Residency by Investment Under $100,000
Sixteen residency-by-investment programs require $100,000 or less, including several with no minimum capital requirement at all. Income-based European permits (Portugal D7, Spain NLV, Italy Elective Residence, Croatia Digital Nomad Visa) require proof of passive income rather than a lump-sum investment. Latvia and Mauritius offer the lowest capital-based entry points at EUR 50,000 and $50,000 respectively.
Programs
17
Countries
13
Types
RBI
From
Income-based
Key Takeaways
- ✓ Seven programs require no minimum investment (income-based qualification)
- ✓ Latvia Golden Visa at EUR 50,000 is the cheapest capital-based European RBI
- ✓ Belize QRP at $24,000/year is the most affordable residency globally
- ✓ Paraguay SUACE at $70,000 offers one of the fastest citizenship paths (3 years)
All Programs at a Glance
Sorted by minimum investment. Click any country to explore in detail.
| Country | Program | Type | Min. Investment | Processing | Citizenship Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | D7 Passive Income Visa | RBI | Income-based | 3 months | 5 years |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Non-Lucrative Visa | RBI | Income-based | 5 months | 10 years |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | Digital Nomad Visa | RBI | Income-based | 1-3 months | 10 years |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Elective Residence Visa | RBI | Income-based | 3-6 months | 10 years |
| 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | Rentista (Passive Income) | RBI | Income-based | 3-6 months | 7 years |
| 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | Pensionado (Retiree Residency) | RBI | Income-based | 3-6 months | 7 years |
| 🇲🇺 Mauritius | Premium Visa | RBI | Income-based | 2-4 weeks | No direct path |
| ğŸ‡ğŸ‡· Croatia | Digital Nomad Visa | RBI | Income-based | 1-2 months | No direct path |
| ğŸ‡ğŸ‡· Croatia | Temporary Residence for Business Activity | RBI | Income-based | 1-3 months | 8 years (5 years continuous residence + 3 years permanent residence) |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | National Innovation Visa (NIV) | RBI | Income-based | 12-24 months | 4 years (after PR) |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | Critical Skills Visa | RBI | Income-based | 4-8 weeks | 10 years (5 years to PR, then 5 years to citizenship) |
| 🇧🇿 Belize | Qualified Retired Persons Programme (QRP) | RBI | $24,000 | 2-3 months | 5 years (via standard naturalisation after 1 year residency + 4 years PR) |
| 🇲🇺 Mauritius | Occupation Permit (Investor / Self-Employed) | RBI | $50,000 | 2-3 months | No direct path |
| 🇱🇻 Latvia | Golden Visa | RBI | €50,000 | 1-3 months | 10 years (PR after 4 years) |
| 🇵🇾 Paraguay | Investor Residency (SUACE) | RBI | $70,000 | 1-3 months | 3 years |
| 🇰🇠Cambodia | Cambodia My Second Home (CM2H) | RBI | $100,000 | 4-6 months | 5 years (by naturalization under 1996 Nationality Law) |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | Residence Permit (Financially Independent) | RBI | €100,000 | 3-6 months | 10 years (6 years under certain conditions) |
Explore Each Program
Detailed cards with investment requirements, timelines, and key benefits.
D7 Passive Income Visa
Income-based
Proof of passive income (approx. €900/month minimum)
3 months
183+ days/year
2 years (renewable)
Yes
5 years
191
- ✓ No investment required, income-based
- ✓ Pension income accepted
- ✓ Must reside in Portugal
Non-Lucrative Visa
Income-based
Proof of passive income of ~€2,300/month (400% of Spain's IPREM index) for main applicant, plus ~€575/month per dependent. Private health insurance mandatory. Property lease or purchase required. Cannot work for Spanish employers.
5 months
183+ days/year in Spain (6 months continuous absence risks permit loss)
1 year (renewable)
No
10 years
191
- ✓ No investment required — income-based route only
- ✓ Beckham Law available: flat 24% tax on Spanish income for first 6 years
- ✓ Pension, dividend, and rental income all qualify as passive income
Digital Nomad Visa
Income-based
No investment. Must demonstrate remote employment or freelance activity for a non-Spanish company, with minimum income of approximately €2,520/month (200% IPREM).
1-3 months
Must reside in Spain
1 year visa, then 3-year residence permit (renewable)
Yes
10 years
191
- ✓ Beckham Law eligible: 24% flat tax on Spanish-source income for first 6 years
- ✓ No investment required, income-based qualification
- ✓ Full Schengen access
Elective Residence Visa
Income-based
Proof of stable passive income (no fixed minimum, typically €31K+/year) + property.
3-6 months
Must reside in Italy (183+ days/year). No work permitted.
1 year (renewable)
No
10 years
191
- ✓ Income-based, no investment required
- ✓ Cannot work in Italy
- ✓ Flat tax regime available
Rentista (Passive Income)
Income-based
Proof of $2,500/month stable passive income for 2+ years.
3-6 months
Visit once/year
2 years (renewable)
No
7 years
153
- ✓ Income-based, no investment
- ✓ Pension income accepted
- ✓ Must not work in Costa Rica
Pensionado (Retiree Residency)
Income-based
Proof of $1,000/month pension income from a recognised pension source.
3-6 months
Visit once/year
2 years (renewable, permanent residency after 3 years)
No
7 years
153
- ✓ Lowest income threshold of the three Costa Rica routes ($1,000/month)
- ✓ Pension income accepted from any country
- ✓ Must not work in Costa Rica
Premium Visa
Income-based
$1,500/month income from foreign sources OR approximately $18,000 equivalent bank deposit alternative. 1-year renewable long-stay visa. Designed for remote workers, retirees, and long-stay tourists. Local Mauritian employment prohibited. Launched October 2020.
