Citizenship by investment is lawful in the countries that run it under their own nationality laws, but the position inside the European Union changed in 2025.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
Citizenship by investment is legal where a country has written it into its own nationality law and runs it through a named government authority. It is not a single global scheme, so legality depends entirely on the country in question.
What is lawful in one place may be prohibited in another. Inside the European Union the picture shifted sharply in 2025.
On 29 April 2025 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Malta could no longer sell citizenship through its investor scheme. The Court held that granting nationality in direct exchange for predetermined payments amounts to commercialising citizenship and is incompatible with EU law.
That ruling ended the last citizenship by investment programme inside the EU. It did not ban residency by investment, the golden visa, which several EU member states still operate.
Several countries outside the EU continue to run citizenship by investment under their own statutes, for example in the Caribbean. Each is governed by that country's law, sets its own due diligence checks, and changes its prices and rules over time.
A route that exists in law is not the same as one that is reliably issuing passports. Confirm the current position with the official authority before acting.
Look for a programme named in statute, administered by an identified government body, with formal due diligence and published fees. Be cautious about any offer that promises a passport with little scrutiny or that cannot point to an official source.
It is legal only where a country has created such a route in its own law. Inside the EU it is no longer permitted following the 2025 court ruling.
No. The 2025 ruling ended citizenship by investment inside the EU. Residency by investment, the golden visa, continues in several member states.
No. A golden visa grants residency, not a passport. Citizenship by investment grants nationality. They are different in law and in what they unlock.
Information, not advice. Figures are indicative and current as of June 2026. Always confirm the present rules with the official program authority and a licensed professional before you act.
The rules for this route changed recently. Confirm the current position with current guidance before you act.
We introduce you to vetted, independent advisors, in confidence and at no obligation. Your topic is noted for you below.
Independent and paid by the people we help, never by a government and never by a firm.
One short email when a programme rule changes, with the official source named so you can verify it. No hype, unsubscribe anytime.
Related programmes and comparisons, each dated and sourced to the official authority.