11 Investment-Based Residency Programs (Passive) Up to $100,000 — Yandex Guide

You can often find articles online about “cheap” residency programs, but they frequently mix different legal mechanisms. For example, in the US, residency by investment is sometimes used to describe immigration via setting up or running a business: you must incorporate a structure, prove the source of funds, and comply with operating requirements. In other countries, a similar-sounding name may simply mean investing in real estate, where the entry threshold is essentially a capital contribution. At first glance the wording looks similar, but for the applicant the requirements, risks, and the logic of how status is obtained can differ dramatically.

Below are only passive options. In every program listed, an Residency/permit (temporary or permanent, depending on the country) is issued in exchange for investment in real estate, bank deposits, securities, contributions to funds/programs, or membership fees. In most cases, you don’t need to manage a company, hire staff, take operational responsibility, or “prove revenue.” If the terms explicitly require a business plan, ongoing management, operational reporting, or other managerial obligations, that program is not included in this selection.

The selection is prepared using data from the IMI Program Database (nearly 300 residency and citizenship programs). The amounts shown are minimum thresholds set by the rules of the respective jurisdictions. In practice, your budget may increase depending on the investment instrument, location, deal structure, and related fees. The conversion to US dollars is for reference only and is based on exchange rates as of March 2026.

Next is the list where the “entry point” starts at roughly $5,000: there is one “European” option and several programs with an upper limit that reaches $100,000.

1. Armenia: Permanent Residency from $5,000

Armenia’s scenario is often considered one of the most budget-friendly. The law’s wording is fairly broad: the applicant must be “involved in business activity.” In practice, this can be interpreted not only as managing a company, but also as owning a share—including holding a position as a minority shareholder.

You can usually submit an application remotely. The basic package typically includes a passport, a notarized translation into Armenian, a government fee of about $350, and a medical certificate. To maintain permanent status, you generally do not need to be in the country continuously.

After three years of residency, it becomes possible to apply for citizenship. An Armenian-language civics exam will be required. Armenia allows dual citizenship.

Starting August 1, 2026, a reform is planned: a shift to a “digital” model with a five-year permanent residency card and a separate track for investors. The threshold under the new scheme has not been published yet. If you’re considering applying under the current rules, it’s worth factoring in the risk of tighter requirements.

2. Thailand: Privilege Residence from $26,000

Thailand Privilege (formerly Thailand Elite) is a membership program that provides a long-term visa status and allows you to live in the country for extended periods. While it’s not always presented as a “classic” golden visa, in substance it’s closer to residency by investment: for a fixed fee, you obtain a long-term document that can be renewed. No business management is required.

The Gold tier costs THB 900,000 (about $26,000) and provides a 5-year visa. There is also Bronze at THB 650,000 (around $19,000), but this level had temporary restrictions: Bronze renewals were available until March 31, 2026. Whether Bronze will remain in the future is unclear.

Higher tiers extend the term to 10, 15, or 20 years. A separate track is available through property purchase in Thailand from THB 10 million (approximately $290,000).

It’s important to understand the boundaries: permanent residency and a direct path to citizenship under Thailand Privilege are not provided. This is a long-term visa with service benefits (for example, transfers, priority in immigration procedures, and annual medical checkups). For those who want to live in Southeast Asia without constant “struggle” under the usual visa system, this format may be convenient.

3. Nicaragua: Investor Permanent Residency from $30,000

Nicaragua provides permanent residency right away when investing $30,000 in real estate, launching a new local business, or in government-approved agricultural/forestry projects. If we’re talking about the most “clean” passive route, real estate is often the preferred option.

Government fees add roughly $715 per applicant, so if you apply “on your own,” the total budget comes out slightly under $31,000.

There is formally no mandatory physical presence requirement to maintain permanent residency for 5 years. Citizenship is typically possible in about 4 years, but you will need to prove residence and pass a civics exam in Spanish.

In 2025, Nicaragua changed its approach to dual citizenship: a constitutional amendment approved in May 2025 and ratified in January 2026 effectively abolishes dual citizenship.

During naturalization, a foreign national typically must renounce their previous passport. The exception is for citizens of Central America who acquired citizenship by birth and are effectively living in Nicaragua. For most applicants, this means a choice: either keep your current citizenship or switch to Nicaraguan citizenship.

