Investor Visas Around the World: Why EB-5 Is One of the Top

Immigrant investor programs have become a popular way for governments to attract foreign investments to their countries to stimulate economic growth. Currently, over 100 countries have some form of investment immigration legislation in place, though only about a third have been successful.

The U.S. EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program ranks among the top investor visas worldwide because it offers numerous benefits to foreign investors of all nationalities.

In this article, we’ll compare the EB-5 program to some of the most famous investor visas worldwide.

Comparing the EB-5 Program to Popular Immigrant Investor Programs Worldwide

Several countries offer foreign individuals residency and citizenship in exchange for an investment in their economy. This unique immigration route is generally known as residency by investment (RBI) or citizenship by investment (CBI).

Portugal, Greece, Canada, Malta, Spain, Türkiye (Turkey), and the Caribbean offer some of the most popular investor visa programs. In the following sections, we’ll compare them to the EB-5 program.

The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program

The U.S. Congress introduced the EB-5 program in 1990 to help stimulate the U.S. economy. It grants legal permanent residence to foreign investors and their dependent family members in exchange for an investment of $1,050,000 in a new commercial enterprise (NCE), or $800,000 if the NCE is in a targeted employment area. The NCE must also create at least ten jobs for American workers.

Once you make the qualifying investment and gather the relevant supporting documents, you can file your I-526/I-526Esimultaneously if you already reside in the U.S. on a valid nonimmigrant visa. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) currently processes rural EB-5 petitions within about 12 months.

Once your petition is approved, you and your dependents will receive conditional Green Cards valid for two years. After two years, you can apply to have the conditions removed and become a legal permanent resident of the U.S.

The EB-5 program grants investors and their derivative beneficiaries the right to live, work, and study anywhere in the U.S. It is one of the fastest routes to obtaining a U.S. Green Card, eventually citizenship, and the right to one of the strongest passports worldwide. The program is open to investors of all nationalities and has no education, experience, or language requirements.

Portugal Golden Visa

Portugal’s investment residency program is one of Europe’s most popular RBI programs. It grants Portuguese residency to foreign individuals who invest €500,000 in a Portuguese fund, create a minimum of 10 jobs, or donate €250,000 to preserve Portuguese national heritage. Processing the golden visa takes an average of 18 months, and the residence permit is valid for two years, subject to two-year renewals.

While the Portuguese golden visa offers a fast path to European citizenship, it requires numerous administrative procedures. You’ll have to renew the permit every two years and submit updated documents and biometric data for each renewal.

The EB-5 process is more streamlined with the concurrent filing option. If you’re an eligible investor based in the U.S., you can file your EB-5 petition, adjustment of status, employment authorization, and advance parole simultaneously, cutting down numerous administrative processes.

Once your petition to remove conditions from your Green Card is approved, you’ll receive an unconditional Green Card valid for ten years. You can also apply for U.S. citizenship in three years since the two years of conditional stay count towards meeting the five-year residence requirement for citizenship.

Greece Golden Visa

The Greece Golden Visa Program is one of Europe’s most affordable residency-by-investment programs. It grants access to Greece and the Schengen area. Foreign investors can qualify for the golden visa by making one of the following investments:

• Real estate property investment worth €250,000 or €500,000 if the property is in Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Athens, Santorini, or Attica region. It is set to increase to €400,000 and €800,000, respectively, after August 31, 2024.
• A capital contribution of at least €400,000 to an investment company in Greece.
• A purchase of Greek Government bonds worth at least €400,000 with a residual maturity of at least three years.

Although the Greece golden visa is quite affordable, it has certain limitations. Immigrant investors cannot work in Greece. They can only receive dividends from shares in companies registered in Greece. Thus, there’s little incentive to reside in the country, making it difficult for foreign investors to qualify for Greek citizenship.

The Greek golden visa may be unsuitable for immigrant families seeking better opportunities. It is more suitable for high-net-worth individuals seeking an alternative residence option for vacations or retirement.

Canada Investor Visas

Canada has two residency-by-investment programs: the Start-Up Visa (SUV) and the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP).

The SUV program grants permanent residency to foreign entrepreneurs with skills to establish innovative businesses and create jobs for Canadians. To qualify for the SUV program, you must receive sponsorship from a Canadian business incubator, raise at least CAD 75,000 from an angel investment, or raise CAD 200,000 from a venture capital fund.

The QIIP grants an initial one-year work permit that leads to permanent residency. To qualify, you must make a five-year interest-free investment of CAD 1 million in a government fund and a nonrefundable contribution of CAD 200,000 to Investissement Quebec. You must also have at least two years of management experience and a net worth of CAD 2 million.

