Between war, climate change, and political turmoil, more and more people are wondering how they can call a new country home. The good news is there are ways you can move across borders—for a price.
It’s déjà vu all over again! America is going through another “once-in-a-lifetime” election. War is raging in the Middle East and Ukraine. Climate change is wreaking havoc around the globe, and political turmoil is upending longstanding democracies.
Many people have been reevaluating life in their own countries and considering where they might want to live. But how can you permanently move to another country if you’re not a citizen?
The answer to that basically comes down to money: buying citizenship or residency in another country. You can actually buy your way into a number of countries if you really want to get out of your current situation. Now, it won’t be cheap, and it won’t necessarily be easy, but if you really want to get out, you can technically pay your way across a border.
There is another option that has cropped up in recent years as well. It’s not a permanent solution, but there are now numerous countries offering freelance visas for digital nomads to call a country home for extended periods of time.
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So, if you’re worried about this country falling apart, here’s how you can move somewhere else where the grass just might be greener.
Residency vs. Citizenship
First, some terminology. The basic difference between citizenship and residency is that when you become a citizen of another country, you can get a passport, travel freely, vote, and are generally afforded all the rights of people born in that country. Residency typically means you can travel freely, work in that country, live in that country, but aren’t afforded all the same rights as a citizen.
Citizenship by Investment (CIP): These are programs where you can literally pay a fee (usually more than $100,000) or invest in property in exchange for full citizenship and a passport. Countries that fall into this bucket include Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Grenada, Turkey, Dominica, Cyprus, and Malta.
Golden Visas: Similar to CIP, but not necessarily guaranteeing citizenship, golden visas are granted to people who can afford to invest in government-run programs or properties or make large investments or donations in the $250,000 and up range. This usually grants investors and their families resident status (but not citizenship). Some of these countries include Spain, Portugal, Greece, New Zealand, the U.K., and others.
Freelance Visas a.k.a. ‘Digital Nomad’ Visas
Buying citizenship or residency in other countries can be way out of reach for a lot of people. Luckily, many countries have developed digital nomad programs for those who want to get away, have the ability to work from anywhere, and can support themselves. Now, we’re not going to get into paying taxes (that’s between you and your accountant), but typically, you’ll need to pay taxes in your home country and often in the country you’re also working from–but not always.
Estonia
One of the first countries to offer a digital nomad visa, Estonia offers people the ability to work in the country for up to a year. Applications cost around $85, take about two weeks to process, and you’ll need to prove “that you can work location-independently using telecommunications technologies, essentially that you’re a ‘digital nomad.’”
Germany
There are two types of freelance visas in Germany. The first is for anyone with an occupation that will positively impact German culture and the economy–writers, artists, doctors, engineers, etc. The second visa is if you’re part of a company that has economic interests in Germany, or your business has positive economic impacts on Germany. It can take anywhere from two to four months for applications, but your visa can last up to three years.
Norway
Norway has one of the more expensive digital nomad visas (around $600), but you can stay for two years with the possibility for longer. The requirements are that you earn at least $35,000 a year, you have health insurance, proof of employment, proof of accommodation, and a valid passport. In two weeks, the fjords could be all yours.
Other countries that are dabbling in various types of digital nomad visas include Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Dubai, among others.
Where to Get Started in Buying Your Way Into Other Countries
If you’re seriously considering leaving your country of citizenship and have the money to begin the process of applying to become a resident or citizen of another country, there are a bevy of companies that help you through the process and red tape of government bureaucracies. These companies are experts at this very thing and are incredibly helpful with information for all the questions you may have. Check out:
– Vida Golden Visas
– Apex Capital Partners
– Arton Capital
– Astons
– Nomad Capitalist
– Henley & Partners
Buying Citizenship or Residency
The most common way of getting a passport in a country is typically through being born there, but there are a bunch of countries that will also consider you because of your ancestry, if you marry someone from that country, give birth to a child in that country, live in a place for enough time, or simply through money. Below is a breakdown of how to buy your way into another country.
Antigua and Barbuda
There are actually four different ways to get citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda. First, you can purchase real estate with a minimum value of $300,000. You can purchase a business for a minimum of $1.5 million. You can contribute to the National Development Fund for $230,000, or you can contribute to the University of the West Indies for a minimum of $260,000. Any one of these options can get you citizenship and a passport to this Caribbean country in as little as four months and gives you visa-free access to 150 countries. The cost of living in Antigua is typically 20% lower than in the majority of North American and European countries.
