Residency vs citizenship by investment: the essentials
Understand residency vs citizenship by investment, and the checks that decide which one fits your family.
Free — the whole course, with a certificate when you finish.
- Lessons
- 6 in 3 modules
- Total time
- About 1 h 2 min
- Level
- Beginner
- Taught by
- Kaitu consultants
"Investment migration" covers two quite different outcomes. Residency by investment gives you the right to live in a country, usually with conditions, while you keep your existing citizenship. Citizenship by investment gives you a second nationality and a second passport, usually permanent and often able to be passed to your children. Understanding that distinction is the first, and most important, step in choosing well.
This short course explains the two outcomes in plain English, how the main types of qualifying route work, the three practical checks every family should make first (physical presence, family inclusion and dual citizenship), what due diligence involves, and why time, tax and changing rules shape planning more than most people expect. It closes with how to choose an adviser and how to take a calm first step.
The course deliberately does not quote amounts or name programmes as currently open. Investment levels and government charges vary widely and change, and programmes are revised, paused and closed, sometimes with little notice. What changes much more slowly is the way to think about them, and that is what you will learn here.
What you’ll be able to do
- Explain, in one sentence, the difference between residency and citizenship by investment.
- Describe the main types of qualifying route and ask five questions that reveal how any route really works.
- Check your family against the three practical filters: presence, family inclusion and dual citizenship.
- Understand what due diligence reviews, and the difference between source of funds and source of wealth.
- Recognise why immigration status and tax residence are separate questions.
- Spot the red flags that should make you pause when choosing an adviser.
Syllabus
6 lessons · about 1 h 2 min · preview lessons are open to everyone
Module 1The core distinction
- Two different outcomes Free preview9 min
- How qualifying routes work 10 min
Module 2The practical checks
- Three checks first: presence, family and dual citizenship 12 min
- Due diligence, without the worry 10 min
Module 3Planning with care
- Time, tax and changing rules 10 min
- Choosing an adviser, and your first step 11 min
Who it’s for
- Families who have heard about "golden visas" or second passports and want to understand the basics calmly.
- Parents exploring whether residency could support a child's education abroad.
- Business owners and professionals thinking about a long-term "plan B".
- Anyone who wants to be well prepared before speaking to an adviser.
What’s included
- 2 short films
- 6 written lessons
- 3 printable worksheets
- 3 short quizzes
- Progress and notes saved as you go
- A certificate of completion to print
Your instructor
Kaitu consultantsWritten by the Kaitu team — the consultants who guide families through residency & citizenship every day. Meet the team.Questions
No. The right programme depends entirely on your family's goals, nationalities and circumstances, and programmes change. The course teaches you how to think about any programme and which questions to ask, so you can judge options for yourself.
Investment levels, government charges and professional charges vary widely between countries and routes, and they change. Any figure risks being wrong by the time you read it. Those details are best discussed privately, against current official information.
Sometimes, but not usually by converting one programme into another. Residency can open the door to naturalisation, the ordinary route to citizenship, which has its own requirements. This varies by country; Lesson 3 explains what to ask.
No. It is general information. Immigration and tax questions depend on your circumstances and on the law of several countries at once, so take qualified advice before you commit to anything.
Yes. Residency & citizenship by investment: complete course goes much deeper into programme structures, due diligence, dependants, comparison and timelines.