A Nicaraguan passport provides access to about 126 visa-free destinations, including the Schengen area under current regimes. Nicaragua is part of CA-4, enabling visa-free travel between Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

4. Ecuador: Investment Visa from $48,200

Ecuador sets the minimum investment as the equivalent of 100 minimum monthly salaries. For 2026, this equals $48,200. The Inversionista program allows passive scenarios: bank deposits in Ecuadorian financial institutions, purchasing real estate, or equity participation in local companies. Operational management is not required—logically, all three routes fall under passive options.

First, a temporary status is issued for 2 years. After two years of continuous residence, you can apply for permanent status. Citizenship is usually possible after 4 years of total residence, provided you know Spanish and pass a civics exam. Ecuador allows dual citizenship.

Unlike income-based visas, the investor scheme does not impose a strict cap on days outside the country. However, for permanent residency/citizenship purposes, the framework remains: no more than 180 days per year.

Ecuador uses US dollars, which simplifies assessment of currency risk. In addition, the average cost of living in Latin America is generally lower, and the tax system is territorial: for residents, income earned abroad is typically not taxed.

5. Egypt: Residency Through Investment from $50,000

Egypt issues renewable residence permits for foreigners who purchase real estate or place a term deposit in a state bank. The minimum threshold is $50,000 for a one-year status under either option. As investments increase, the term changes: $100,000 for 3 years, $200,000 for 5 years.

The permit can be renewed indefinitely as long as the investment remains in place. Physical presence in the country during the status period is not required.

Key point: Egypt does not transition to permanent residency or citizenship. The investor receives a temporary document—and that is essentially where the program connection ends. If you need a “bridge” to a passport, you should consider other jurisdictions from the list. At the same time, Egypt has a separate citizenship by investment program with thresholds starting at roughly $250,000.

6. Azerbaijan: Investor Residency from $58,800

Azerbaijan’s investor residency program involves temporary residence with an investment of at least AZN 100,000 (about $58,800) in real estate, a term bank deposit, or government securities. In practice, all options are passive.

For permanent residency, higher thresholds apply: AZN 200,000 for real estate, deposits, or securities. To apply for permanent residency, the applicant must live in Azerbaijan continuously for at least 2 years.

Citizenship is typically possible after 5 years of continuous residence, provided language requirements are met and you pass a civics test. Azerbaijan does not recognize dual citizenship: upon naturalization, you must renounce your previous citizenship.

7. Latvia: Golden Visa from $64,500

Latvia’s “golden visa” is one of the most accessible ways to obtain residency in the EU via passive investments. The minimum is €50,000 in share capital of a Latvian company. The company can employ up to 50 people and have an annual turnover up to €10 million. After approval, an additional €10,000 government fee applies. In total, this is roughly about $64,500.

In essence, the investor receives shares/equity rather than taking on operational management. However, the company must ensure annual corporate taxes of at least €40,000: the business must effectively be active and demonstrate profitability.

Residence is valid for 5 years and requires entering Latvia at least once every 12 months. As an EU/EEA country, Latvia allows permit holders to travel across the Schengen area for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

Permanent residency becomes possible after 5 years. Citizenship is available after 10 years of total residence and passing a Latvian language exam. Latvia’s dual citizenship policy is limited: dual citizenship is generally allowed with the EU/EEA/NATO and a number of other countries, while for citizens of third countries renunciation may be required.

8. Philippines: SIRV and FIV from $75,000

The Philippines offers two passive investor residency programs with the same threshold of $75,000, but with different investment logic.

Special Investor’s Residence Visa (SIRV) requires a $75,000 investment in securities traded on the Philippine Stock Exchange. Foreign Investor Visa (FIV) allows a broader set of qualifying investments. Both programs lead to permanent residency.

SIRV has been around for a long time and has a well-established process. FIV was launched relatively recently and drew attention immediately: in the first month, more than 200 applicants were registered.

Citizenship is usually possible after 10 years of continuous residence. The Philippines allows dual citizenship upon naturalization under the Dual Citizenship Act. A Philippine passport provides about 67 visa-free destinations.

