Latest Investment Migration Changes: Citizenship and Residency

by Adam Fayed on September 17, 2026

Grenada, New Zealand, and Latvia are among the countries that have introduced significant citizenship or residency by investment changes in 2026.

Across these and other jurisdictions, the developments range from new physical presence and citizenship requirements to revised investment options, nationality rules, and investment residence frameworks.

Some changes are already in force, while others are scheduled for implementation.

Key Takeaways

Rules are tightening in countries like Grenada, while New Zealand is adding more investment flexibility.
Governments are placing greater emphasis on applicant ties, source of funds, oversight and compliance.
Investment routes are shifting, not just getting more expensive.
Investors need to assess long-term citizenship, and residency rules separately from initial visa eligibility.

For second residencies that require income, assets, or qualifying investments, we can help structure suitable investment solutions that may align with those requirements, depending on your circumstances.

My contact details are hello@adamfayed.com and WhatsApp ‪+44-7393-450-837 if you have any questions.

The information in this article is for general guidance only, does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice, and may have changed since the time of writing.

CITIZENSHIP AND RESIDENCY CHANGES IN 2026

Grenada citizenship by investment changes

Grenada proposed significant changes to its Citizenship by Investment Program in 2026, including a new physical presence requirement, stronger applicant obligations and expanded regional oversight.

The Grenada Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced in Parliament in July and debated in the House of Representatives and Senate later that month, The New Today reported.

The Bill would amend Grenada's existing Citizenship by Investment framework to implement the country's obligations under the regional ECCIRA framework.

The proposed 2026 changes include:

30-day physical presence: Applicants would be required to establish a genuine and effective link with Grenada through physical presence during the first five years after citizenship is granted, including a minimum presence requirement during the first year.
Integration requirements: The proposed framework would introduce an integration component that could include civic or cultural orientation, community service and an interview.
Five-year initial passport: New citizens would initially receive a five-year passport, with subsequent renewal linked to compliance with the proposed residence and integration requirements.
Stronger regulatory oversight: The Bill would give the regional ECCIRA framework a greater role in regulating agents, promoters, due diligence providers, developers and other participants in the program.
Enhanced due diligence and interviews: The proposed framework would strengthen applicant screening and introduce additional interview requirements.
Audits and reporting: The program would face expanded financial, operational and compliance audit requirements.
Pending applications: The Bill contemplates the possibility of applying the proposed residence provisions retroactively to pending applications, subject to transitional guidelines.

However, these proposed residence requirements are not currently in force.

IMA Grenada's Circular No. 2 of 2026 deferred the residence requirement scheduled for August 31 until ECCIRA is operational and all participating states agree on and announce an effective commencement date.

New Zealand Active Investor Plus updates

New Zealand has expanded its Active Investor Plus Visa in 2026 to allow philanthropy in the Growth category, clarify investment-funding rules and add Build to Rent as a future investment option.

The changes follow the major overhaul of the program that took effect in April 2025.

The key 2026 updates include:

Philanthropy: From June 1, 2026, Growth category applicants can allocate up to 20% of their total investment to eligible philanthropy, subject to the program's requirements.
Funding requirements: From August 2026, borrowed funds must come from the same country or jurisdiction as the assets supporting the application. Applicants must also demonstrate that their funds were lawfully earned or acquired and transferred through appropriate banking channels.
Gifts: Applicants using gifted funds must show that the gift was unconditional and complied with the laws of the country where it was made.
Managed funds: Investors now only need a legally binding agreement for managed fund investments; the previous requirement for a non-revocable agreement has been removed.
Build to Rent: From December 2026, eligible Build to Rent developments will become a Growth category investment option through approved managed funds. Detailed eligibility and implementation requirements will be provided before the change takes effect.

For investors, the 2026 changes provide more flexibility in qualifying investments while placing greater emphasis on documenting the origin, ownership and transfer of investment funds.

