Data Study · 2026
The cheapest & fastest second passport in 2026
A second passport is no longer just for the ultra-rich. A handful of countries still grant citizenship by investment — a passport, not just residence — and they differ wildly on the only two things most buyers care about: how cheap and how fast. We rank every open programme by minimum cost, processing time and what the passport is actually worth (visa-free reach, Henley 2026). Every figure is verified at source and dated. Looking for residence instead? See our Golden & Investor Visa Tracker.
$115kCheapest — Nauru
1–2 monthsFastest — Vanuatu
157Most powerful — St Kitts & Nevis
Sort:
| Country & programme | Minimum cost | Time to passport | Visa-free reach | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇳🇷NauruEconomic & Climate Resilience Citizenship | US$115,000Asia-Pacific | 3–4 months | 86destinations · #52 | Launched Nov 2024; the contribution funds a climate-relocation programme. Single-applicant floor rose from US$105k on 1 Jul 2026. |
| 🇻🇺VanuatuDevelopment Support Programme | US$130,000Asia-Pacific | 1–2 months | 87destinations · #51 | The world’s fastest CBI — but the EU fully suspended its Schengen visa waiver over the scheme, so its reach is far below the Caribbean. |
| 🇩🇲DominicaCitizenship by Investment (EDF) | US$200,000Caribbean | 6–9 months | 145destinations · #26 | The lowest Caribbean donation floor; strong value for a single applicant. |
| 🇦🇬Antigua & BarbudaCitizenship by Investment (NDF) | US$230,000Caribbean | 3–6 months | 154destinations · #22 | Best value for a family of four — the NDF floor covers up to four applicants. |
| 🇬🇩GrenadaCitizenship by Investment (NTF) | US$235,000Caribbean | 4–6 months | 147destinations · #25 | The only Caribbean CBI with US E-2 treaty access — and visa-free China. |
| 🇱🇨St LuciaCitizenship by Investment (NEF) | US$240,000Caribbean | 3–6 months | 144destinations · #27 | OECS harmonised floor; also offers an interest-bearing bond route. |
| 🇰🇳St Kitts & NevisCitizenship by Investment (SISC) | US$250,000Caribbean | 4–6 months | 157destinations · #19 | The original CBI (1984) and the strongest Caribbean passport; a 60-day accelerated option exists. |
| 🇪🇬EgyptCitizenship by Investment | US$250,000Africa | 6–9 months | 49destinations · #84 | No residence or language requirement — but the weakest passport in this table by reach. |
| 🇹🇷TürkiyeCitizenship by Investment | US$400,000Middle East | 6–8 months | 113destinations · #44 | The largest CBI by volume; the real-estate route (held 3 years) also opens a US E-2 investor pathway. |
| 🇸🇻El SalvadorFreedom Visa | US$1,000,000 in BTC / USDTAmericas | Varies | 131destinations · #33 | The world’s first crypto-funded citizenship (Dec 2024); capped at 1,000 grants per year. |
How we ranked these
- Citizenship, not residence. Every programme here grants an actual passport. Pure residence-by-investment “golden visas” (Portugal, the UAE, Greece and the rest) are a different product and live in our Golden & Investor Visa Tracker. We include only programmes that are currently open — Malta’s citizenship route was struck down by the EU Court of Justice in April 2025 and is excluded.
- Cost is the cheapest qualifying route. We show the lowest single-applicant donation/contribution. Family pricing, real-estate routes and due-diligence and government fees add to every figure — treat these as the floor, not the all-in total.
- Timelines are typical, not guaranteed. Processing times are the published ranges to passport; due diligence can extend them. Vanuatu is the fastest (often 1–2 months); the Caribbean runs a few months to under a year.
- Reach uses one consistent index. Visa-free figures are visa-free + visa-on-arrival destinations per the Henley Passport Index 2026, so every row is comparable. Other indices count differently and quote higher numbers; we use one source on purpose.
- Cheap can mean weak — and reach can be revoked. Egypt is inexpensive but its passport opens the fewest destinations here. Vanuatu is fast and cheap, but the EU fully suspended its Schengen visa waiver over the scheme, so its reach is far below the Caribbean. The best-value passports balance all three columns — which is why St Kitts, Antigua and Grenada rank so well.
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Visa Search by Altoglobe. (2026). Cheapest & Fastest Second Passport (2026). Retrieved from https://www.thevisasearch.com/cheapest-fastest-second-passportEmbed on your site
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.thevisasearch.com/cheapest-fastest-second-passport">Cheapest & Fastest Second Passport (2026)</a> by Visa Search by Altoglobe.</p>