9. Sri Lanka: Investor Visas from $75,000

Sri Lanka offers residency permits from 2 to 10 years across six investment categories, some of which are built on passive instruments. The most affordable entry point is $75,000 in condominiums or in publicly traded securities listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. Both options provide a 5-year visa.

Larger amounts extend the duration and broaden the list of instruments: a $200,000 bank deposit corresponds to a 10-year visa. Treasury bonds are from $250,000 for 5 years or from $400,000 for 10 years.

In most cases, Sri Lanka does not grant permanent residency. The exception is the “bank deposit-to-investment” category under the Resident Guest Scheme: you must deposit $200,000, which is then converted within two years into an approved investment project. This route is often viewed as a potential path toward citizenship—usually after about 5 years.

If an investor only needs a renewable temporary visa without the goal of obtaining a passport, a $75,000 route via condominiums or listed shares may be a practical way to secure a foothold in the Indian Ocean region’s economy.

10. Cabo Verde: Green Card from $94,000

Cabo Verde provides permanent residency through investment in real estate. Entry thresholds start at €80,000 (about $94,000) for areas with lower GDP per capita; in more affluent areas, the minimum increases to €120,000.

The process is straightforward: choose a property, submit documents, and then obtain permanent residency. Typically, review takes 2–4 weeks.

After 5 years of “ordinary residence,” you can apply for citizenship. Cabo Verde allows dual citizenship. The passport provides access to about 75 visa-free destinations, and the country is part of ECOWAS, which grants rights to live and relocate across 15 West African states.

If you like the Atlantic island lifestyle—along with a territorial tax model and relatively low upkeep costs—Cabo Verde can be seen as a “quiet” option, though it is not the most mainstream among candidates.

11. Cambodia: My 2nd Home from $100,000

Cambodia’s M2H program offers an entry status for 10 years, with renewal available to applicants who invest at least $100,000 in real estate projects. Physical presence is usually not required.

At the same time, the details of acceptable investment types are not described in as much depth: authorities evaluate applications on a case-by-case basis. The program is implemented by the Khmer Home Charity Association with support from the Ministry of Interior.

When the investment is maintained for 5 years, status holders typically gain the right to petition for Cambodian citizenship. Cambodia allows dual citizenship. The passport provides about 53 visa-free destinations—so its “mobility value” is lower, but access to Southeast Asia and relatively low cost of living remain common reasons for interest in M2H.

Cambodia also has a separate citizenship by investment program with thresholds starting from about $245,000—for those who want to skip the residency stage.

What stands out from this list

The key difference between active and passive schemes is visible right away in the thresholds. The most budget-friendly active RBI options in this selection (for example, Armenia and the DR Congo) start at roughly $5,000. Meanwhile, the most affordable passive option is Thailand Privilege—around $26,000. This gap reflects market logic: governments usually “lower the price” where the applicant contributes not only capital, but also management and/or employment input into the economy.

The European segment is represented by one option. Latvia, with a threshold of around $64,500, is among the most cost-efficient routes to Schengen residency for passive investors, but there’s a condition: the baseline company must generate enough profit to cover at least €40,000 in corporate taxes every year. The next most affordable “European” route specifically for passive investment is Hungary’s Guest Investor Program (an indicative benchmark is roughly €250,000 via real estate investment funds).

Two programs in the list do not lead directly to permanent residency or citizenship: Thailand Privilege and Egypt. These are better viewed as “transactional” schemes: you purchase legal stay, but it doesn’t turn into a stable path toward naturalization. For building a long-term “mobility portfolio,” this point is critical.

If you’re not sure which program fits you, use the IMI Program Finder: the service helps you systematically compare nearly 300 programs by destination country, investment type, and budget.

Currency conversions are indicative and based on exchange rates as of March 2026; thresholds in local currency may change without altering the core logic of the program. This material is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial, or immigration advice. Before making investments and applying for status, we recommend consulting qualified specialists.

If you’re considering residency/citizenship by investment, it’s crucial to distinguish truly passive programs from schemes that require business management and operational responsibility. At Digital Nomad, we help you assess eligibility criteria, documentation, source-of-funds requirements, and investment structure so you can estimate the real budget and risks before applying. Want to explore suitable options for your situation? Check our Golden Visa page.

Our Telegram channel about various types of Greek residence permits, digital nomad programs, and the Greek Golden Visa: @digitalnomadgr