90 days.
06 /Who can be included in the application?
The spouse, children and often parents and grandparents — the exact family composition depends on the programme. The check (due diligence) is paid separately for each adult applicant.
07 /Is it true that the Caribbean raised prices?
Yes: in 2024 the Caribbean countries agreed a minimum contribution of $200,000. Thresholds are reviewed regularly, so a favourable window is best not postponed.
08 /How does CBI differ from a Golden Visa?
CBI gives a passport and citizenship straight away. A Golden Visa is only a residence permit: a passport may come later, through naturalisation and actual residence in the country.
See also
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This material has undergone editorial review by BRIDGES.
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