Residency & Citizenship by Investment in the Americas
The Americas offer a mix of established and emerging investment migration programs. The United States EB-5 remains the benchmark for investor visas with an $800,000 minimum in targeted employment areas, leading to a Green Card and eventual US citizenship. Panama's Qualified Investor Visa requires $200,000 in real estate or other qualifying assets with processing in 2 to 4 months. Costa Rica provides three distinct pathways: Inversionista (investment), Rentista (income), and Pensionado (pension). Belize's QRP is one of the most affordable programs globally at $24,000 per year for retirees. El Salvador's Freedom Visa is a newer CBI offering at $1,000,000, granting Salvadoran citizenship. Paraguay rounds out the region with a low-threshold SUACE investment program at $70,000.
Countries
6
Programs
9
Program Types
CBI & RBI
From
Income-based
Key Takeaways
- ✓ Mix of RBI programs and one CBI (El Salvador)
- ✓ Belize QRP is among the cheapest globally at $24K/year
- ✓ US EB-5 leads to a Green Card and path to US citizenship
- ✓ Costa Rica offers 3 distinct pathways for different financial profiles
All Americas Programs at a Glance
Sorted by minimum investment. Click any country to explore in detail.
| Country | Program | Type | Min. Investment | Processing | Citizenship Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇷 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 |
| 🇧🇿 Belize | Qualified Retired Persons Programme (QRP) | RBI | $24,000 | 2-3 months | 5 years (via standard naturalisation after 1 year residency + 4 years PR) |
| 🇵🇾 Paraguay | Investor Residency (SUACE) | RBI | $70,000 | 1-3 months | 3 years |
| 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | Investor Residency | RBI | $150,000 | 3-6 months | 7 years |
| 🇵🇦 Panama | Friendly Nations Visa | RBI | $200,000 | 3-6 months | 5 years |
| 🇧🇿 Belize | Investor Residency | RBI | $250,000 | 3-6 months | 5 years |
| 🇺🇸 United States | EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program | RBI | $800,000 | 12-24 months | 5 years (after green card) |
| 🇸🇻 El Salvador | Freedom Visa (Bitcoin Passport) | CBI | $1,000,000 | 2-3 months | Direct |
Explore Each Program
Detailed cards with investment requirements, timelines, and key benefits.
Investor Residency
$250,000
$250K+ real estate investment.
3-6 months
Approximately 1 visit per year (not strictly quantified in statute)
Permanent
Yes
5 years
96
- ✓ Only English-speaking country in Central America — common law legal system
- ✓ No capital gains tax on any asset class
- ✓ Territorial tax — all foreign income exempt
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
Investor Residency
$150,000
$150K+ in real estate (must be in applicant's personal name), business investment, private equity funds, shares, securities, or sustainable tourism projects. Note: $150K is a temporary threshold (reduced from $200K under Law No. 9996); may revert to $200K if not extended past mid-2026.
3-6 months
Visit once/year minimum
2 years (renewable, PR after 3 years)
No
7 years
153
- ✓ Territorial tax — foreign income fully exempt
- ✓ No military since 1948 — one of Latin America's most stable democracies
- ✓ Permanent residency available after 3 years of actual residence
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
Freedom Visa (Bitcoin Passport)
$1,000,000
$1M contribution (can be paid in Bitcoin or USD).
2-3 months
None
Citizenship (permanent)
Yes
Direct
134
- ✓ First Bitcoin-accepting CBI program
- ✓ 100% online, no visit required
- ✓ No capital gains tax on Bitcoin
Friendly Nations Visa
$200,000
$200K+ in Panamanian real estate or 3-year Certificate of Deposit in a Panamanian bank. Alternatively, employment with a Panamanian company qualifies. Provisional residency within ~72 hours, permanent residency after 2 years. Available to 50+ eligible nationalities including US, UK, EU, and most Commonwealth countries.
3-6 months
Visit every 2 years
Permanent Residence
Yes
5 years
143
- ✓ Territorial tax — zero tax on all foreign-source income
- ✓ USD-based economy — no currency risk for dollar-denominated wealth
- ✓ Provisional residency granted in ~72 hours
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
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
$800,000
$800K in targeted employment area (TEA) or $1.05M standard. Must create/preserve 10+ full-time jobs.
12-24 months
Must reside in US
Green card (permanent)
Yes
5 years (after green card)
186
- ✓ Only investment route to a US green card and eventual citizenship
- ✓ TEA threshold: $800K (vs $1.05M standard) — most invest through regional centres
- ✓ US taxes worldwide income permanently from green card issuance — irreversible
Explore Other Regions
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