The Growth category remains subject to a minimum investment of NZD 5 million, while the Balanced category requires NZD 10 million.

Portugal Golden Visa and citizenship rule developments

Portugal changed its nationality rules in 2026, affecting the residence periods and naturalization requirements relevant to Golden Visa investors seeking citizenship.

The revised Nationality Law entered into force on May 19, 2026, while AIMA also introduced a fully digital renewal process for investment residence permits.

The key 2026 developments include:

Seven- or 10-year residence periods: The revised law establishes a seven-year legal residence period for nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU Member States and 10 years for nationals of other countries when applying through the relevant naturalization route.
Stronger naturalization requirements: The 2026 amendments reinforce the requirements for acquiring Portuguese nationality and change several existing nationality routes.
Pending applications: Applications submitted before the new law entered into force continue to be governed by the previous wording of the Nationality Law.
Digital ARI renewals: From February 16, 2026, renewals of the Autorizações de Residência para Investimento (ARI) are submitted, paid for and processed through AIMA's Renewals Portal. In-person appointments are only required where biometric collection is necessary.
Golden Visa remains a residence route: Portugal's ARI continues to provide investment-based residence and allows qualifying holders to later apply for Portuguese nationality by naturalization, subject to the applicable nationality requirements.

For investors, the main implication is that the Golden Visa and the citizenship pathway need to be assessed separately.

Maintaining an ARI does not itself guarantee citizenship, and the 2026 nationality reforms can affect the requirements applicable when an investor eventually applies for naturalization.

The timing of the nationality application also matters because the revised rules distinguish between applications filed before and after May 19, 2026.

Greece Golden Visa updates

Greece updated its investor residence framework in 2026 through Law 5275/2026, which reorganized the immigration framework for investor residence permits, including the Golden Visa.

Further administrative guidance was issued in April 2026 concerning the permanent investor residence permit.

The key 2026 developments include:

New immigration framework: Law 5275/2026, enacted in February 2026, reorganized Greece's Migration Code and retained the B.5 permanent investor residence permit within the investor residence framework.
Administrative guidance: An April 2026 circular provided further guidance on the application of the rules governing the permanent investor residence permit.
Existing investment thresholds: The €800,000, €400,000 and €250,000 property investment thresholds remain applicable under the existing framework. The €250,000 routes continue to apply only to specific qualifying properties rather than to Greek real estate generally.

For investors, the 2026 developments primarily concern the legal and administrative framework governing the Golden Visa rather than a new increase in the minimum investment amounts.

UAE Golden Visa and investor residency changes

The UAE Golden Visa eased aspects of its property-based requirements in 2026, while retaining the AED 2 million investment threshold for qualifying real estate.

The current Dubai Land Department requirements no longer state the older paid-up thresholds for financed properties, focusing instead on the property's AED 2 million purchase value and the required bank documentation.

The key 2026 updates include:

Financed properties: The current Dubai requirements allow a mortgaged property to qualify where the bank provides a letter confirming that it has no objection to the Golden Visa application and stating the amount paid and remaining balance.
AED 2 million property threshold: The property must have a purchase value of at least AED 2 million. The current DLD guidance does not impose the older requirement that a specific percentage or amount of the property's value must already have been paid.
Off-plan property: The federal framework also recognizes qualifying off-plan purchases of at least AED 2 million made through approved local real estate companies authorized by the relevant authority.

For investors, the change can make the property route more accessible where financing is involved because eligibility is no longer presented around the older paid-up-value test.

Applicants should nevertheless verify the applicable emirate-level requirements, financing arrangements and documentation before committing to a property.

Latvia residency by investment changes

The Latvia Golden Visa has undergone significant changes in 2026, with existing investment routes removed and a new alternative investment fund option introduced.

The new Immigration Law took effect on September 15, 2026.

