What is investor visa

What is an Investor Visa?

Introduction

Investor-Visa two words often thrown around in a bad light. However, that might be because most people in Western countries do not care or need them so they only hear the worst. For people elsewhere, they are an almost unattainable goal like a Ferrari to a teenager.

An investor visa is a type of visa that allows foreigners to live in a country in exchange for a form of investment. This can vary from investment into a local company, real estate, bonds, or even charitable donation.

Investor Visa: Overview

Investor visas go by many names such as golden visa, business immigration program, and Economic residency. The names might change depending on the country but their purpose remains the same regardless of the country. Investor visas are designed to encourage high-net-worth individuals into investing in the local economy of the country. Countries often do this by offering favourable taxation regimes, local workforce expertise, and existing business networks. It is believed that attracting high-net-worth individuals. It will boost local economies through these economic factors.

Business Creation

An often common option for people looking to move to a new country through an investor visa is to either start a business or invest in an already existing business. Business investment programs usually require a fairly significant investment. Some countries have a very broad spectrum that allows for business investment but in some countries, they restrict investment to only specific industries like technology, manufacturing or infrastructure.

Job Creation

Job creation is the holy grail for politicians if a family all of a sudden has the opportunity to take up a new job that will elevate their social status they will be loyal to the political party that brought in those jobs. Foreigners that come in and start a new business are more than likely to hire local workers for that new business. This elevates locals into better socioeconomic statuses, drops unemployment rates and boosts economic activity as a whole. So it’s often in a politician’s best interest to try and bring in as many potential entrepreneurs and investors as possible.

Capital Investment

For people not starting businesses and just want a secure place to park their cash, these investor visas benefit local economies also. Similar to business creation a capital investment will get you a residency the amount you have to invest is commonly higher than business creation just because you are putting the investment into someone else’s hands to do the work.

Technologic Advancement

Often times investors will come from more countries that are considered more technologically advanced so when they bring their expertise and business history into a new economy that’s currently lacking that technology or efficiency.

Increased Tax Revenue

New individuals coming into a country is another person that contributes to the country’s tax coffers. Even if it’s in a country like the UAE (Dubai) where for the most part they do not tax an individual income. They still contribute through VAT taxes and other sources.

What countries offer an Investor Visa?

More countries offer a type of Investment Visa than countries that do not. Below is a list of every country that offers a type of investor visa and if they have multiple different kinds.

