The 5 Easiest Countries to Get Citizenship Without Investment

What are the easiest countries to get citizenship without investment?

If you lack the capital to access one of those coveted Golden Visa programs, this is a great question. Fortunately, you can gain citizenship in another country and get that second passport without breaking the bank.

In this article, we cover the easiest countries to get citizenship without investment, focusing on two simple criteria:

• Ease of access (low financial and employment requirements)
• Shortest time to naturalization (<3 years of residency!)

Yes, you read that right. Some countries offer citizenship with less than 3 years of residency.

While looking at this list of the easiest countries to get citizenship without investment, check out all our resources on living abroad long-term. Our guide on How to Move Abroad with No Money, for instance, can help you with budgeting and saving money. Here are some other guides to read:

• Digital Nomad and Remote Work Visas
• Easiest Place to Get Citizenship in Europe
• Easiest Countries for US Citizens to Get Citizenship

Now, let’s take a look at the 5 easiest countries to get citizenship without investment. For each country mentioned, we’ll include important details about the country, including:

• Passport power ranking (sourced from Henley & Partners and Passport Index)
• Cost of living (data from Numbeo)
• Freedom ranking (sourced from Freedom House)

IMPORTANT NOTE: All these countries listed allow dual citizenship. Check with your home country to see if you can have dual citizenship with the country listed. If you’re a US citizen, you can obtain a second passport with any of the countries in this article (without giving up US citizenship).

1. Argentina (2 Years)

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Oh, imagine calling the Land of Silver home. Argentina has Buenos Aires, one of the world’s best digital nomad cities, along with great natural scenery, cuisine, wineries, theater and more. The country is also quite affordable. What makes Argentina one of the easiest countries to get citizenship without investment is the short residency requirement: Just 2 years! You can get and maintain a residency permit through one of the following pathways:

• Pensioner Visa (Pensionado Visa): This is a renewable one-year visa. You must prove pension income of roughly $1,010+ plus monthly (subject to changes due to the exchange rate).
• Financier Visa (Rentista Visa): This is a visa for those who don’t have a pension, but are financially independent. You must prove you have $1,010+ plus monthly in income or savings available (subject to changes due to the exchange rate).
• Work Visa: You’ll need to find employment with a business in Argentina. Teaching English is perhaps the easiest option here.

After residing in Argentina for 2+ years, you can appear before a judge and express your will to be an Argentine citizen.

Details on Argentina’s passport and citizenship value:

• Passport power ranking: 17th (Henley & Partners); 12th (Passport Index)
• Cost of living: 35.7 (New York City is 100)
• Freedom ranking: 85 (FREE)

2. Peru (2 Years)

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From bustling Lima and delicious cuisine to the gorgeous Andes and diverse cultures, Peru is a place you’d love calling home. There are some difficulties with qualifying for residence in Peru and getting on the two-year path to citizenship, however, it’s possible if you explore all the options. Options for residency include:

• Resident Work Visa (employment with a Peruvian company)
• Digital Nomad Visa (for self-employed and remote workers)
• Resident Student Visa (for long-term students)
• Family Visa (for reunification with family members who are citizens of Peru)
• Rentista Visa (for retired individuals with pension or social security income)

With a valid permanent residence card in Peru, you’ll be in position to apply for citizenship after two years of living there. Do note you’ll have to pass a language and history and culture test in Spanish to get Peruvian citizenship, so study up while enjoying life there!

