Citizenship by Donation in 2026: The Easiest Countries to Secure a Second Passport

What “Citizenship by Donation” Really Is

Citizenship by donation is a structured, nonrefundable contribution to a sovereign development fund in exchange for full citizenship, usually with no residency, language, or interview requirements. It sits within the broader citizenship-by-investment (CBI) universe but is distinct from real estate, bond, or enterprise routes because capital is not expected to be returned or yield a financial return.​

For HNWIs and UHNWs, donation-based citizenship functions more like a one-time “entry fee” into a jurisdiction’s legal, mobility, and tax ecosystem than a conventional investment. In practice, this model buys speed, simplicity, and predictability—attributes that busy executives often value more than marginal yield on tied-up capital.​

Why Governments Offer Donation-Based Citizenship

For small and mid-sized economies, especially in the Caribbean and Pacific, CBI donations have become a material macroeconomic lever, often accounting for double-digit shares of government revenue or GDP. In Antigua and Dominica, CBI inflows have financed climate-resilient housing, infrastructure, and fiscal buffers, while at times contributing well over 10 percent of public revenues.​

Policymakers prize donation streams because they are:

• Countercyclical: Revenues can offset tourism or commodity shocks.​
• Flexible: Funds can be allocated to infrastructure, healthcare, education, or debt reduction with minimal earmarking.​
• Politically salient: Programs are visible proof of “external capital” funding domestic priorities, including climate resilience and economic diversification.​

At the same time, rising regulatory scrutiny from the EU, UK, and international bodies is forcing programs to tighten due diligence and, in some cases, recalibrate pricing to reflect reputational risk.​

Key Benefits for Global Executives and Investors

For senior leaders, family offices, and institutional investors, citizenship by donation is primarily a strategic, not lifestyle, decision. The core benefits include:​

• Mobility arbitrage: Caribbean and Pacific passports typically offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 90–150+ destinations, including the Schengen Area and the UK in some cases, though access conditions continue to evolve.​
• Risk diversification: A second nationality provides a hedge against political instability, sanctions risk, or policy volatility in a primary jurisdiction.​
• Tax and structuring flexibility: Several CBI countries offer no tax on foreign-source income, capital gains, or inheritance for non-resident citizens, which can be relevant in sophisticated cross-border structures.​
• Family continuity: Programs typically allow spouses, children, and sometimes parents to be included or added later, enabling multi-generational planning.​

For many CEOs and investors, the premium is justified less by lifestyle upgrades and more by resilience: the option to relocate, re-domicile assets, or restructure operations quickly if the geopolitical landscape deteriorates.​

The Core Caribbean Donation Programs

The Caribbean remains the epicenter of citizenship-by-donation offerings, with five mature, globally recognized regimes. All offer a “fund contribution” option that dispenses with any real estate purchase requirement.​

Antigua & Barbuda: Family-Optimized Pricing

Antigua & Barbuda’s National Development Fund (NDF) and University of the West Indies (UWI) Fund position the jurisdiction as one of the most cost-effective options for larger households. Published 2026-aligned guidance indicates donation thresholds of roughly 230,000 dollars for an NDF contribution (family of up to four) and 260,000 dollars to the UWI Fund.​

Key nuances for executives:

• NDF contributions dominate the program mix, accounting for over 80 percent of recent applications, showing clear market preference for “capital-light” routes.​
• The UWI Fund option effectively bundles citizenship with an educational grant, aligning with families planning long-term Caribbean or international schooling.​

Dominica: Lean Pricing, Strong Track Record

Dominica’s Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) remains one of the most aggressively priced donation options, with contributions starting near 200,000 dollars for single applicants and around 250,000 dollars for families of up to four. EDF proceeds have been visibly deployed into climate-resilient housing, healthcare, and tourism infrastructure following hurricane events.​

For investors concerned with reputational optics, Dominica’s emphasis on resilience and green transition allows the donation to be framed as both a strategic asset and a contribution to climate adaptation. Processing times are typically in the six-to-eight-month range, supporting predictable planning for relocations or restructurings.​

Grenada: Niche Appeal and Treaty Leverage

Grenada’s National Transformation Fund (NTF) requires donation levels around 235,000 dollars, generally covering a single applicant or a family of up to four. While price points sit slightly above Dominica, Grenada differentiates itself through:​

• Access to a treaty network that historically enabled E-2 visas with the United States, which has been a key selling point for entrepreneurs.​
• A pipeline of CBI-backed real estate and public projects that has supported GDP growth and employment, reinforcing the program’s political durability.​

Grenada is often used by founders and investors who want optionality for operating or investing in North America, even as US policy dynamics evolve.​

St. Kitts & Nevis: Pioneer and Price Setter

St. Kitts & Nevis is widely regarded as the pioneer of modern CBI and continues to position its Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC) at the premium end of the donation spectrum. Donation levels for a principal applicant plus up to three dependents have been set at about 250,000 dollars, with higher tiers for larger families.​

The jurisdiction’s strategy emphasizes:

• Exclusivity and scarcity: Higher thresholds help limit application volume and support a “club” perception of the passport.​
• Structural reforms: A new public-benefit option channels capital to climate and resilience projects, aligning with ESG narratives attractive to institutional investors.​

Historically, CBI receipts in St. Kitts have reached levels equivalent to well over half of GDP during some periods, underscoring how central the program is to fiscal strategy.​