CountryInvestor Visas
Afghanistan 🇦🇫N/A
Albania 🇦🇱1. Albanian D Visa
Algeria 🇩🇿1. General Business visa
Andorra 🇦🇩1. Qualifying Individual Residency
2. the Entrepreneur Residency
3. Passive Residency (PR).
Angola 🇦🇴1.Visto de Residência Temporária para Exercício de Atividades Profissionais
Antigua and Barbuda 🇦🇬1. National Development Fund
2. Real Estate Investment: Investing in approved real estate projects.
3. Business Investment: Making a substantial investment in an approved business.
Argentina 🇦🇷1.Visa de Inversionista
Armenia 🇦🇲1. Armenian Investor Visa Program
Australia 🇦🇺1. Business Innovation and Investment (Provisional) visa 
Austria 🇦🇹1. Citizenship by Investment
2. Private Residence Program
Azerbaijan 🇦🇿1. Permit for temporary residence
Bahamas 🇧🇸1. Bahamas Economic Permanent Residence
Bahrain 🇧🇭1. LMRA Investor Visa
Bangladesh 🇧🇩1. General business visa
Barbados 🇧🇧1. Business investor visa
Belarus 🇧🇾1. Permanent Residence Permit
Belgium 🇧🇪1. Belgian Investor Visa also known as the Belgium Golden Visa or Belgium Investor Program
Belize 🇧🇿Belize Qualified Retirement Program (QRP)
Benin 🇧🇯1. Benin Business Visa
Bhutan 🇧🇹N/A
Bolivia 🇧🇴1. Permanent Working/Resident visa
Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦1. Foreign Direct Investment visa
Botswana 🇧🇼1. Botswana Investment Visa
Brazil 🇧🇷1. Investor Visa (Visto de Investidor)
2. Entrepreneur Visa (Visto de Empreendedor)
3. Start-up Visa (Visto de Start-up)
4. Technical Services Visa (Visto de Serviços Técnicos)
5. Investor Retirement Visa (Visto de Investidor Aposentado)
Brunei 🇧🇳1. Entrepreneur Pass
Bulgaria 🇧🇬1. Bulgarian Investor Visa
Burkina Faso 🇧🇫1. General Investor Visa
Burundi 🇧🇮N/A
Capo Verde 🇨🇻1. Citizenship by Investment
Cambodia 🇰🇭1. Cambodia my second home visa
2. Citizenship by Investment
Cameroon 🇨🇲1. General Business Visa
Canada 🇨🇦1. Start-Up Visa Program
2. Entrepreneur Visa
Central African Republic 🇨🇫1. Citizenship by Investment
2. Residency by Investment
Chad 🇹🇩N/A
Chile 🇨🇱1. Chilean Investor Visa
China 🇨🇳1. Entreprenur Visa
Colombia 🇨🇴1. Colombia M Visa
2. Colombia R Visa
Comoros 🇰🇲N/A
Congo, Democratic Republic 🇨🇩1. Establishment Investor Visa
Congo, Republic of the 🇨🇬1. General Business Visa
Costa Rica 🇨🇷1. Golden Visa Program
Cote d’Ivoire 🇨🇮1. N/A
Croatia 🇭🇷1. Residence Investor Program
Cuba 🇨🇺1. Residente de Inmobiliaria
Cyprus 🇨🇾1. Cyprus Golden Visa
Czech Republic 🇨🇿1. Czech Business investor visa
Denmark 🇩🇰1. Denmark Start-up Visa
Djibouti 🇩🇯1. N/A
Dominica 🇩🇲1. Citizenship by Investment
Dominican Republic 🇩🇴1. Dominican Republic Investor’s Residency (REVIP) Program
East Timor 🇹🇱1. Business Visa Class 1 & Class 2
Ecuador 🇪🇨1. Temporary residence visa for investors
Egypt 🇪🇬1. Citizenship by Investment
El Salvador 🇸🇻1. N/A
Equatorial Guinea 🇬🇶1. Residence Permit for Investment
Eritrea 🇪🇷N/A
Estonia 🇪🇪1. Estonia Investor Visa
2. Estonia Virtual Residency
Eswatini 🇸🇿N/A
Ethiopia 🇪🇹1. Investment Visa-IV
Fiji 🇫🇯1. Golden Investor Visa
Finland 🇫🇮1. Finland Investor Visa
France 🇫🇷1. Talent Passport
Gabon 🇬🇦1. Investor Residence Permit
Gambia 🇬🇲N/A
Georgia 🇬🇪1. Residence Permit for Business Investors
2. Start-up Visa
3. Special Residency Status for Investors
Germany 🇩🇪1. Entrepreneurial Visa
Ghana 🇬🇭N/A
Greece 🇬🇷1. Greek Golden Visa
Grenada 🇬🇩1. Citizenship by Investment
Guatemala 🇬🇹1. Investor Visa
Guinea 🇬🇳1. Guinea Business Visa
Guinea-Bissau 🇬🇼1. N/A
Guyana 🇬🇾1. N/A
Haiti 🇭🇹1. N/A
Honduras 🇭🇳1. Special Investor Resident Visa
Hungary 🇭🇺1. Residency Bond Program
2. Business Immigration Program
3. Start-up Visa
4. Investor Residency Program
Iceland 🇮🇸1. C business visa / D long term business visa
India 🇮🇳1. Business Visa
Indonesia 🇮🇩1. Investor KITAS (Limited Stay Permit for Investment)
2. Investor KITAP
Iran 🇮🇷1. Iranian Foreign Investment Visa
Iraq 🇮🇶N/A
Ireland 🇮🇪1. Irish Investment Visa
Israel 🇮🇱1. B-5 Investor Visa
Italy 🇮🇹1. Investor Visa
2. Start-up Visa
3. Italian Golden Visa
4. Elective Residence Visa
Jamaica 🇯🇲1. N/A
Japan 🇯🇵1. Business Manager Visa
2. Investor Visa
Jordan 🇯🇴1. Jordan Investor Visa
Kazakhstan 🇰🇿1. Ashyk Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan Investor Visa)
Kenya 🇰🇪1. Keninvest
Kiribati 🇰🇮1. N/A
North Korea 🇰🇵1. N/A
South Korea 🇰🇷1. D-8 Visa
2. D-9 Visa
Kosovo 🇽🇰1. N/A
Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬1. Kyrgystan Investors Visa
Laos 🇱🇦1. General Business Visa
Latvia 🇱🇻1. Residence Permit for Investment (Latvia Golden Visa)
Lebanon 🇱🇧1. N/A
Lesotho 🇱🇸1. N/A
Liberia 🇱🇷1. N/A
Libya 🇱🇾1. N/A
Liechtenstein 🇱🇮1. N/A
Lithuania 🇱🇹1. Business Start-up visa (Lithuania Golden Visa)
Luxembourg 🇱🇺1. Luxembourg Residence by Investment Program
Madagascar 🇲🇬1. Madagascar Investor Visa
