Greece vs Caribbean (CBI)Golden Visa, side by side — 2026
Greece
Real estate residency for those who actually want sun.
Caribbean (CBI)
St. Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia — passport in 4–8 months.
Greece. Greece edges Caribbean (CBI) on the headline metrics most applicants weight first (entry price, speed, path to citizenship and physical presence).
The full picture is below — by the numbers, then category by category.
By the numbers
| Metric | 🇬🇷 Greece | 🌴 Caribbean (CBI) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Active | Active |
| Headline minimum | €250,000 | $200,000 |
| Processing time | 2–6 months | 4–8 months |
| Path to citizenship | 7 years | Direct (no residency) |
| Physical presence | 0 days required | 0 days (most programs) |
| Tax overlay | Non-dom flat tax €100k/year | 0% on worldwide income (most islands) |
| Best for | Investors who want a Mediterranean base, a tangible asset, and a Schengen card without relocation pressure. | Frequent travelers, people with restrictive passports, or anyone needing optionality fast. |
Category by category
- 01
Lower entry price
Edge: Caribbean (CBI)Greece starts at €250,000, Caribbean (CBI) at $200,000.
- 02
Faster to a card
Edge: GreeceGreece: 2–6 months. Caribbean (CBI): 4–8 months.
- 03
Path to citizenship
Edge: GreeceGreece offers naturalization in 7 years; Caribbean (CBI) does not provide a clear citizenship track (Direct (no residency)).
Who each one is for
Investors who want a Mediterranean base, a tangible asset, and a Schengen card without relocation pressure.
- +Zero physical presence required
- +Fastest EU Golden Visa to process
- +Real estate route still fully open
- +Schengen access from day one
Frequent travelers, people with restrictive passports, or anyone needing optionality fast.
- +Direct citizenship — no residency requirement
- +Visa-free travel to 140–150 countries
- +Grenada gives access to US E-2 investor visa
- +Fast: passport often in 4–6 months
The honest tradeoffs
- − Tier 1 zones jumped from €500k to €800k in Sept 2024
- − Citizenship requires 7 years + Greek language B1
- − Property cannot be short-term let (Airbnb) since 2024
- − All five programs raised minimums to $200k+ in 2024 by regional MoU
- − Increased due diligence — Russians, Belarusians, Iranians excluded
- − EU visa-free status under review (UK already requires ETA)