Many of the world’s citizenship by investment programs (CIPs) impose restrictions on the countries and territories from which they accept applications. We’ve compiled an overview of which nationals are barred from applying for each of the major citizenship by investment programs.
Citizens of a particular country are either eligible, ineligible with exceptions, or ineligible to apply for a citizenship by investment program; While some programs impose blanket restrictions on certain nationalities under any circumstance, others impose partial restrictions that allow more room for individual considerations. Others yet impose no restrictions at all but treat applications from risk-prone regions with extra care.
If you find we’ve made a mistake in compiling this list, please email the editor on cn@imidaily.com.
| Applicant Origin | Antigua & Barbuda | Dominica | Grenada | Malta | Montenegro | St Kitts & Nevis | Saint Lucia | Turkey | Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Ineligible* | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible |
| Armenia | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible |
| Belarus | Ineligible | Ineligible | Ineligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Eligible |
| Cuba | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible |
| DR Congo | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible |
| Iran | Ineligible* | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Ineligible* |
| Iraq | Eligible | Ineligible* | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible* |
| Nigeria | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible |
| North Korea | Ineligible* | Ineligible* | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Ineligible* |
| Russia | Ineligible | Ineligible | Ineligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Eligible |
| Somalia | Ineligible* | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible |
| South Sudan | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible |
| Sudan | Ineligible* | Ineligible* | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible |
| Syria | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible |
| Venezuela | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible |
| Yemen | Ineligible* | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Eligible | Ineligible* |
Antigua & Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Program
- Afghanistan
- Iran
- North Korea
- Russia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Yemen
Nationals of the countries listed are in principle ineligible to apply for citizenship by investment in Antigua and Barbuda but may become eligible if they meet the following criteria:
“Individuals born in these restricted countries but who migrated before the age of majority and/or have maintained permanent residence in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, for a period of not less than 10 years and maintain no economic ties to any restricted country.”
Dominica Citizenship by Investment Program
Russians, Belarusians, Syrians, and Northern Iraqis (those from the cities of Erbil, Amedi, Dahuk, Kirkuk, Lalish, Raniya, Soran, Sulaymaniyah, and Zakho) are banned outright. Nationals from the following countries
- North Korea
- Sudan
will only be considered if such persons
- have not lived in these countries for the last 10 years;
- have no substantial assets there; and
- are not performing and have not performed any business or similar activity, in whole or in part, in or with these countries.
Grenada Citizenship by Investment Program
Grenada does not explicitly restrict citizens of any countries or territories.
Malta MEIN Policy
Applicants who are nationals of or have close ties to the following countries are ineligible for naturalization in Malta under the MEIN Policy:
- Afghanistan
- DR Congo
- Iran
- North Korea
- Russia
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Venezuela
- Yemen
Montenegro Citizenship by Investment Program
Montenegro does not explicitly restrict citizens of any countries or territories.
Saint Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program
Nationals of the following countries are ineligible, without exceptions, for participation in the Saint Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program:
- Afghanistan
- Cuba
- Iran
- North Korea
- Russia
Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Program
- Iran
- Russia
Turkey Citizenship by Investment Program
Nationals of the following countries are ineligible for Turkey’s citizenship by Investment Program
- Armenia
- Cuba
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Syria
Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment Program (VDSP and VCP)
Citizens of the following countries are ineligible for citizenship by investment in Vanuatu unless they have resided outside their home countries for at least five years and can prove they are permanent residents of another country:
- Iran
- Iraq
- North Korea
- Yemen
Newsletter
Christian Henrik Nesheim is the founder and editor of Investment Migration Insider, the #1 magazine – online or offline – for residency and citizenship by investment. He is an internationally recognized expert, speaker, documentary producer, and writer on the subject of investment migration, whose work is cited in the Economist, Bloomberg, Fortune, Forbes, Newsweek, and Business Insider. Norwegian by birth, Christian has spent the last 14 years in the United States, China, and Spain.