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Comparison · SPAIN ↔ CARIBBEAN
Head-to-head dossier
Spain vs Caribbean (CBI)Golden Visa, side by side — 2026
🇪🇸Spain Golden Visa
Spain
Closing April 3, 2025 — what comes next.
From
€500,000
Time
20 days
Citizenship
10 years
Stay
1 day/year
🌴Caribbean Citizenship by Investment
Caribbean (CBI)
St. Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia — passport in 4–8 months.
From
$200,000
Time
4–8 months
Citizenship
Direct (no residency)
Stay
0 days (most programs)
The short verdict
It depends. Spain and Caribbean (CBI) solve different problems — neither program "wins" in the abstract.
The full picture is below — by the numbers, then category by category.
By the numbers
Headline metrics
| Metric | 🇪🇸 Spain | 🌴 Caribbean (CBI) |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Closed | Active |
| Headline minimum | €500,000 | $200,000 |
| Processing time | 20 days | 4–8 months |
| Path to citizenship | 10 years | Direct (no residency) |
| Physical presence | 1 day/year | 0 days (most programs) |
| Tax overlay | Beckham Law (24% flat for 6 years) | 0% on worldwide income (most islands) |
| Best for | If you already hold the visa, this is your renewal guide. If you're new — read the Digital Nomad and Non-Lucrative sections. | Frequent travelers, people with restrictive passports, or anyone needing optionality fast. |
Category by category
- 01
Lower entry price
Edge: Caribbean (CBI)Spain starts at €500,000, Caribbean (CBI) at $200,000.
- 02
Path to citizenship
Edge: SpainSpain offers naturalization in 10 years; Caribbean (CBI) does not provide a clear citizenship track (Direct (no residency)).
Who each one is for
🇪🇸 Spain — best for
If you already hold the visa, this is your renewal guide. If you're new — read the Digital Nomad and Non-Lucrative sections.
- +Existing holders keep their residency and renewals
- +Digital Nomad Visa fills much of the gap for active professionals
- +Beckham Law tax regime still available
🌴 Caribbean (CBI) — best for
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
🇪🇸 Spain — working against you
- − Program permanently closed to new investors
- − Citizenship still requires 10 years (2 for Latin Americans)
- − Bureaucracy heavier than Portugal or Greece
🌴 Caribbean (CBI) — working against you
- − 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)
Read the full dossier