This year's top three
New Zealand
Composite 5.3 · passport #3 · Free
The world's most politically stable nation with stunning natural beauty and a welcoming Active Investor Plus visa for HNW individuals.
Switzerland
Composite 6.3 · passport #4 · Free
The global benchmark for political stability and discretion — with a uniquely negotiated lump-sum (forfait) tax regime for non-working HNW residents.
Ireland
Composite 7.7 · passport #2 · Free
The world's #2 passport, a 7-year non-dom tax regime, English-speaking EU membership, and naturalisation in 5 years.
The full index
48 of the 48 ranked jurisdictions run an investment migration route. The rest are ranked as destinations, and are here because they are the benchmark the programmes are bought to approximate.
| # | Jurisdiction | Composite | Passport | Civil liberties | Min. investment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New ZealandAsia-Pacific · CBI 30 / tax 35 | 5.3 | #3 · 191 | Free | ≈ USD 3M (NZD 5M weighted min.) |
| 2 | SwitzerlandWestern Europe · CBI 15 / tax 80 | 6.3 | #4 · 186 | Free | ≈ USD 220k–560k/yr lump-sum tax (CHF 200–500k/yr) |
| 3 | IrelandWestern Europe · CBI 28 / tax 42 | 7.7 | #2 · 190 | Free | ≈ USD 55k (EUR 50k startup funding) |
| 4 | CanadaNorth America · CBI 77 / tax 26 | 9.3 | #7 · 186 | Free | ≈ USD 108k–216k (CAD 150–300k) |
| 5 | AustraliaAsia-Pacific · CBI 28 / tax 28 | 13.3 | #7 · 186 | Free | ≈ USD 3.25M (AUD 5M) |
| 6 | United KingdomEurope · CBI 30 / tax 38 | 17.7 | #4 · 192 | Free | No minimum — must demonstrate access to sufficient funds to establish and run the business |
| 7 | UruguaySouth America · CBI 30 / tax 72 | 18.0 | #15 · 175 | Free | ≈ USD 1,100/mo income (UYU 45k/mo) |
| 8 | PortugalSouthern Europe (EU) · CBI 42 / tax 68 | 24.0 | #5 · 186 | Free | ≈ USD 900/mo income (EUR 820/mo) |
| 9 | SpainSouthern Europe (EU) · CBI 30 / tax 52 | 24.0 | #2 · 188 | Free | n/a — programme abolished |
| 10 | Costa RicaCentral America · CBI 25 / tax 85 | 24.3 | #35 · 149 | Free | USD 150,000 in a productive Costa Rican business or real estate |
| 11 | MaltaSouthern Europe (EU) · CBI 73 / tax 74 | 28.3 | #4 · 186 | Free | ≈ USD 440k+ (Gozo: EUR 98k contrib + EUR 300k property) |
| 12 | ItalySouthern Europe (EU) · CBI 22 / tax 62 | 30.7 | #2 · 188 | Free | ≈ USD 110k/yr flat tax (EUR 100k/yr) |
| 13 | United StatesNorth America · CBI 82 / tax 12 | 31.3 | #7 · 186 | Free | USD 800,000 (Targeted Employment Area) or USD 1,050,000 (standard) |
| 14 | MonacoWestern Europe · CBI 12 / tax 95 | 33.3 | #4 · 184 | Free | ≈ USD 550k+ in Monaco bank (EUR 500k+; unofficial threshold) |
| 15 | BrazilSouth America · CBI 25 / tax 30 | 34.3 | #17 · 173 | Free | ≈ USD 90k (BRL 500k) |
| 16 | CyprusEastern Mediterranean (EU) · CBI 18 / tax 85 | 35.0 | #13 · 176 | Free | ≈ USD 330k (EUR 300k property) |
| 17 | ArgentinaSouth America · CBI 32 / tax 32 | 37.3 | #19 · 171 | Free | Provable income of USD 1,500/month (no capital requirement) |
| 18 | GreeceSouthern Europe (EU) · CBI 30 / tax 66 | 38.3 | #5 · 186 | Free | ≈ USD 2,200/mo income (EUR 2k/mo) |
| 19 | BahamasCaribbean · CBI 22 / tax 96 | 39.7 | #27 · 157 | Free | USD 750,000 in approved residential real estate |
| 20 | DominicaCaribbean · CBI 87 / tax 45 | 43.3 | #26 · 145 | Free | USD 200,000 single applicant (regional floor); higher for larger families |
| 21 | Saint LuciaCaribbean · CBI 85 / tax 58 | 45.0 | #26 · 146 | Free | USD 240,000 single applicant; higher for larger families |
| 22 | Saint Kitts & NevisCaribbean · CBI 86 / tax 72 | 45.3 | #19 · 157 | Free | USD 250,000 single; USD 300,000 family of four (standard processing) |
| 23 | GrenadaCaribbean · CBI 91 / tax 58 | 47.7 | #26 · 144 | Free | USD 235,000 including family of up to four |
| 24 | PanamaCentral America · CBI 28 / tax 86 | 49.0 | #25 · 141 | Free | USD 1,000/month pension or annuity income |
| 25 | SingaporeAsia-Pacific · CBI 28 / tax 78 | 49.3 | #1 · 195 | Partly Free | ≈ USD 700–1,500 setup (SGD 1k–2k) |
| 26 | MexicoNorth America · CBI 22 / tax 52 | 49.7 | #20 · 159 | Partly Free | USD 2,500–3,000/month income or USD 48,000 savings (thresholds vary by consulate) |
| 27 | Antigua & BarbudaCaribbean · CBI 85 / tax 65 | 50.3 | #19 · 150 | Free | USD 230,000 single applicant, including family of up to four |
| 28 | ColombiaSouth America · CBI 25 / tax 58 | 53.7 | #34 · 137 | Partly Free | Minimum 350 UVT (~USD 4,500) in Colombian real estate; USD 25,000+ typical for practical lifestyle investment |
