The World’s Most Expensive Passports
- Singapore has the world’s most expensive passport, requiring applicants to invest $7.8M for residency.
- Trump’s new proposed ‘Gold Card’ visa will require a $5M investment, becoming the second most expensive program in the world.
- El Salvador, home to the newest program with a minimum investment of $1M, has already approved 3K applicants.
Over the past decade, investment-based residency and citizenship programs, commonly known as golden visas, have become a $25B global industry. Casino of the Kings analyzed the world’s most expensive golden visa and citizenship-by-investment programs.
The ranking is based primarily on the minimum investment needed to qualify, representing the fundamental cost barrier. To provide further context, the analysis incorporates available data on application and approval volumes, as well as measures of public interest interpreted from global online search trends. All information is sourced from official government records and verified reports, covering programs active as of 2025. For consistency, all costs have been converted to U.S. dollars.
Here is the summary of the findings:
| Country | Program | Cost, in $ | Launched | Estimated approved applicants | Average yearly approvals | Searches | Searches for all visas |
| Singapore | Global Investment Program (GIP) | 7,780,000 | 2004 | 1890-2100 | 90-100 | 2.2K | 1.65M |
| US | Gold Visa | 5,000,000 | – | – | – | 75.9K | 5.16M |
| Hong Kong | Capital Investment Entrant Scheme | 3,840,000 | 2003 | N/A | 372 | 600 | 645.1K |
| New Zealand | Active Investor Plus Visa | 2,850,000 | 2022 | 115 | 38 | 4.4K | 1.94M |
| Bermuda | Economic Investment Certificate Program (EIC) | 2,500,000 | 2021 | 89 | 22 | 150 | 7,260 |
| Samoa | Citizenship by Investment Program | 1,420,000 | 2017 | 0 | – | 110 | 3,120 |
| Saudi Arabia | Premium Residency Investor Visa | 1,100,000 | 2019 | N/A | N/A | 1,830 | 4M |
| Seychelles | Investor Permanent Residence Program | 1,000,000 | 2010 | N/A | N/A | 150 | 40.4K |
| El Salvador | Freedom Passport Program | 1,000,000 | 2023 | 2,000-3,000 | 1,000 | 150 | 9.44 |
| Canada | Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) | 871,000 | 2006 | 40,380 | 1,900 | 13K | 1.5M |
Singapore offers the world’s most expensive passport, requiring applicants to invest $7.8M before obtaining citizenship. Launched in 2004, the program has approved approximately 2.1K applicants, averaging about 100 per year. Thanks to Singapore’s strong reputation, it remains one of the most popular programs, with 2.2K online searches.
Trump’s new proposed program swings the USA into second place, becoming the second most expensive Golden Visa, costing $5M. Despite lacking an official announcement, it generates the highest public interest, registering 75.9K searches, more than three times Singapore’s 2.2K.
Hong Kong stands third, with its Capital Investment Entrant Scheme requiring a $3.8M investment. Launched just a year after Singapore’s program, Hong Kong approves significantly more applicants, around 300 per month, which is 200 more than Singapore’s yearly average.
New Zealand takes fourth place, standing out as one of the newest programs in the list. Its Active Investor Plus Visa requires spending of $2.8M. Since launching in 2022, 115 individuals have taken part, while public interest remains strong with 4.4K searches, more than three times that of Hong Kong.
Bermuda rounds out the top five most expensive passports in the world. The Economic Investment Certificate Program (EIC) requires a $2.5M investment for residency approval. Since its launch in 2021, the program has granted residency to 89 applicants, steadily attracting investors.
Samoa comes in sixth, standing out as one of the only programs on this list that offers direct citizenship rather than just residency. With a $1.4M investment, applicants receive full citizenship, a rare feature among similar programs. Despite generating 3.1K searches and increasing interest, this option has not received any applications or approvals.
Saudi Arabia follows in seventh, requiring a $1.1M investment. Since its 2019 launch, the Premium Residency Investor Visa has gained significant attention, with 4M searches, double the volume of New Zealand’s program.
Seychelles takes eighth place, costing applicants $1M to qualify. Since its launch in 2010, the Investor Permanent Residence Program has attracted 40.4K searches.
El Salvador takes ninth place, tying with Seychelles. The Freedom Passport Program requires $1M and, despite launching only two years ago, has already approved between 2K and 3K passport holders, making it the fastest-growing program on the list. Like Samoa, it is one of the few countries offering full citizenship through a substantial investment.
Canada finishes off the list of countries with the world’s most expensive passports. Launched in 2006, the Quebec Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) requires an $871K investment to qualify. It attracts strong interest, with 1.5M searches, three times more than Hong Kong’s program.
A spokesperson from the best Canadian casino reviews website commented, “Golden Visa programs are about more than just the investment; they open doors to new opportunities and a fresh start in a different part of the world. For many people, it’s about securing a better future for their family, gaining freedom to live and work internationally, and feeling safe in a stable environment. These programs reflect how global mobility is becoming a key part of modern life for those looking to expand their horizons.”