golden passport
Bought national membership
A golden passport is citizenship granted in exchange for substantial investment in a country—typically through real estate purchases, government bonds, or direct economic contributions.
Several nations offer these programs to attract wealthy foreigners: She obtained a golden passport through Malta's investment program.
Critics argue such arrangements allow the wealthy to buy their way around immigration rules.
Compare golden visa, which grants residency rather than citizenship.
Legal belonging to country
- naturalizationLegal path to belonging
- dual citizenshipHolding two nationalities simultaneously
- residencyState of dwelling somewhere
- visaTravel authorization stamp
expatriate · immigrant · emigrant · diaspora · allegiance · renunciation · statelessness · consulate
Residency for capital commitment
- due diligencePre-transaction reasonable care
- real estateLand and its structures
- government bondsState-issued debt securities
- minimum investmentLowest amount to participate
application fee · processing · quota · program · scheme · tier · threshold · portfolio
Abundance of money
- millionairePerson possessing great wealth
- billionairePerson worth ten figures
- plutocracyRule by the rich
- oligarchMember of small ruling class
tycoon · magnate · fortune · capital · assets · opulence · privilege · elite
Zero-rate wealth jurisdiction
- loopholeExploitable gap in rules
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- criticismJudgment of faults
- inequalityUnequal distribution of resources
exploitation · money laundering · sanctions evasion · corruption · transparency · accountability · oversight · reform
nationality
Legal belonging to country
- naturalizationLegal path to belonging
- dual citizenshipHolding two nationalities simultaneously
- residencyState of dwelling somewhere
visa · expatriate · immigrant · emigrant · diaspora · allegiance · renunciation · statelessness · consulate · embassy
investor visa
Residency for capital commitment
- due diligencePre-transaction reasonable care
- real estateLand and its structures
- government bondsState-issued debt securities
minimum investment · application fee · processing · quota · program · scheme · tier · threshold · portfolio · donation
affluence
Abundance of money
- millionairePerson possessing great wealth
- billionairePerson worth ten figures
- plutocracyRule by the rich
oligarch · tycoon · magnate · fortune · capital · assets · opulence · privilege · elite · exclusive
tax haven
Zero-rate wealth jurisdiction
inequality · exploitation · money laundering · sanctions evasion · corruption · transparency · accountability · oversight · reform · ethics
Malta
Mediterranean island country
- CyprusMediterranean island nation
- PortugalIberian Peninsula republic
- CaribbeanTropical Atlantic region
Dominica · Antigua · Grenada · Vanuatu · Montenegro · Turkey · Jordan · Egypt · Comoros · Samoa
golden passportnaturalization
Legal path to belonging
birthright citizenship · refugee status · citizenship test · permanent residency · green card
golden passportundocumented status
Lacking official authorization to reside
statelessness · refugee status · deportation order · travel ban · visa denial
golden, gold, golds, gilded, gilds, gilding, passport, passports, pass