2-4 weeks
None (visa is for long-stay purposes)
1 year (renewable)
No
No direct path
148
- ✓ No investment required, income or deposit based
- ✓ Fast processing (2-4 weeks) via online application
- ✓ Remote workers can operate for foreign employers
Digital Nomad Visa
Income-based
Proof of €2,540/month income from remote work for non-Croatian employer.
1-2 months
Must reside in Croatia
1 year (non-renewable, can reapply after 6 months)
No
No direct path
188
- ✓ No Croatian tax on foreign income during the visa period
- ✓ Full Schengen access — Croatia joined Schengen and adopted Euro in 2023
- ✓ Non-renewable — must leave for 6 months before reapplying
Temporary Residence for Business Activity
Income-based
Company registration in Croatia or appointment as director/board member. No minimum capital requirement for d.o.o. (LLC equivalent).
1-3 months
Must reside in Croatia
1 year (renewable annually, leads to permanent residence after 5 years)
Yes
8 years (5 years continuous residence + 3 years permanent residence)
188
- ✓ EU + Schengen + Eurozone access from 2023
- ✓ Actual path to Croatian (EU) citizenship via 8-year integration
- ✓ Full work rights, unlike the Digital Nomad Visa
National Innovation Visa (NIV)
Income-based
No minimum investment threshold. Invitation-only based on exceptional achievement and recognised contribution to innovation, research, entrepreneurship, investment, sport, or arts. Must submit Expression of Interest (EOI); Department issues invitations. State nomination required for most streams.
12-24 months
Must reside in Australia
Permanent (direct PR)
Yes
4 years (after PR)
189
- ✓ Merit-based, not investment-based — no minimum capital threshold
- ✓ Grants permanent residence directly, not a provisional visa
- ✓ Highly selective: ~300 invitations issued from 9,000+ EOIs as of 2025
Critical Skills Visa
Income-based
No investment. Must hold qualifications in a gazetted critical skill (engineering, IT, finance, healthcare, etc.).
4-8 weeks
Must reside and work in South Africa
5 years (renewable, leads to PR)
Yes
10 years (5 years to PR, then 5 years to citizenship)
106
- ✓ No investment required, skills-based entry
- ✓ Fast processing (4-8 weeks typical)
- ✓ Full work rights from day one
Qualified Retired Persons Programme (QRP)
$24,000
$2,000/month income proof ($24,000/year) from a pension, annuity, or other stable source outside Belize.
2-3 months
Approximately 1 visit per year
Permanent (annual renewal of QRP status)
No
5 years (via standard naturalisation after 1 year residency + 4 years PR)
96
- ✓ Income-based, no lump-sum investment required
- ✓ All foreign income and assets fully tax-exempt under QRP
- ✓ English-speaking, common law jurisdiction
Occupation Permit (Investor / Self-Employed)
$50,000
Investor route: $50,000 USD equity in a Mauritian business or annual business turnover of $50K+. Self-Employed route: $35,000+ annual revenue from a Mauritian professional activity. Issued for 3 years, renewable, convertible to permanent residence after 3 years of active operation.
2-3 months
Active business or professional operation in Mauritius
3 years (renewable, PR after 3 years active)
Yes
No direct path
148
- ✓ Lowest capital threshold for Mauritius residency via active business
- ✓ Self-employed professionals qualify at $35K annual revenue
- ✓ Converts to permanent residence after 3 years of active operation
Golden Visa
€50,000
Real estate: €250K+ in Riga or within 30km (freehold, 5-year hold, +5% government fee). Business: €50K into Latvian company (<50 employees) or €100K (50+ employees), plus €10K government fee. Bank deposit: €280K fixed for 5 years. Income proof: €2,220/month required.
1-3 months
Must maintain investment
5 years (renewable)
Yes
10 years (PR after 4 years)
188
- ✓ Lowest EU Golden Visa business investment route at €50K
- ✓ Corporate tax on distributed profits only — reinvested profits untaxed
- ✓ Permanent residency available after 4 years
Investor Residency (SUACE)
$70,000
$70K bank deposit or business investment.
1-3 months
Minimal
Permanent
Yes
3 years
143
- ✓ Fastest citizenship in South America — 3 years from permanent residency
- ✓ $70K investment threshold — lowest in the Americas for a PR+citizenship path
- ✓ Flat 10% territorial tax — no tax on foreign income whatsoever
Cambodia My Second Home (CM2H)
$100,000
$100K+ in approved real estate project (government-approved developments only, including residential and mixed-use in Phnom Penh). Includes KHCA membership fee. Total cost typically $50K–$100K depending on chosen project. Work rights included from day one.
4-6 months
Minimal
10 years
Yes
5 years (by naturalization under 1996 Nationality Law)
54
- ✓ USD de facto currency — eliminates exchange rate risk for dollar investors
- ✓ Citizenship eligible after 5 years — fastest path to SE Asian passport
- ✓ Work rights included — unlike some competing programs
Residence Permit (Financially Independent)
€100,000
€100K+ in demonstrable financial means. No specific investment vehicle required but must prove financial independence.
3-6 months
Must reside in Austria
1 year (renewable, PR after 5 years)
No
10 years (6 years under certain conditions)
191
- ✓ Vienna rated world's most livable city multiple years running
- ✓ Strict annual quota — apply early in the year, spots fill fast
- ✓ German language certification required for permit renewals
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