The investment migration market entered 2025 facing questions about the durability of one of its core value propositions: mobility. By year’s end, those questions had crystallized into concrete policy actions.
From Norway’s systematic (and potentially illegal) denial of CBI passport holders at its borders to coordinated Caribbean responses to potential US travel restrictions; a record 5 million article views on IMI Daily this year revealed an audience closely tracking these developments, searching for clarity amid regulatory uncertainty and seeking alternatives as traditional pathways face increased scrutiny.
What emerges from this year’s most-read stories is a market at an inflection point. Governments are recalibrating their approach to RCBI programs, compliance standards are tightening across jurisdictions, and the fundamental bargain underlying investment migration is being renegotiated in real time.
Here are the 10 stories that most captured our readers’ attention this year:
#10 – Prove Your Income and Get Free Residency: 40 Countries with Independent Means Visas
This guide to independent means visas (residency programs requiring proof of passive income or savings rather than capital investment) struck a chord with readers seeking alternatives to traditional golden visa schemes. While CBI programs face mounting scrutiny and steeper price tags, these permits offer a compelling pathway for the financially self-sufficient.
The article detailed requirements and timelines across 40 jurisdictions, from Colombia’s Pensionado Visa requiring just $900 monthly income, to Europe’s more demanding schemes.
#9 – St Kitts Revokes 13 Citizenships, Blacklists 2 Well-Known Marketing Agents
St Kitts and Nevis revoked citizenship from 13 investors and permanently blacklisted two marketing agents after investigators found they had marketed the program below statutory minimums and provided false assurances of discounts.
The revocations, which came with no refunds, followed a government investigation into 158 applications linked to the agents.
The enforcement action reflects the government’s pledge to take a harder line against fraudulent applicants and the intermediaries who facilitate questionable applications.
#8 – Portugal’s Parliament Votes to Approve Extending Citizenship Timeline to 7-10 Years
Portugal’s parliament approved legislation extending the naturalization timeline from five years to between seven and ten years, marking a significant shift for golden visa holders who had previously viewed Portuguese citizenship as a medium-term attainable goal.
The reform represents part of a broader recalibration of Portugal’s immigration policy, following the earlier elimination of real estate from the golden visa program.
While the final law is set for another Parliamentary debate following a recent Constitutional Court ruling, the extended timeline seems likely to remain in place, potentially altering the value proposition of Portugal’s diverse residency programs.
#7 – Von der Leyen Announces €10 Million EU Golden Passport in Surprise Policy Reversal
This story, published on April 1st, was a satirical piece, marking our annual April Fool’s – poking fun at the investment migration industry’s propensity for dramatic policy announcements.
The fictional announcement of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen launching a €10 million EU citizenship program demonstrated that even what we think of as obvious satire can capture widespread attention when it touches on the sector’s most sensitive pressure points.
The piece playfully highlighted the tension between the European Commission’s public opposition to CBI programs and the economic realities facing member states.
#6 – Postponed: ETIAS Travel Authorization System Won’t Become Mandatory Until 2027
The European Union postponed its European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) until late 2026, pushing back what many anticipated as a game-changer for visa-free travel to the Schengen Area. The requirement becomes fully mandatory by April 2027.
The delay gives travelers and the investment migration market more time to prepare for the new pre-authorization requirement, though advisors had already begun briefing clients on the coming changes.
Once launched, ETIAS will require visa-exempt travelers from 59 countries to complete an online application and pay a €7 fee before short stays in the Schengen Area. The authorization will remain valid for three years or until the traveler’s passport expires..
#5 – Italy Adopts Decree Restricting Citizenship by Descent
In March 2025, Italy moved to restrict citizenship by descent to address the explosion in applications from descendants of Italian emigrants, particularly from Latin America.
The decree introduced stricter documentation requirements and limited genealogical claims to two generations, meaning citizenship by descent now requires at least one parent or grandparent born in Italy.
The reform also introduced the principle of an “effective bond” with Italy, requiring applicants to demonstrate genuine recent ties to the country rather than relying solely on ancestral lineage. The changes affected thousands of pending applications and marked a dramatic shift from Italy’s previously unlimited ius sanguinis system.
#4 – Antigua and Dominica PMs Respond to US Travel Ban
Following Trump’s December 16 proclamation restricting US visa access for Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica, which explicitly cited their CBI programs as a security risk, both prime ministers responded swiftly. Published just last week, this story has already drawn hundreds of thousands of readers.
Antigua’s Gaston Browne disputed the characterization, highlighting recent 30-day residency requirements and year-long cooperation with US departments. Dominica pledged to engage urgently with US authorities to clarify the restrictions and protect citizens’ interests.
The US administration said it will review the restrictions every six months.
#3 – DOJ Now Using Past Tax Mistakes to Strip US Citizenship
The US Department of Justice established denaturalization as an enforcement priority, with a June memorandum outlining ten categories for citizenship revocation that extended beyond war criminals to include tax violations and financial fraud.
Naturalized citizens who made even one tax error before obtaining citizenship could now face denaturalization if they fail to disclose it during the naturalization process, potentially creating two levels of citizenship: native-born Americans face fines for tax fraud, while naturalized Americans can lose their citizenship entirely.
#2 – Caribbean Nations Respond to Reported US Travel Ban
Reports emerged in March that the Trump administration was considering placing four Caribbean CBI countries on a travel restriction list, with Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts & Nevis, and Saint Lucia appearing on a “yellow list” in a draft proposal.
None of the governments received official communication from Washington, prompting urgent diplomatic inquiries.
#1 – Confirmed: Norway Quietly Denying Entry to CBI Passport Holders
Published December 15, this story became one of the most viral articles in IMI Daily’s history, accumulating massive readership in less than 10 days, and still counting.
IMI’s exclusive reporting revealed that Norway, an EU member, had been systematically denying entry to holders of Caribbean CBI passports since August, despite official denials from Norwegian immigration authorities.
The practice primarily affects citizens of all five Caribbean CBI countries (Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and Saint Lucia) and operates without public regulation or advance notice for travelers.
Which stories could steer investment migration in 2026?
2026 could mark a pivotal year for the market. Ambitious new programs are poised to launch and reshape the landscape, while some established players may face their most serious challenges yet.
Key developments we’ll be tracking include:
- Argentina steps onto center stage: The headline is no longer “if” but “what and when.” Argentina is gearing up for the industry’s most anticipated CBI launch, with key parameters not yet public. Investment thresholds, qualifying assets, due diligence standards, and processing architecture will determine whether it becomes a flagship or a footnote.
- Brussels vs. the Caribbean five: Brussels now holds stronger suspension tools. Any credible move on Schengen access for the five Caribbean CBI states would immediately affect pricing, due diligence posture, and client sequencing.
- America’s tightening grip: The United States has already acted against Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, and its broader posture on migration and security is hardening. That trajectory shows few signs of easing under Trump, potentially placing Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Grenada squarely in Washington’s crosshairs.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and holding us to a high standard.
As always, IMI will strive to keep you ahead of the curve in 2026; first, precise, and sourced.
From our team to yours: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