| 29 | MalaysiaSoutheast Asia · CBI 8 / tax 74 | 58.7 | #12 · 179 | Partly Free | ≈ USD 345k liquid + USD 230k bank (MYR 1.5M + MYR 1M req.) |
| 30 | MontenegroWestern Balkans (EU Candidate) · CBI 28 / tax 73 | 58.7 | #42 · 124 | Partly Free | ≈ USD 275k+ (EUR 250k+) |
| 31 | Cayman IslandsCaribbean · CBI 18 / tax 97 | 59.7 | #75 · 140 | Free | KYD 2,000,000 (≈ USD 2,400,000) in developed real estate; or KYD 1,000,000 in a Cayman business |
| 32 | MauritiusIndian Ocean · CBI 28 / tax 76 | 60.7 | #47 · 143 | Free | USD 375,000 in an approved luxury real estate development |
| 33 | VanuatuPacific Islands · CBI 70 / tax 90 | 62.3 | #51 · 88 | Free | USD 130,000 single applicant; USD 150,000 couple; USD 180,000 family of four |
| 34 | United Arab EmiratesMiddle East · CBI 8 / tax 97 | 63.0 | #2 · 185 | Not Free | AED 12,000–20,000 (≈ USD 3,300–5,500) total — company licence + 1 investor/employment visa; e.g. RAK ICC, Ajman Free Zone, IFZA, SHAMS |
| 35 | BelizeCentral America · CBI 22 / tax 65 | 64.0 | #61 · 99 | Free | Proof of USD 2,000/month in foreign pension or annuity income; USD 1,000 application fee |
| 36 | BulgariaEastern Europe · CBI 28 / tax 70 | 66.3 | #22 · 176 | Partly Free | ≈ USD 563k (BGN 1M / EUR 512k; 5-yr bonds) |
| 37 | SeychellesIndian Ocean · CBI 18 / tax 78 | 67.7 | #37 · 151 | Partly Free | USD 1,000,000 in an approved Special Licence real estate development |
| 38 | São Tomé & PríncipeCentral Africa (Island) · CBI 50 / tax 38 | 68.0 | #75 · 71 | Free | USD 50,000 real estate or business investment (minimum); government fee USD 25,000 |
| 39 | ParaguaySouth America · CBI 25 / tax 84 | 79.0 | #67 · 136 | Partly Free | USD 5,000 deposited in a Paraguayan bank (held 90 days minimum during residency process) |
| 40 | GeorgiaCaucasus / Eastern Europe · CBI 20 / tax 86 | 82.3 | #56 · 117 | Partly Free | GEL 1,500/month (~USD 550) income from abroad; no capital requirement |
| 41 | QatarMiddle East · CBI 8 / tax 88 | 82.3 | #56 · 98 | Not Free | QAR 730,000 (≈ USD 200,000) in approved Qatari real estate (freehold zones) |
| 42 | ThailandSoutheast Asia · CBI 8 / tax 65 | 85.3 | #59 · 82 | Not Free | USD 500,000 in qualifying Thai assets (government bonds, property, or Thai funds) + USD 80,000/year income or USD 1M in assets |
| 43 | Hong KongAsia-Pacific · CBI 20 / tax 79 | 92.0 | #18 · 169 | Not Free | HKD 30,000,000 (≈ USD 3,800,000) in permissible assets (equities, bonds, non-residential real estate, funds); of which HKD 3M must go into a HK-registered investment portfolio |
| 44 | BahrainMiddle East · CBI 10 / tax 90 | 93.0 | #63 · 100 | Not Free | BHD 200,000 (≈ USD 530,000) in real estate; or BHD 50,000 annual income |
| 45 | TurkeyEurope / Middle East (Transcontinental) · CBI 68 / tax 48 | 94.0 | #44 · 110 | Not Free | USD 400,000 in Turkish real estate (held 3 years) |
| 46 | JordanMiddle East · CBI 40 / tax 38 | 105.0 | #84 · 52 | Partly Free | JOD 200,000 (~USD 280,000) in registered property in Amman; JOD 100,000 (~USD 140,000) outside Amman |
| 47 | EgyptNorth Africa / Middle East · CBI 38 / tax 35 | 117.0 | #84 · 52 | Not Free | USD 300,000 in registered property (no nationality restrictions, no hold period) |
| 48 | CambodiaSoutheast Asia · CBI 22 / tax 70 | 121.7 | #90 · 62 | Not Free | USD 100,000 in approved assets (bank deposit, government bonds, or property) |
What is not ranked, and why
19 jurisdictions we cover are missing at least one of the three inputs — most often a Freedom House entry, which the smaller Pacific and Caribbean states do not receive. Rather than substitute a number and rank them anyway, they sit outside the index. The dossiers are unaffected and every figure on them still stands.
Cook Islands · Dominican Republic · Fiji · French Polynesia · Gibraltar · Hungary · Indonesia · Marshall Islands · Nauru · New Caledonia · Niue · Philippines · Réunion · Samoa · Solomon Islands · Sri Lanka · Tonga · Tuvalu · Vietnam
Citing the index
Citizenship Times, "The 2026 Citizenship Times Index", as of 2026-08-11. https://www.citizenshiptimes.com/index-2026
Quote it, chart it, argue with it — please just carry the date, because a ranking without one is worthless within a quarter. For a live table on your own site rather than a static quote, use the embeddable widget. The inputs and their known weaknesses are set out in the methodology.
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