Golden Passport Cost in 2026: Citizenship by Investment Compared
Compare sourced 2026 citizenship-by-investment thresholds, extra charges, Nauru’s limited-time offer and Malta’s repealed scheme.
Quick Answer
A golden passport means citizenship by investment (CBI), not a passport sold independently of citizenship. The five Caribbean fund routes below start at $200,000–$250,000, before applicable fees. Türkiye’s property route starts at $400,000. Nauru’s official contribution is temporarily $90,000 for a principal applicant until December 31, 2026, so Vanuatu should not be described as universally the cheapest option.
Malta’s former investment-citizenship framework was repealed after the 2025 EU court judgment. Do not budget €600,000–€690,000 as the purchase price of a currently available Maltese passport. Its merit-based naturalization is a different process.
Figures checked October 12, 2026. They are investment or contribution thresholds, not all-in quotations or approval guarantees.
Golden Passport Cost by Country
Caribbean Fund and Approved Real-Estate Routes
| Country | Fund contribution from | Approved real estate from | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominica | $200,000 for one applicant | $200,000 | Family contribution and property-route government fees differ |
| Antigua and Barbuda | $230,000 | $300,000 | Processing and due-diligence fees are additional |
| Grenada | $235,000 | $270,000 under the qualifying shared-project structure; other investments can require $350,000 | The $270,000 threshold is not every property purchase; route fees also apply |
| Saint Lucia | $240,000 | $300,000 | Use approved projects and confirm current submission availability |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | $250,000 | $325,000 for the developer route | Private-home and condominium categories have separate thresholds |
A published property minimum is an eligibility threshold, not a guarantee that a property can be sold for the purchase price after the required holding period. Use each unit’s current family and approved-project rules.
Vanuatu
Vanuatu’s published DSP prescribed-fee schedule sets a $130,000 minimum retail price for a single applicant. The government document is an older schedule, so obtain a current official breakdown rather than treating it as a fresh 2026 all-in quote. The EU ended Vanuatu’s visa exemption in December 2024, following an earlier suspension; do not market it as providing visa-free Schengen travel.
Türkiye
The official property threshold is $400,000, with a restriction on resale for at least three years. Other qualifying routes include $500,000 deposits, government bonds and specified investments with applicable holding rules. Citizenship remains subject to official approval; investment does not guarantee resale value or a fixed processing date.
Egypt
Egypt’s official investment-citizenship page lists a $300,000 property route. Confirm the other investment categories and current application charges directly with the government unit. Do not combine the property price with a donation threshold; each route has its own conditions.
Nauru
The program office lists a $90,000 principal-applicant contribution under an offer for applications filed before December 31, 2026. This is a $25,000 contribution discount, not an exemption from due diligence or other charges. Check the deadline and current terms when applying.
Malta: No Current Fixed-Price Passport Route
The Court of Justice of the EU ruled against Malta’s investor citizenship scheme on April 29, 2025. Community Malta Agency’s February 2026 clarification says the former framework was repealed and that citizenship by merit is neither its continuation nor an alternative investment scheme. Historical investment prices should not appear alongside active CBI thresholds.
Costs Beyond the Headline Price
Total cost equals the qualifying contribution or investment plus applicable government charges, agent/legal charges, documents, travel and any property costs. A non-refundable fund contribution is different from an asset with a holding requirement.
Dominica’s EDF schedule illustrates why generic “processing fees of about $20,000” are misleading: it lists $1,000 per application for processing, $7,500 main-applicant due diligence, $1,000 for the mandatory interview, and $500 per person for the naturalization certificate. Dependants and enhanced checks can add costs. Obtain a written itemized quote from an authorized agent and reconcile it with the official schedule.
Fees can also include translation, notarization, medical documents, passport issuance, courier charges and property taxes or closing costs. Ask which charges remain payable if the application fails.
Golden Passport vs. Golden Visa
| Route | Result | Does paying guarantee a passport? |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship by investment | Citizenship if the statutory conditions and approval process are met | No; due diligence and government approval remain necessary |
| Residence by investment | A residence permit under the program’s conditions | No; any later naturalization is a separate legal process |
A second nationality does not automatically change tax residence, erase obligations under an existing nationality or guarantee visa-free entry. Check dual-nationality, tax and travel rules separately.
FAQ
What is the cheapest golden passport in 2026?
There is no reliable universal answer from headline prices alone. Nauru currently advertises the $90,000 limited-time contribution; Vanuatu’s published DSP retail schedule starts at $130,000; Dominica’s Caribbean fund route starts at $200,000. Compare current eligibility and total fees rather than claiming one program is cheapest for every household.
How much does a Caribbean passport cost?
The compared fund contributions start at $200,000–$250,000. Family composition and additional charges determine the actual total.
Can I buy an EU passport through Malta?
Do not rely on the former fixed-investment scheme. Malta’s current merit-based framework is different and is not a passport-for-payment replacement.
Can I get the investment back?
Fund contributions are normally non-refundable. Qualifying assets may be sold after the applicable holding period, but sale price, liquidity, taxes and other costs affect what you recover.
How long does approval take?
Use the current government unit’s estimate for your application. Document checks, eligibility reviews and requests for additional information can change the timeline.
Preparing Application Photos
Nationality, passport and residence-photo rules differ. Choose the exact country, document and application route before ordering; a U.S. 2 × 2-inch passport photo is not a universal CBI application format. Where PhotoOmni supports the required document and permitted preparation method, it can help prepare and review your photo. The receiving authority decides whether to accept it.
Official Sources
Checked October 12, 2026.
- Dominica EDF contribution and fees
- Antigua and Barbuda investment options
- Grenada contribution and approved-project thresholds
- Saint Lucia investment options
- St. Kitts and Nevis routes
- Vanuatu published prescribed-fee schedule
- EU ending Vanuatu visa exemption
- Türkiye property and citizenship rules
- Egypt government investment category
- Nauru contribution and deadline
- EU court’s Malta judgment
- Malta’s February 2026 clarification
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About the Author
PhotoOmni Editorial Team
The PhotoOmni Editorial Team researches official passport, visa and identity-photo requirements. Government sources were checked on October 12, 2026; rules and charges can change.