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11 Passive Residency-by-Investment Programs for $100,000 or Less · IMI Podcasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Most articles about cheap residency programs mix apples and oranges.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: A US$5,000 business visa that requires you to register a company, file tax returns, and demonstrate revenue is not the same animal as a U50,000 real estate purchase where you sign a deed and walk away.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: Both count as residency by investment, but they ask fundamentally different things of the applicant.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: This list focuses exclusively on passive investment.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: Every program here grants residency in exchange for real estate, bank deposits, securities, fund subscriptions, or membership fees.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: None requires that the applicant establish, manage, or operate a business.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: If you have to file a business plan, hire employees or generate revenue, the program did not make the cut.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: We drew the list from IMI's program database of nearly 300 residence and citizenship programs.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: The thresholds cited are the government set minimums for each program.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: In practice, applicants may need to invest more depending on the asset class, location, or specific investment option they choose.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: All currency conversions are approximate and based on March 2026 exchange rates.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: The result is a list that starts at 5,000 US dollars, includes one EU golden visa, and tops out at$100,000.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: Armenia's business-based residence program is one of the most accessible in the world.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: The law defines eligibility broadly.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: You must be engaged in business activities, which includes everything from sole proprietorships to holding a minority stake in a company.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: Local practitioners indicate that investing a few thousand dollars is sufficient in practice.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: Applications can be submitted remotely.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: The documentation requirements are minimal, a passport, a notarized Armenian translation, a fee payment of about$350, and a medical certificate.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: No physical presence is required to maintain the permit.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: After three years of residency, you become eligible for Armenian citizenship, though you must pass a civics exam conducted in Armenian.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: Armenia permits dual citizenship.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: A reform taking effect on August 1, 2026 will overhaul the system.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: Armenia plans to replace the current framework with a digital first five-year permanent residence card that includes a dedicated investor fast track.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: The government has not yet published the minimum investment thresholds for the new program.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to enter under the current rules, the window is closing.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_00: Thailand Privilege, formerly Thailand Elite, is a membership-based residence program.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: It does not fit neatly into the golden visa mold, but IMI classifies it as residence by investment because it grants a renewable long-term visa in exchange for a financial contribution.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: No business activity is required.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: The gold tier, priced at 900,000 Thai baht, approximately$26,000, grants a five-year visa and is the entry-level permanent option.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: A cheaper bronze tier at$650,000 Thai baht, roughly$19,000, is available as a limited time offer.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Thailand Privilege extended bronze applications to March 31, 2026.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: Whether the bronze tier will be extended further or discontinued remains unclear.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: Higher tiers extend the duration to 10, 15, or 20 years.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: Applicants can also qualify by purchasing Thai real estate worth at least 10 million Thai baht, approximately 290,000 US dollars.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Thailand Privilege has no path to permanent residency or citizenship.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: It is purely a long-stay visa with concierge benefits, including airport transfers, fast track immigration lanes, and annual health checkups.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: For those who want to live in Southeast Asia without wrestling with Thailand's restrictive standard visa system, it removes a persistent headache.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Nicaragua grants immediate permanent residency to those who invest US$30,000 in real estate, a new local business, or government approved forestry and agricultural projects.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_00: The real estate route is the cleanest passive option.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_00: Government fees add roughly$715 US dollars per applicant, bringing the all-in cost for a single applicant to just under$31,000.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: There is no formal physical presence requirement to maintain the five-year permanent residence permit.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: Citizenship becomes available after approximately four years, subject to physical presence in the country and a Spanish language civics exam.
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: Nicaragua's stance on dual nationality changed dramatically in 2025.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: A constitutional amendment, first approved in May 2025 and ratified by the National Assembly in January 2026, eliminates dual citizenship.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: Foreigners seeking naturalization must renounce their original nationality, with an exception for Central American nationals, by birth, who reside in Nicaragua.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: For most applicants, this means choosing between keeping an existing passport and obtaining Nicaraguan citizenship.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: The Nicaraguan passport covers approximately 126 visa-free destinations, including the EU's Schengen area.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: Nicaragua is part of the CA4 agreement, granting free movement across Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: Ecuador requires an investment of 100 times the national monthly minimum wage, currently 48,200 US dollars in 2026.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: The Inversionista Visa accepts bank deposits in Ecuadorian financial institutions, real estate purchases, or equity stakes in local companies.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: All three routes are passive.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: No business operation is required.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: The initial permit is temporary and valid for two years.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: After two years of continuous residency, the applicant can apply for permanent status.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: Citizenship follows after four years total, contingent on Spanish proficiency and passing a civics exam.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: Ecuador permits dual citizenship.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: Unlike Ecuador's income-based visas, the investor visa does not cap the number of days the holder can spend outside the country.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: For purposes of obtaining permanent residency or citizenship, however, absences cannot exceed 180 days per year.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: Ecuador uses the US dollar as its currency, which eliminates exchange rate risk on the investment.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: The cost of living is among the lowest in Latin America, and the country's territorial tax system means foreign sourced income is not taxable for residents.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: Egypt offers renewable residence permits to foreigners who acquire real estate or make a term deposit in a state-owned bank.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: The minimum is 50,000 for a one-year permit through either route.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: Higher investment amounts unlock longer durations.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: The permits are renewable indefinitely as long as the investment is maintained.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: No physical presence is required.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: One important caveat, Egypt's residence by investment program offers no path to permanent residency or citizenship.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: The investor receives a temporary permit, nothing more.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: For applicants who want a renewable legal foothold in a large, strategically located economy without citizenship ambitions, this may suffice.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: Those seeking a second passport should look elsewhere on this list, or consider Egypt's separate citizenship by investment program, which starts at US$250,000.