Real estate investment route removed for new applicants.
Bank deposit route removed as a basis for investment residence.
€150,000 alternative investment fund route introduced, requiring a five-year investment plus a €10,000 state budget payment, although the route is not yet operational because the required state fund has not been established.
Company capital investment route retained, alongside adjustments to residence permit validity and registration requirements.

The reform shifts Latvia away from traditional property-based investment residence toward investment funds and business-related investment.

Country	2026 change or update	Status
Grenada	Proposed physical-presence, integration and stronger CBI oversight requirements	Proposed
New Zealand	Philanthropy added to Growth category; funding rules clarified; Build to Rent scheduled as a new option	Some in force; Build to Rent from Dec 2026
Portugal	Nationality rules revised; ARI renewals moved online	In force
Greece	Investor residence framework reorganized and further administrative guidance issued	In force
UAE	Dubai property Golden Visa rules allow qualifying financed properties while the AED 2 million threshold remains	In force
Latvia	Real estate and bank-deposit routes removed; new €150,000 fund route introduced but not yet operational	In force; new fund route pending

Malta is also relevant to the 2026 investment migration landscape, but for a different reason.

What is the status of Malta citizenship by investment in 2026?

Malta does not operate its former citizenship by investment framework in 2026, and Citizenship by Merit should not be treated as its replacement.

Following the 2025 judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union, Malta no longer operates the former citizenship by investment framework.

In February 2026, the Community Malta Agency specifically clarified that Citizenship by Merit is not a citizenship by investment program or an alternative to the former framework.

Decisions under citizenship by merit provisions are discretionary and assessed individually. Residency remains a separate matter.

The Malta Permanent Residence Program continues to provide a route to permanent residence for qualifying applicants who meet the Program's property, capital, contribution and due diligence requirements.

What the 2026 changes mean for investors

The 2026 investment migration changes show that investors need to assess more than the headline investment amount, as eligibility, qualifying assets, physical presence, citizenship pathways and compliance requirements can change independently.

This means the value of a citizenship or residency by investment program increasingly depends on what happens after the initial investment.

Residence requirements, the route to eventual citizenship, the continued eligibility of an investment and future renewal requirements can be as important as the amount required to enter the program.

The changes can also alter which program makes sense for a new applicant. A route that was attractive because of its investment type, residence requirements or citizenship timeline may become less suitable after a reform, while changes elsewhere can create new options.

Conclusion

The 2026 changes show that investment migration is becoming a moving target rather than a fixed proposition.

The value of a program can change even when its headline investment amount remains the same, as governments reshape how residence, citizenship and investment are treated over time.

This makes timing and flexibility more relevant for investors.

A decision based solely on today's program terms may not capture how the pathway could look several years later, particularly when the intended outcome extends beyond initial residence.

The strongest planning approach is to evaluate an investment migration option as a long-term strategy with multiple possible outcomes, rather than as a single transaction tied to one set of rules.

FAQs

What is investment migration?

Investment migration is the process of obtaining residency or citizenship in another country through a qualifying investment, contribution or other approved economic activity.

Which is the best citizenship by investment?

Dominica and Grenada are among the lower-cost Caribbean options; Vanuatu is known for a comparatively fast process; and Caribbean programs such as Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Saint Lucia offer broad visa-free travel access.

The most suitable option is based on whether the priority is investment cost, processing speed, travel access or residence requirements.

Which citizenship is the most powerful?

Singapore, Japan, UAE and several EU citizenships rank among the strongest passports globally for travel access, while countries such as the US and UK offer extensive consular and residence rights.

The strongest choice varies by the specific benefit being measured.

Can you edit your visa application after submission?

Generally, submitted visa applications cannot simply be edited online, although some authorities allow applicants to correct information or provide additional documents through a specified process.

Which country has the fastest investment citizenship process?

Vanuatu is known for one of the fastest citizenship by investment processes, with applications potentially completed in a few months.

Caribbean programs such as Dominica, Grenada and Saint Lucia can also process applications within several months, subject to due diligence and complete documentation.

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