The SUV visa requires proficiency in English or French, while QIIP is open to only French-speaking investors with at least a secondary school diploma. Unlike Canada’s residency programs, the EB-5 program has no language, education, or experience requirement, which makes it more accessible for investors of all nationalities.

Malta Residency and Citizenship by Investment

Malta has both a citizenship-by-investment program and a residency-by-investment program. Its CBI program is one of the most sought-after in Europe.

To qualify for this program, you must have resided in Malta for at least three years (12 months in exceptional situations) and invest between €700,000 and €1.45 million. This investment includes:

• A nonrefundable contribution of at least $600,000 and an additional €50,000 for each dependent.
• A charitable donation of €10,000.
• A real estate purchase worth at least €700,000, or a property lease of €16,000 annually for five years.

Although Malta’s CBI program provides a quick path to European citizenship, its investment requirement is steep and mostly nonrefundable. The program also involves a great deal of scrutiny and strict eligibility screenings. It has faced significant scrutiny from the European Union, and there have been ongoing calls to end such programs due to concerns over security and transparency.

The EB-5 program offers both better immigration and financial benefits. The $800,000 investment covers you and your dependent family members. Depending on the investment structure and the success of the project, you can earn interest and receive full repayment at the end of the investment cycle.

While Malta’s RBI requires a lesser investment amount of €175,000, it does not allow your spouse and dependent children to work in the country. However, with an EB-5 Green Card, you and your dependent family can work in the U.S. and access world-class educational institutes at reduced rates. After five years, you can qualify for U.S. citizenship, giving you visa-free access to the EU.

Spain Golden Visa

Spain’s RBI program grants foreign investors Spanish temporary resident permits in exchange for investing €500,000 in real estate, €1,000,000 in Spanish shares, or €2,000,000 in government bonds. After five years of continuous residence, an investor can qualify for permanent residency and may be eligible for citizenship by naturalization in the 10th year.

Although Spain’s golden visa has one of the fastest residency processing times (20 days), it requires substantial funds and only grants temporary residence. Within the five years it’ll take you to qualify for permanent residency, you will likely have obtained your U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 program and may already be eligible for U.S. citizenship.

While the U.S. allows dual citizenship, Spain restricts it for most foreign nationals. Only nationals of Andorra, Equatorial Guinea, Latin America, the Philippines, Portugal, and Sephardic Jews can hold dual citizenship in Spain. People of other nationalities must renounce their original citizenship to acquire Spanish citizenship.

Türkiye Citizenship by Investment

Türkiye’s CIP grants direct Turkish citizenship to foreign investors in exchange for a substantial investment in the country. To qualify, you must invest in real estate worth at least $400,000, or at least $500,000 in fixed capital contribution, government bonds, real estate or venture capital investment fund, or a private pension system.

Turkey has an E-2 treaty with the U.S. that allows Turkish investors to expand their business or start new businesses in the U.S. Hence, improved access to the U.S. is marketed as one of the core benefits of the Türkiye CIP. For many investors, it is a roundabout way of pursuing U.S. residency.

Applying for an EB-5 visa is more straightforward than spending $400,000 or $500,000 (excluding administrative fees) and waiting three years to qualify for an E-2 visa.

Also, unlike the non-immigrant E-2 visa, the EB-5 visa grants U.S. permanent residency and can lead to citizenship. You may be able to receive a U.S. Green card in less than 12 months by investing in a rural TEA EB-5 project—far less than the three years it takes to qualify for the nonimmigrant E-2 visa as a Turkish citizen.

Caribbean Citizenship by Investment

The Caribbean has some of the most popular immigrant investor programs. Five Caribbean countries—Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis—offer citizenship by investment programs.

Caribbean CBIs are among the cheapest in the investment migration industry. They offer citizenship for as low as $200,000 with minimal residency requirements. Their main selling points are their relatively cheap investment requirement and visa-free access to the Schengen area. Grenada’s status as a U.S. E-2 treaty country is also a significant attraction.

However, the European Union has routinely expressed displeasure with the CBI programs and suggested cutting off visa-free access. While Caribbean CBI leaders have met most of the EU’s conditions, the future of Caribbean CBI programs in relation to Europe remains uncertain.

Start Your EB-5 Journey With EB5AN

Although each investor visa offers certain unique benefits to interested applicants, the EB-5 program provides the most immigration and financial benefits. It has less restrictive requirements and is open to investors of all nationalities. It is also the only investor visa where you’re likely to get full repayment of invested funds in addition to potentially earning interest.

If you’re looking for a second citizenship that will provide numerous economic and social benefits, EB5AN can provide you with the necessary guidance for each step of the EB-5 process.

Book a one-on-one call with our expert team today for more information about the EB-5 program and how you can start your journey.