In a historic decision, the European Union has prohibited this week the so -called gold passport programs, which allow wealthy foreigners to pay for accelerated citizenship, and who have been popular among the wealthy Americans looking for an exit strategy of their country of origin and more politically heavy. But investment migration experts say that there are options outside Europe for high net people looking for a B plan.
While many countries in Europe are closing, New Zealand opens its own capital investments of wealthy foreigners that the government hopes to help alleviate recent financial pain.
Earlier this year, Country Island announced that it would relax the restrictions on its active Investor more visa program for the purpose of attract more investors. Changes include the abolition of an English language requirement, the expansion of eligible investments and the reduction in the duration of investors in the country.
The changes, which were posted on April 1, already arouse significant interest, according to Green Pastures New Zealand, which provides immigration and naturalization services. Because of its distant location, its natural beauty and its tax advantages – the country has no capital, succession or fortune – New Zealand has long called on the rich Americans, in particular those of Silicon Valley.
Individuals are generally required to invest between $ 2.5 and 5 million and stay in New Zealand for a specified number of days. They must also have their investments for a number of years to qualify. About 40% of information on greener pastures come from American investors, many of which cite political uncertainty as a motivation factor, explains Dominic Jones, Managing Director of Green Stâtres New Zealand.
“This visa is extremely precious for New Zealand. We are a small country. This often means that we are short of capital, both financial capital and also human capital,” said Jones Fortune Earlier this year. “Attract super successful and very rich people in a place like New Zealand has a lot of really positive flows on the effects.”
European countries rethink the golden residence programs
The decision of the High Court of the EU this week from prohibiting passport programs Golden stems from a single Member State, Malta, offering an accelerated path to citizenship via investment (Bulgaria and Cyprus previously offered a similar path but made their programs independently). But many countries, including Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, have offered an investment residence, which the rich foreigners could often reach by buying residential properties.
Although the residence is not delivered with all the advantages of citizenship, this allows rich foreign nationals to access trips to the country where they bought their property in and throughout the EU, it was popular among the elites who benefit from travel without barrier, as well as retirees in search of greener pastures outside the United States
But citizenship for sale also attracted criminal elements, have noted anti-corruption organizations, and the leaders of the European government say that wealthy investors buy properties in large cities have contributed to the soy housing costs by Ciel which assess the inhabitants.
As such, many countries end or considerably reduce their programs. Spain ended its gold visa program on April 3, while Ireland and TIl Dutchman have already done so and Greece plans to tighten the restrictions. In 2023, Portugal eliminated real estate as an eligible investment for the residence.
Hungary, on the other hand, restarted its gold visa program last year. At the beginning of 2025, he also abolished the real estate investment option.
Citizenship by investment programs is rarer than residence, and that of Malta was considered to be “the ordery”, according to Henley & Partners, a global Immigration Investment Consulting Consulting. Apart from Europe, Granada, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominique are popular destinations for the second citizenship.
This story was initially presented on Fortune.com
