Frequently asked questions

Citizenship by investment gives you a second passport — full nationality, usually for life, that you can pass to your children. Residency by investment (a “golden visa”) gives you the right to live in a country and travel within its bloc; most residency programmes can lead to citizenship later, but only after a set number of years of residence. Citizenship is faster to a passport; residency is often cheaper and keeps a foothold in places like the EU.

The common reasons are visa-free travel, a genuine “Plan B” for your family, access to better banking, business and education, tax planning that fits your situation, and simply more freedom to live and move. The right answer depends on your nationality, where you spend time, and what you are trying to achieve — which is exactly what a first consultation is for.

Almost never for the programmes we advise on — they permit dual citizenship. The thing to check is whether your *home* country allows it; a few (for example India) do not recognise dual citizenship. We flag this for your specific nationality before you commit.

For most citizenship programmes, no — several require no visit at all. Residency programmes vary: some (Greece, Portugal, UAE) have little or no minimum stay, while a genuine path to *citizenship* later does require real residence. We are clear about the stay rules for each option upfront.

Programmes start from around $115,000–$130,000 for the most affordable citizenships and from €50,000 for the cheapest EU residency, up to €700,000+ for premium European options. On top of the headline investment there are government, due-diligence and professional fees, which we set out in a single itemised quote so there are no surprises. Our cost estimator gives you the verified starting investment by programme and family size.

It depends on the route. A non-refundable government contribution (common in the Caribbean) is exactly that. Real estate, fund and bond routes are assets you can usually sell or redeem after a holding period — so the true cost is lower than the headline. We model the net cost of each route with you.

Typically: government processing and due-diligence fees, professional and legal fees, passport/issuance fees, and (where relevant) property transaction costs and taxes. We quote all of these per applicant and per dependant before you engage us — never an estimate dressed up as a final figure.

From roughly 30–60 days for the fastest citizenships (Vanuatu, St Kitts’ accelerated route) to 3–6 months for most Caribbean and Turkish programmes, and 2–18 months for residency depending on the country. The timeline runs from a *complete* application — getting your documents right early is the biggest lever on speed.

Every reputable programme runs background checks on applicants — source of funds, criminal record, sanctions and reputation. It is what keeps these passports valuable. We run a confidential pre-assessment before you apply, so you know where you stand rather than risking a refusal on the official record.

A core set is common to most programmes: passport, proof of address, police clearance from countries you have lived in, source-of-funds evidence, and (for families) marriage and birth certificates. We give you a personalised checklist for your exact programme and nationality at the start.

Yes. Almost all programmes include your spouse and children, and many extend to dependent parents, grandparents and adult children — some even to siblings. The exact definition of “dependant” and the cost per person varies by programme, and we map it to your family before you choose.

Holding a second passport does not by itself make you tax-resident anywhere — tax residency is about where you live and your ties, not which passports you hold. That said, some clients use a new base to plan their affairs. We are not tax advisers, so we coordinate with qualified tax counsel for your situation rather than give tax advice ourselves.

We handle the closing steps — investment completion, oath or biometrics where required, and collection of your passport or residence card. After that we stay available for renewals, adding family members, and any future programme you want to explore.

We are part of Avyanco, headquartered in Dubai, and we advise high-net-worth individuals and families across the GCC, South Asia, Africa and beyond. Every engagement is led by senior advisers, not handed to a call centre.

We are paid professional fees for managing your application, and in some cases authorised commissions from programmes. We will always tell you the realistic trade-offs of each option, including when a cheaper or different programme is the better fit for you. If a programme is closed or wrong for you, we say so.

Book a free, no-obligation consultation. We will understand your goals, shortlist two or three programmes that genuinely fit, and give you a clear comparison of cost, timeline and outcome. No pressure — just a straight assessment.