Malawi 🇲🇼1. N/A
Malaysia 🇲🇾1. Malaysia My Second Home Visa
2. Malaysia Investment Promotion Scheme
3. Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation
Maldives 🇲🇻1. Corporate Residence Visa
Mali 🇲🇱1/ N/A
Malta 🇲🇹1. Malta Individual Investor Programme
2. Malta Residence and Visa Programme
3. Global Residence Programme
Marshall Islands 🇲🇭1. N/A
Mauritania 🇲🇷1. N/A
Mauritius 🇲🇺1. Mauritius’ residence program
Mexico 🇲🇽1. Temporary Resident Visa
2. Immigrant Investor Program
Micronesia 🇫🇲1. N/A
Moldova 🇲🇩1. Moldova Citizenship-by-Investment
Monaco 🇲🇨Monaco investor visa
Mongolia 🇲🇳1. Mongolia Investor Visa
Montenegro 🇲🇪1. Residence Permit for Investment
2. Business Start-up and Investment
Morocco 🇲🇦1. Residence Permit for Investment
Mozambique 🇲🇿1. Mozambique Residence Permit by Investment
Myanmar (Burma) 🇲🇲1. General Business Visa
Namibia 🇳🇦1. Residency by Investment Permit
Nauru 🇳🇷1. N/A
Nepal 🇳🇵1. N/A
Netherlands 🇳🇱1. DAFT Visa: Under the Dutch American Friendship Treaty
2. Dutch residence permit for foreign investors
New Zealand 🇳🇿1. New Zealand Investor Visa
Nicaragua 🇳🇮1. Investor Permanent Residency Program
2. Nicaragua Rentista and Pensionado Visas
Niger 🇳🇪1. N/A
Nigeria 🇳🇬1. F4C-Business Visa
2. N3B-Investor Visa
North Macedonia 🇲🇰1. North Macedonia Citizenship by Investment Program (Not currently available)
Norway 🇳🇴1. Norway Investment Visa
Oman 🇴🇲1. Oman Investor Residence Visa
Pakistan 🇵🇰1. Pakistan Investment Visa
Palau 🇵🇼1. Palau Virtual Residency
Panama 🇵🇦1. Panama residence by Investment program (Panama Friendly Nations Visa)
Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬1. Business Visa
Paraguay 🇵🇾1. SUACE Paraguay Investor Permanent Residency Program
Peru 🇵🇪1. Peruvian Investor visa
2. Investor Resident Visa for Specialized Investors
3. Business Investor Visa
The Philippines 🇵🇭1. Special Investor’s Resident Visa (SIRV)
2. Special Non-Immigrant Visa
Poland 🇵🇱1. Business Investor visa
2. Start-Up Visa
3. EU Blue Card
Portugal 🇵🇹1. Golden Visa Program
2. Start-Up Visa
3. Tech Visa
4. Investment Activity Visa
5. D2 & D3 Visa
Qatar 🇶🇦1. Qatar Investor Visa
Romania 🇷🇴1. Immigrant Investor Program
Russia 🇷🇺1. Russian Golden Visa
Rwanda 🇷🇼1. Rwanda Business Investor Visa
Saint Kitts and Nevis 🇰🇳1. Citizenship by Investment
Saint Lucia 🇱🇨1. Citizenship by Investment
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 🇻🇨1. N/A
Samoa 🇼🇸1. Citizenship by Investment
San Marino 🇸🇲1. San Marino Residency for Economic Reasons
Sao Tome and Principe 🇸🇹1. N/A
Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦1. Visitor Investor Visa
2. Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) License
Senegal 🇸🇳N/A
Serbia 🇷🇸1. Serbia Investor Visa
Seychelles 🇸🇨1. Seychelles Golden Investor Visa
Sierra Leone 🇸🇱1. N/A
Singapore 🇸🇬1. EntrePass
2. Global Investor Program (GIP)
3. Singapore Permanent Residence (PR)
Slovakia 🇸🇰1. Slovakia Investment Visa
Slovenia 🇸🇮1. Solvenia Investor Visa
Solomon Islands 🇸🇧1. Citizenship by Investment (Not available yet)
Somalia 🇸🇴1. N/A
South Africa 🇿🇦South Africa Investor Visa
South Sudan 🇸🇸1. N/A
Spain 🇪🇸1. Golden Visa
2. Entreprenur Visa
3. Start-Up Visa
4. Investor Residency Visa
Sri Lanka 🇱🇰1. Golden Paradise Residence Visa Program
Sudan 🇸🇩1. N/A
Suriname 🇸🇷1. Citizenship by investment (Not available yet)
Sweden 🇸🇪1. Sweden investment visa
Switzerland 🇨🇭1. Residence Permits for Entrepreneurs
2. Swiss Golden Visa
Syria 🇸🇾1. N/A
Taiwan 🇹🇼1. Employment Gold Card
2. Investment Visa
3. Entrepreneur Visa
Tajikistan 🇹🇯1. Free Economic Zone (FEZ)
Tanzania 🇹🇿1. Class A resident Permit
Thailand 🇹🇭1. Retirement Visa
2. Investment visa
3. Elite Visa
4. Business Visa
Togo 🇹🇬1. N/A
Tonga 🇹🇴1. Business Visa
Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹1. N/A
Tunisia 🇹🇳1. Tunisia Golden Visa for real estate
Turkey 🇹🇷1. Turquoise Card
2. Citizenship by Investment
3. Investment Incentives
Turkmenistan 🇹🇲1. N/A
Tuvalu 🇹🇻1. N/A
Uganda 🇺🇬1. N/A
Ukraine 🇺🇦1. Business Immigration:
2. Start-up Visa
3. Agro-Visa
United Arab Emirates 🇦🇪1. Investor Visa
2. Golden Visa
3. Business Investor Visa
4. Free Zone Investor Visa
United Kingdom 🇬🇧1. Tier 1 (Investor) Visa
2. Innovator Visa
3. Start-up Visa
4. Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Visa (Closed to new applicants)
United States 🇺🇸1. EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
2. E-2 Treaty Investor Visa
Uruguay 🇺🇾1. Uruguay Independent Means Visa
2. Uruguay Investor Visa
Uzbekistan 🇺🇿1. Investor Visa
Vanuatu 🇻🇺1. Citizenship by investment
Vatican City 🇻🇦1. N/A
Venezuela 🇻🇪1. Venezuela Investor visa
2. Venezuela Rentista Visa
Vietnam 🇻🇳1. Business Investment Visa
193 Countries that are Member States of the United Nations

