The Cheapest Citizenship by Investment Programs (Second Passports), Ranked
Key findings
- São Tomé and Príncipe and Naoero (formerly Nauru) share the lowest listed starting contribution: USD $90,000 before fees. Naoero’s listed offer runs through December 31, 2026; the programs have different additional charges.
- Vanuatu remains one of the lowest-cost established direct second-passport pathways, with DSP starting at $130,000 for one applicant before additional charges; separate Vanuatu programs have different terms.
- The Caribbean programs cluster tightly between $200,000 and $250,000, before government, due-diligence, agent, and family fees.
- Treaty nationality can matter for a later US investor-visa application, but investment citizenship does not itself grant US work rights or immediate E-2 eligibility.
The cheapest qualifying contribution is only the opening figure in a second-passport budget. A donation is money spent; a property investment may eventually be sold, but comes with a holding period, costs, and an uncertain resale value. Family fees can change the comparison again.
The ranking below starts with the lowest qualifying contribution or investment so those figures can be compared consistently. The more consequential question is what the full commitment delivers: a citizenship the applicant is eligible to obtain, can afford to maintain where obligations apply, and has a clear reason to want.
See the full program field: compare all citizenship-by-investment programs.
Qualifying contributions and investments compared
| Rank | Country | Program | Processing | From (investment) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nauru | Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship | Typically 3–4 months | $90,000 principal contribution through Dec. 31, 2026, plus fees |
| 1 | São Tomé and Príncipe | Fund-donation citizenship | Official estimate: about two months to approval, then three to four months to passport | USD $90,000 donation; listed single-applicant government total USD $95,750 before agent or other costs |
| 3 | Vanuatu | Vanuatu CBI | Confirm the current program’s processing time | DSP: $130,000 for one applicant, plus charges; other programs differ |
| 4 | Dominica | Dominica Citizenship - Donation | ~4–6 months | $200,000 |
| 5 | North Macedonia | Special economic interest citizenship | Varies | €200,000 |
| 6 | Antigua and Barbuda | Antigua & Barbuda Citizenship - Donation | ~3–6 months | $230,000 |
| 7 | Grenada | Grenada Citizenship - Donation | ~4–6 months | $235,000 |
| 8 | Saint Lucia | Saint Lucia Citizenship - Donation | ~3–6 months | $240,000 |
| 9 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Kitts & Nevis Citizenship - Donation | ~4–6 months | $250,000 |
| 9 | Egypt | Investment citizenship | Government review and final approval; no guaranteed total time | USD $250,000 contribution, plus USD $10,000 application fee |
| 11 | Turkey | Turkish Citizenship by Investment | ~4–6 months | $400,000 |
| 12 | Jordan | Jordanian Citizenship by Investment | Varies | JOD 350,000+ |
| 13 | El Salvador | El Salvador Freedom Visa | Varies | $1,000,000 |
North Macedonia and Jordan are included because official government sources describe investment-linked citizenship pathways, but they should not be read like Caribbean donation programs. North Macedonia is a discretionary special economic interest pathway, and Jordan is an active business, shares, existing-investment, or job-creation framework.
Compare the commitment behind the price
A single applicant and a family can reach different conclusions from the same price table. The contribution is only one component: government, due-diligence, agent, passport, and dependent fees determine how much money actually leaves the household. A lower advertised contribution can lose its advantage when those costs are included.
Recoverable capital also deserves a realistic comparison. An approved property may retain value, but it cannot be treated like cash available for another purpose while a holding requirement applies. A donation has no resale uncertainty because it is not recoverable in the first place. Neither structure is inherently cheaper for every applicant; they place different demands on savings and tolerance for risk.
Grenada illustrates why a second-country benefit needs a separate check. Someone who acquired treaty nationality through investment and has not previously held E status must establish at least three continuous years of domicile in that country before applying for a US E visa. The US statutory rule makes this a residence-planning issue as well as a passport choice. A qualifying US business and the other E-2 requirements remain separate.
São Tomé and Príncipe: the donation is only part of the cost
The official fund schedule lists USD $90,000 for a single applicant, USD $5,000 per application, and USD $750 per person for citizenship documents. Those listed government amounts total USD $95,750 for one person, before agent or other applicable costs. Family pricing and a financial benefactor can change the total. The donation is nonrefundable.
An approval in principle still needs to be followed by the authorized payment, final citizenship grant, and document process. The pathway guide explains the background checks and the difference between citizenship in São Tomé and Príncipe and permission to live in another country.
Egypt’s alternatives have different costs and holding rules
Egypt shares the USD $250,000 starting-contribution rank, before its separate USD $10,000 nonrefundable application fee. Its other options are USD $300,000 in qualifying property, USD $350,000 in a business plus a USD $100,000 contribution, or a USD $500,000 three-year deposit. Property and business options have five-year retention conditions. The deposit is repaid in Egyptian pounds without interest, so it has a different currency exposure from keeping savings in US dollars.
The government reviews the applicant before the final citizenship decision. Preliminary acceptance and the temporary permission to complete the investment do not mean citizenship has already been granted.
Argentina’s announced program is outside this ranking
Argentina’s October 2 announcement describes a USD $350,000 nonrefundable contribution or USD $800,000 in designated government bonds, with intake expected during the fourth quarter of 2026. Applications were not confirmed open in the material reviewed, so Argentina has no rank here. The launch briefing explains what remains to be confirmed and why the statutory decision period is not an end-to-end processing promise.
The distinction matters to a household deciding when to commit money. An announced contribution can help with an initial budget, but it cannot establish the final application cost, the terms of the bond, or when a case can actually be filed. Those details need published operating rules before the proposal can be compared on the same footing as an available program.
Related Citizeo reports
- The Fastest Countries to Get a Second Passport
- The Cheapest Ways to Get EU Residency by Investment
- Cheapest Golden Visas in 2026
Compare the Pacific programs carefully
Naoero, formerly Nauru, and Vanuatu have different contribution schedules, family fees, and program categories. Confirm a complete written quote and current authorized intake. Vanuatu’s DSP figure does not price its government-approved real-estate or other investment programs. The Pacific investment comparison also explains Samoa’s investment-to-citizenship law, its three-year residence stage, and the need to confirm whether applications are being accepted. The law alone does not establish that someone can apply or obtain citizenship immediately.
Methodology
Figures are based on the official sources linked below and in the individual pathway guides. Where pathways are ranked by cost, mixed currencies are compared using approximate USD equivalents and amounts shown are the lowest qualifying option per program. They do not represent the full application cost. The price comparison requires a government, legal, or official program source confirming the pathway and its current thresholds. Ranked tables use competition ranking: pathways with the same ranked value share a rank, and the next rank is skipped.
Source notes
- Nauru's official program page lists the $90,000 limited-time contribution through December 31, 2026, while the RONLAW legal database publishes the governing Act, regulations, amendments, and fee instruments.
- Jordan's Ministry of Investment publishes the current citizenship and residency through investment categories.
- North Macedonia's Ministry of Interior publishes the citizenship services page and special economic interest document.
The Egypt comparison draws on the Citizenship Unit’s investment options and application procedure. Its rank compares the contribution before fees, consistently with the table.
The São Tomé and Príncipe comparison draws on the official program’s eligibility, donation, fees, and application pages.
Botswana’s announced initiative is not included in the ranking
Botswana’s program announcement website describes an expected 2026 application opening and invites registration of interest. An operative law, final application requirements, and an open filing process were not verified. Promotional contribution figures should not be treated as a confirmed application price. The Southern Africa comparison covers the residence options supported by current application guidance.