St. Lucia
In only three to four months, you can become a citizen of this island paradise that gives you visa-free access to 140 destinations. Investment options come in the form of government bonds, direct donations, or buying real estate and run from $240,000-$300,000. Living in St. Lucia, you can get by on around $2,000 a month.
Portugal
One of the countries with a golden visa program, Portugal’s program has changed significantly in the last year. Though you can still gain residence by investment, it has stopped allowing this option with a capital transfer or property acquisition. The least expensive option is to donate 250,000 euros to a national heritage program. Portugal is also one of the least expensive Western European countries, and a single person can get by for less than $2,000 a month.
Spain
To get a golden visa in Spain, there’s a minimum real estate investment of 500,000 euros, and residency can be renewed every two years. After five years, you can gain permanent residency, and after 10 years full citizenship. Depending on where you want to live in Spain, the cost of living can also be on the less expensive side (less than $2,000 a month) as it’s considered the third cheapest country in Western Europe.
Greece
You can be just like Tom Hanks if you invest in real estate in Greece that’s worth at least 400,000 euros. You can also apply for citizenship after seven years of living there. Within one-to-two months from the moment of investment, you can be granted a resident permit. Living in Greece is also very affordable for Europe, with monthly costs for a single person in the $1,300 range.
Cyprus
If you can shell out for a real estate investment of at least 300,000 euros and can show a yearly income of 50,000 euros from abroad in addition to other income sources apart from employment, then you will be granted a residency permit that can be renewed every two years. Once all the economic requirements are fully met, Cyprus will grant full citizenship. The best part about this island Mediterranean nation is that it has easy access to all of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and the cost of living is around $1,600 a month for an individual.
Turkey
Authoritarian regime aside, Turkey is a magical country with stunning geography, archaeological sites for days, and access to all of Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa with short flights. If you want to move here, you’ll have to invest in real estate or deposit a chunk of change in a local bank. Real estate minimums are around $400,000 plus fees. In Turkey, the cost of living can be as low as $700 a month.
Thailand
You’re not going to buy citizenship in this Southeast Asian paradise, but you can apply for a Thailand Privilege Residence Program. The cost is a one-time payment of $25,000 for five years of residency, $42,000 for 10 years, $70,000 for 15 years, or $140,000 for 20 years. If you do want to go the full citizen route, you can naturalize for citizenship after five years of living there. Cost of living in Thailand? Around $1,400 a month.
Singapore
The Global Investor program in Singapore costs around $7 million for permanent residence. You can then apply for citizenship after two years of living there. The rub? Singapore does not allow dual citizenship. The other rub: Singapore is expensive, and living here will cost at least $3,000 a month.
Cambodia
Another citizenship by investment country, Cambodia will welcome you with open arms if you’re willing to make a government donation of at least $245,000 or invest in the country for at least $305,000. There’s also a golden visa real estate program called My Second Home, with a minimum investment of $100,000. The cost of living in Cambodia is also around $1,000 a month, but can you really put a price on seeing Angkor Wat as much as you like?
Australia
Australia has recently instituted a new Global Talent Visa, which is a pathway to residency for highly skilled workers. There are no financial requirements, but “applicants for the Global Talent Independent visa must be internationally recognized, currently prominent in their field, and able to provide evidence of outstanding achievements over their career. This may include senior roles, patents, professional awards, and international publications and memberships.” In other words, just be famous.
To buy your way into Australia, you’ll need a net worth of at least $1 million, and you’ll need to invest more than a million bucks into a qualified local project. The cost of living in Australia will run more than $2,000 a month as well. This is an awfully expensive walkabout.
New Zealand
If you think you’re getting into New Zealand with any ease, you’re wrong. There are two investor programs that run in the millions of dollars and have requirements of more millions of dollars in net worth. But to live in a country with more sheep than people and experience endless natural beauty, it’s got to be worth it, right?
U.K.
The U.K. has an Innovator Founder Visa whereby if you have your own business that’s sufficiently innovative, viable, and scalable, you can live and work in the U.K. So, if Shark Tank doesn’t work out, try London.