Typical Investment Criteria

Every investor visa has different criteria depending on the country. There are common things countries often want when it comes to investor visas.

Minimum Investment Amount

Depending on the type of investor visa, and the country you’re applying for changes the minimum investment amount. It’s typical to see anywhere from 50,000usd – 2,000,000usd. It varies greatly depending on the country. A rule of thumb for how much they cost is the more advanced the country is the more expensive it will be to apply for a program.

Business Plan

For programmes where you’re coming into the country as an entrepreneur, it’s usual that you will need to present a business plan to the regulators.

Job Creation

As mentioned earlier in the blog countries want to see that your investment will create jobs. Job creation is the holy grail for politicians so if your business or investment is going to create jobs. Politicians will roll out the red carpet for you.

Background Check

Due to events such as the Panama papers applying for investor visas actually comes with a lot of red tape around the background check. Countries don’t want to be letting serious criminals into their countries even if they do have lots of money. This process usually involves sending in bank statements, audited financial statements, or other articles of financial proof.

Conclusion

Although investor visas might have a bad reputation based on ignorance not so much fact. Investor visas are powerful tools that offer individuals and their families the opportunity to explore global investment prospects and establish a new life in a foreign country. Throughout this blog post, we have explored the essential details surrounding investor visas, and putting light on what they actually are to dispel the myth of shade bankers in suits with briefcases full of money.

An investor visa can be your ticket to a new life either through residency or even citizenship in some cases. By investing in a new country’s economy you can contribute to its growth, and growth for the host country is also growth for you personally. When you are such an important pillar in a country’s economy this can also come with very good tax advantages that will let you keep more of your hard-earned money.

Not every investor visa will be right for you and your business. It is crucial to look at all the options and consult professionals. Seeking professional guidance with consults such as Yonderprenur and immigration lawyers. This will greatly improve your chances of success when planning your venture beyond borders.

Schedule a call with Yonderpreneur today and together we can come up with a plan to bring you and your business beyond the borders of a single country.