Portugal vs Caribbean (CBI)Golden Visa, side by side — 2026
Portugal
EU residency with just 7 days a year on the ground.
Caribbean (CBI)
St. Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia — passport in 4–8 months.
Caribbean (CBI). Caribbean (CBI) edges Portugal 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 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 🌴 Caribbean (CBI) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Reformed | Active |
| Headline minimum | €250,000 | $200,000 |
| Processing time | 12–24 months | 4–8 months |
| Path to citizenship | 5 years | Direct (no residency) |
| Physical presence | 7 days/year | 0 days (most programs) |
| Tax overlay | NHR 2.0 (IFICI) for qualifying activities | 0% on worldwide income (most islands) |
| Best for | Founders, remote professionals and HNW families who want an EU passport without relocating immediately. | Frequent travelers, people with restrictive passports, or anyone needing optionality fast. |
Category by category
- 01
Lower entry price
Edge: Caribbean (CBI)Portugal starts at €250,000, Caribbean (CBI) at $200,000.
- 02
Faster to a card
Edge: Caribbean (CBI)Portugal: 12–24 months. Caribbean (CBI): 4–8 months.
- 03
Path to citizenship
Edge: PortugalPortugal offers naturalization in 5 years; Caribbean (CBI) does not provide a clear citizenship track (Direct (no residency)).
Who each one is for
Founders, remote professionals and HNW families who want an EU passport without relocating immediately.
- +Path to EU citizenship in 5 years
- +Only ~7 days/year physical presence
- +Family included (spouse, children, dependent parents)
- +Visa-free travel to 191 countries after naturalization
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
- − Real estate route closed in October 2023
- − AIMA backlogs have stretched processing to 18+ months
- − Portuguese language A2 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)