A job offer or admission in a university aren’t the only routes to settling in a new country. Golden visas offer flexible access to a country, often with perks such as prolonged visa-free entry and the possibility of citizenship. While they are generally seen as a sign of high economic or social standing afforded only to the uber rich, select countries offer citizenship and residence through an investment that may not break the bank. These golden visas are offered to vetted and qualified individuals who, in some cases, may just be people with specialised talents that can contribute to the country’s growth. While some of these require no minimum investment, others can be availed for less than Rs1 crore. Here’s a list of the cheapest golden visas available to Indians:
Citizenship by investment
Antigua and Barbuda
Investment: $100,000 (Rs82,93,995)
What you get: Citizenship, along with the right to include a spouse, children under 31 years (as well as their family), parents and grandparents aged 55 and above, and unmarried siblings as dependents.
Dominica
Investment: $100,000 (Rs82,93,995)
What you get: Citizenship, along with the right to include a spouse, unmarried children under 31, and parents and grandparents aged 65 and above as dependents; citizenship by descent; and the right to dual citizenship.
St Lucia
Investment: $100,000 (Rs82,93,995)
What you get: Citizenship, along with the right to include a spouse, children under 31, siblings under 18, and parents 55 years of age and older as dependents, as well as the right to dual citizenship
Residence by investment
Hong Kong
No minimum investment required.
What you get: Residence rights for a spouse and unmarried children under 18 years, along with work and study rights, depending on the residence scheme applied for.
Montenegro
No minimum investment required.
What you get: Eligibility to apply for permanent residence after five years.
Thailand
Investment: ฿600,000 (Rs13,76,352)
What you get: Residence with no minimum stay requirement. Exclusive services such as a dedicated personal assistant to help with international flights and lounge access, and a 24-hour member-contact centre.
Austria
Investment: €40,000 (Rs35,35,440)
What you get: The right of free movement to Austria, the rest of the European Union, and the Schengen Area, as well as the possibility of citizenship eligibility after 10 years of residence.
Latvia
Investment: €60,000 (Rs53,03,160)
What you get: Visa-free access to the Schengen Area, eligibility for residence permit renewal without a minimum stay, as well as eligibility for citizenship after 10 years of residence.
Panama
Investment: $100,000 (Rs82,93,995)
What you get: Residence rights for a spouse, children under 18, children aged 18-25 who are single, full-time students with no children, children of any age who are physically or mentally differently abled, and parents of any age.
United Kingdom
Investment: No minimum investment required. One needs to hold £1,270 (Rs1,28,989) in a bank account for 28 days before applying for the Innovative Founder visa as proof of sustenance, in addition to an innovative, scaling business with enough funding that’s endorsed by an authorised endorsing body.
What you get: Eligibility for permanent residence after three years and the right to bring family as dependents.
Canada
Investment: No minimum investment required for business incubation; CAD75,000 (Rs46,12,037) required from an angel investment group; an innovative startup business supported by a designated organisation; CAD13,757 (Rs8,46,013) to support oneself.
What you get: Eligibility of citizenship after three years of permanent residence.