St. Lucia: Flexible Multi-Route Platform

St. Lucia’s National Economic Fund (NEF) donation path begins around 240,000 dollars and covers a single applicant or a family of up to four. The country differentiates itself by offering four structured routes—donation, real estate, enterprise, and government bonds—allowing sophisticated investors to tailor their approach.​

For donation-focused applicants:

• The NEF offers a straightforward, lump-sum, nonrefundable route with relatively competitive pricing.​
• Complementary options, such as National Action Government Bonds, enable families to blend donation and capital-preservation strategies if desired.​

Beyond the Caribbean: Vanuatu, Nauru, and São Tomé & Príncipe

Outside the Caribbean, a growing cluster of small states has adopted similar donation-based citizenship models to diversify away from narrow economic bases.​

Vanuatu: Speed and Simplicity

Vanuatu’s Development Support Program (VDSP) is marketed as one of the fastest donation-based routes, with approvals commonly issued in a matter of weeks and full processing often under two to three months. Donation thresholds are typically:​

• Around 130,000 dollars for a single applicant.​
• Approximately 150,000 dollars for a married couple and from about 165,000 dollars for a family of three or more, with incremental amounts for additional dependents.​

Vanuatu appeals to executives who prioritize speed, minimal on-the-ground obligations, and a fully remote application process, though evolving perceptions among major economies warrant careful advisory input.​

Nauru: Climate-Resilience Narrative

Nauru’s Economic and Climate Resilience Citizenship Program requires a nonrefundable donation of around 105,000 dollars to the Nauru Treasury Fund. The branding explicitly links investor capital to climate and economic resilience in a small island state heavily exposed to environmental risk.​

For philanthropically inclined HNWIs, Nauru offers a way to align impact narratives with citizenship acquisition, though the passport’s travel profile is more modest than leading Caribbean alternatives. Due diligence standards are evolving as the program gains traction, and timelines are competitive relative to regional peers.​

São Tomé and Príncipe: Emerging, Low-Entry Option

São Tomé and Príncipe’s recently launched Citizenship by Investment framework grants citizenship in exchange for a donation of about 90,000 dollars to its National Transformation Fund (NTF). This pricing positions the program below most Caribbean options, albeit with a smaller diplomatic and visa-free footprint.​

The regime is still in the early stages of global adoption, so risk-conscious executives should monitor regulatory perceptions and the long-term durability of the framework before committing. For early adopters, however, it represents a relatively low-cost, frontier option for portfolio diversification.​

Costs, Timelines, and Due Diligence: What to Expect

From an execution perspective, donation-based citizenship is designed to minimize complexity for qualified applicants, but it is not “frictionless.” Across leading programs, common features include:​

• Donation levels: Roughly 200,000–260,000 dollars for mainstream Caribbean passports, about 130,000–180,000 dollars for Vanuatu, around 105,000 dollars for Nauru, and about 90,000 dollars for São Tomé and Príncipe, with exact amounts varying by family size.​
• Processing times: Approximately 6–10 months in the Caribbean, with faster tracks in some jurisdictions, and often shorter timelines in Vanuatu and certain Pacific programs.​
• Due diligence: Multi-layer background checks, source-of-funds reviews, and security screening are standard, with some programs outsourcing to international investigative firms.​

Executives should expect to work through licensed agents, provide full KYC/AML documentation, and anticipate additional government fees, legal fees, and due diligence charges on top of the headline donation.​

Strategic Use Cases for CEOs, Investors, and Family Offices

When framed correctly, a donation-based citizenship is less a lifestyle expenditure and more a governance and risk-management instrument. Common strategic use cases include:​

• Mobility insurance: Ensuring frictionless travel for deal-making, board meetings, and crisis response if a primary passport loses visa-free access or faces sanctions spillover.​
• Jurisdictional diversification: Allowing families to establish alternative legal ties in stable, low-debt, or politically neutral states.​
• Tax and estate planning: Supporting more flexible residency and structuring strategies where tax and regulatory regimes are favorable for holding companies, trusts, or funds.​
• Talent and succession: Providing younger family members with broader educational and work options across multiple regions.​

Boards and investment committees increasingly treat second citizenships as part of broader risk registers, particularly for principals exposed to geopolitical tensions or operating in industries vulnerable to sanctions and regulatory shocks.​

Key Donation Programs (2026)

The following table synthesizes indicative data from public program guidance and specialist analyses as of late 2025–early 2026; exact figures vary by family size, fees, and policy changes and should always be confirmed in real time.

Execution Checklist for Decision-Makers

For CEOs, CIOs, and family offices considering a donation-based citizenship, a disciplined process is essential.​

• Clarify objectives: Mobility, tax flexibility, geopolitical hedge, or succession planning.
• Align jurisdiction with risk profile: Balance travel power, regulatory perception, and program durability.
• Stress-test timelines: Ensure processing fits with any contemplated relocations, listings, exits, or restructurings.
• Model total cost: Include donation, fees, advisors, and opportunity cost of capital.
• Engage reputable advisors: Use regulated intermediaries with strong compliance infrastructure and transparent fee structures.
• Monitor policy risk: Track EU, UK, and multilateral positions on CBI to anticipate future shifts in visa access or reputational dynamics.

Handled thoughtfully, citizenship by donation can be a precise instrument in an executive’s global risk and mobility strategy rather than a vanity purchase—provided the decision is grounded in data, governance, and long-term planning rather than marketing narratives.