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: Azerbaijan's Investor Residence Program grants temporary residence to foreigners who invest at least 100,000 Azerbaijani manat in real estate, a bank term deposit, or government securities.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: All three options are passive.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: Permanent residency requires higher thresholds, 200,000 manat for real estate, deposits, or securities.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: The applicant must have resided continuously in Azerbaijan for at least two years to qualify for PR.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: Citizenship follows after five years of continuous residence, subject to language proficiency and a civics test.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: Azerbaijan does not permit dual citizenship.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: Naturalizing applicants must renounce their existing nationality.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: Latvia's Golden Visa offers the cheapest path to EU residents through passive investment.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: The minimum is€50,000 in the equity of a Latvian company with up to 50 employees and under 10 million euros in annual turnover, plus a mandatory 10,000 euro state duty upon approval, bringing the all-in floor to approximately 64,500 US dollars.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: The applicant is buying shares, not running the business.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: However, the company must pay at least 40,000 euros in corporate taxes annually to maintain the investor's permit, which means the underlying enterprise needs to be genuinely operational and profitable.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: The residence permit is valid for five years and requires that the holder enter Latvia at least once every 12 months.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: As an EU and EEA member, Latvia grants holders Schengen freedom of movement for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: Permanent residency becomes available after five years.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: Citizenship follows after ten years total, subject to a Latvian language exam.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: Latvia's dual citizenship policy is conditional.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: It permits dual nationality with EU, EEA, and NATO member states and a handful of others, but may require renunciation for citizens of countries outside those groups.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: The Philippines offers two passive investor residence programs at the same US$75,000 threshold, each with a different investment structure.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: The Special Investors Residence Visa, or SIRV, requires a US$75,000 investment in securities listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: The Foreign Investor Visa, or FIV, accepts a broader range of qualifying investments.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: Both grant permanent residency.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: The SIRV has been operational for decades and has an established processing track record.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: The FIV launched more recently and has attracted strong initial interest, registering over 200 applicants in its first month.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: Citizenship is available after 10 years of continuous residence.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: The Philippines permits dual citizenship for naturalized citizens through the Dual Citizenship Act.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: The Philippine Passport covers approximately 67 visa-free destinations.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: Sri Lanka offers residence permits with validity periods of 2 to 10 years across six investment categories, several of which are purely passive.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: The cheapest entry point is$75,000 in condominiums or public equities listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange, both of which grant a five-year visa.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_00: Higher thresholds unlock longer durations and additional options.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: $200,000 in a bank deposit yields a 10-year visa.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_00: Treasury bonds start at US$250,000 for$5 years or$400,000 for$10.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: Sri Lanka generally does not offer permanent residency.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: The one exception is the resident guest scheme's bank deposit to investment category, which requires a US$200,000 deposit followed by conversion into an approved investment project within two years.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: This is the only route that leads to citizenship available after five years.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: For investors content with a renewable temporary visa and no citizenship path, the US$75,000 condominium or equities route offers a low entry point into an English-speaking strategically located Indian Ocean economy.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: Cape Verde offers permanent residency through real estate investment, with thresholds starting at€80,000 in areas with below average GDP per capita.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: In wealthier areas, the minimum rises to 120,000 euros.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: The program is straightforward.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: Buy qualifying property, submit documentation, and receive a permanent residence permit.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: Processing takes two to four weeks.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: After five years of habitual residence, the applicant becomes eligible for citizenship.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: Cape Verde permits dual citizenship.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_00: The passport covers approximately 75 visa-free destinations, and the country is a member of ECOWAS, granting settlement rights across 15 West African nations.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: For those drawn to an Atlantic Island lifestyle with a territorial tax system, low cost of living, and direct permanent residency on approval, Cape Verde is a quiet contender that rarely makes competitor lists.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: Cambodia's M2H program grants a 10-year renewable visa to applicants who invest at least$100,000 in real estate projects.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: No physical presence is required.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_00: Details on qualifying investment types remain sparse.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_00: Authorities evaluate applications on a case by case basis.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: The program is operated by the Khmer Home Charity Association, under the auspices of the Ministry of Interior.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: After maintaining the investment for five years, holders become eligible for Cambodian citizenship.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: Cambodia permits dual citizenship.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_00: The passport covers approximately 53 visa-free destinations, which limits its mobility value, but Southeast Asian regional access and low cost of living are the program's primary draws.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: Cambodia also offers a separate, direct citizenship by investment program, starting at$245,000 for those who prefer to skip the residency phase entirely.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: The gap between active and passive investment programs is wide.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: The cheapest active RBI options at$5,000 each cost a fraction of the cheapest passive one, Thailand privilege at$26,000.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: That spread reflects a basic market reality.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: Governments discount the price when you bring labour, expertise, and job creation along with your capital.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: Only one EU program makes this list.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_00: Latvia's Golden Visa at€64,500 is the most affordable passive route to Schengen residents, though the underlying company must generate enough profit to cover€40,000 in annual corporate taxes.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: Hungary's guest investor program,€250,000 in real estate funds, is the next cheapest EU option for truly passive investors.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: Two programs on this list offer no path to permanent residency or citizenship at all.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_00: Thailand Privilege and Egypt.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: Both are purely transactional arrangements.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: They grant legal residence in exchange for capital, but the relationship ends there.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: For applicants building a long-term mobility portfolio, that distinction matters.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: Not sure which program fits your situation?
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: Use the IMI program finder to sort, filter, and compare nearly 300 programs by investment type, budget, and destination.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_00: This episode first appeared as an article by Nagi Sabolts on IMIDaily.com.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_00: Subscribe for free to the IMI newsletter for breaking news and updates from the investment migration industry.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: And upgrade your membership to IMI Pro to get access to our exclusive professional community, citizenship catalogue, investment migration company Rollodex, private briefings, and more members only content.