Details on Peru’s passport and citizenship value:

• Passport power ranking: 34th (tie) (Henley & Partners); 21st (tie) (Passport Index)
• Cost of living: 30.0 (New York City is 100)
• Freedom ranking: 66 (PARTLY FREE)

3. Poland (3 Years)

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If you’re looking for the easiest countries to get citizenship without investment, Poland is undoubtedly among your best options. Not only is Poland’s naturalization process the fastest in Europe, but the passport offers EU citizenship and all the benefits that come with that. Poland requires the following to apply for citizenship:

• 3 years of valid permanent residency
• Stable source of income
• Right to occupy a dwelling unit

Details on Poland’s passport and citizenship value:

• Passport power ranking: 6th (Henley & Partners); 4th (tie) (Passport Index)
• Cost of living: 40.8 (New York City is 100)
• Freedom ranking: 80 (FREE)

4. Uruguay (3 or 5 Years)

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Uruguay may be South America’s smallest country, but the nation deserves recognition. Progressive, safe and full of culture, Uruguay features beautiful beach coastlines, sizzling steakhouses, incredible architecture and so much more. With an affordable cost of living, modern amenities, and strong civil rights, the country is a great place to call home. Uruguay is among the easiest countries to get citizenship without investment, thanks to a straightforward residency requirement. You can obtain residency without investment through the following routes:

• Independent Means Visa: This is a great option for self-employed individuals and pensioners or retirees. You must show monthly income of $1,500+ to obtain a residence permit. You must stay at least 183 days per year to be able to apply for citizenship.
• Work Visa: You must obtain work with a company registered in Uruguay.

How long it takes to obtain Uruguayan citizenship depends on if you’re arriving single or with a family unit.

• Family units, such as married couples and single people with children, can apply for citizenship after 3 years of residency.
• Single people can apply for citizenship after 5 years of residency.

Details on Uruguay’s passport and citizenship value:

• Passport power ranking: 24th (tie) (Henley & Partners); 20th (tie) (Passport Index)
• Cost of living: 46.3 (New York City is 100)
• Freedom ranking: 96 (FREE)

5. Canada (3 Years Residency out of Last 5 Years)

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Among the easiest countries to get citizenship without investment, Canada perhaps is the most attractive, thanks to a thriving economy and democracy, ample social benefits, and a great mix of cosmopolitan cities and unspoiled cities. Canada offers a variety of pathways to naturalization through residency. Below are just a few examples of residency visas that offer a pathway to Canadian citizenship:

• Express Entry: Suits skilled workers looking to work in the country
• Family Sponsorship: A great option if you have family living in Canada
• Startup Visa: A wonderful route if you plan to start a business

After 3+ years of living in Canada out of the last 5 years, you can apply for citizenship. Note you must show at least 3 years of tax returns to apply for citizenship.

Details on Canada’s passport and citizenship value:

• Passport power ranking: 7th (tie) (Henley & Partners); 8th (tie) (Passport Index)
• Cost of living: 64.8 (New York City is 100)
• Freedom ranking: 97 (FREE)

Citizenship by Descent: The Fastest Path to Citizenship without Investment

This article highlights the easiest countries to get citizenship without investment. The process involves legal residency using self-employment, employment with a company, study at an institution, retirement, or family reunification as a means to obtain the residence permit. We hope you can find a country and residency route that suits you!

With that said, you may have an easier option: Citizenship by descent. We’ve covered this option in our article, Easiest Countries for US Citizens to Get Citizenship. If you can prove lineage to a country, such as Ireland, Italy, Austria, India, Ghana, or Brazil, you can obtain citizenship quite quickly (usually within a year if you have the required documents).

So, consider your ancestry and research to see if citizenship by descent is an option for you.

Which of the Easiest Countries to Get Citizenship Without Investment Will You Choose?

That concludes our article on the easiest countries to get citizenship without investment. It’s nice knowing you don’t have to fork over a small fortune for a second passport. You can simply live legally in a country for a few years and then apply for that second passport.

Do you have any other information or thoughts on this topic? Do you have a country to add to the list? Join us on our Facebook and start the conversation!

About the Author

Nick Callos has always had a passion for reading, writing, and discovering the new and unknown. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Nick holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Boston College. He currently splits his time between his hometown, Chengdu, China, and the open road. A full-time travel writer, Nick hopes his work can inspire others to explore the world more deeply and enjoy the digital nomad lifestyle.

Featured image by Kylie Anderson on Unsplash