- US Gold Card offers U.S. residency and citizenship for a $5 million investment.
- Dubai’s Golden Visa provides long-term residency from ~$545,000 but no citizenship.
- Portugal, Spain, and Greece offer investment programs with varying costs and citizenship timelines, while Malta offers a fast path to citizenship.
US Gold Card vs. Dubai Golden Visa
US Gold Card offers wealthy foreign investors U.S. residency and a direct route to U.S. citizenship for an investment of $5 million. It is therefore an expensive option compared to Dubai’s Golden Visa, but less expensive (from $545,000), only offers long-term residency without guaranteeing citizenship. The US Gold Card stands out in offering a direct route to U.S. citizenship, a big attraction for investors who want permanent residency in the U.S.
Conversely, Dubai’s Golden Visa offers 5-10 years of residence through different investment channels, i.e., real estate (2 million AED, ~$545,000) or business investments (500,000 AED, ~$136,000). The UAE, however, does not offer citizenship through investment schemes, which renders it not for those looking for something more than residence.
Investment Residency Programs Across Countries
- Portugal offers a golden visa for €500,000 real estate or capital investment and grants citizenship after 5 years and thus is a favorite for residency and citizenship.
- Spain also provides a golden visa with a €500,000 investment, but 10 years of residency is needed for citizenship.
- Greece provides one of the cheapest golden visas at €250,000 (~$262,000) for property. Citizenship is achievable after 7 years of residency.
- Malta provides both residency and citizenship. With €750,000 (~$788,000) for citizenship and a year of residency, it is one of the quickest ways to achieve citizenship in European nations.
- Australia’s Significant Investor Visa calls for an AUD 5 million (~$3.3 million) investment with a pathway to citizenship after 4 years, much like the Trump Gold Card, albeit with more investment and more residency.
Canada and the UK (although now suspended) also provide investment routes to residency and citizenship, albeit with different investment levels and longer residency periods.
