Italy vs Caribbean (CBI)Golden Visa, side by side — 2026
Italy
Underrated alternative with the €100k flat-tax sweetener.
Caribbean (CBI)
St. Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia — passport in 4–8 months.
Italy. Italy 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 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 🌴 Caribbean (CBI) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Active | Active |
| Headline minimum | €250,000 | $200,000 |
| Processing time | 3–4 months | 4–8 months |
| Path to citizenship | 10 years | Direct (no residency) |
| Physical presence | Flexible (no fixed minimum) | 0 days (most programs) |
| Tax overlay | €200k/year flat tax for new residents (since Aug 2024) | 0% on worldwide income (most islands) |
| Best for | Founders backing Italian innovation, or HNWIs attracted by the new-resident flat-tax regime. | Frequent travelers, people with restrictive passports, or anyone needing optionality fast. |
Category by category
- 01
Lower entry price
Edge: Caribbean (CBI)Italy starts at €250,000, Caribbean (CBI) at $200,000.
- 02
Faster to a card
Edge: ItalyItaly: 3–4 months. Caribbean (CBI): 4–8 months.
- 03
Path to citizenship
Edge: ItalyItaly offers naturalization in 10 years; Caribbean (CBI) does not provide a clear citizenship track (Direct (no residency)).
Who each one is for
Founders backing Italian innovation, or HNWIs attracted by the new-resident flat-tax regime.
- +No funds transferred until visa is approved
- +Family included on a single application
- +Schengen access, low real-presence requirements
- +Renewable in 3-year increments
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
- − Citizenship reform in 2025 tightened jus sanguinis but residency timeline unchanged at 10 years
- − New-resident flat tax doubled from €100k to €200k in August 2024
- − Italian language B1 required for citizenship
- − 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)