Head to head
Golden Visa vs CBI Programme
🇦🇪 Golden Visa (United Arab Emirates) compared with 🇻🇺 CBI Programme (Vanuatu) — across cost, timeline, residency, tax and the path to citizenship.
The verdict
- →CBI Programme has the lower financial bar to entry.
- →Golden Visa is usually faster to process.
There's no single winner — the right choice depends on your budget, how much time you can spend on the ground, and whether a passport is the goal. Use the table below to weigh what matters to you.
| Feature | 🇦🇪Golden Visa | 🇻🇺CBI Programme |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United Arab Emirates | Vanuatu |
| Type | Golden Visa | Citizenship by Investment |
| Headline cost | From AED 2M (~$545k) | $130k+ donation (DSP) |
| Minimum investment | $545,000 | $130,000 |
| Minimum income | — | — |
| Processing time | 1 months | 2 months |
| Min stay per year | 0 days | 0 days |
| Tax rate | 0% | 0% income tax, 0% CGT, 0% inheritance — permanent% |
| Leads to PR | No | Yes |
| PR after | — | — |
| Citizenship after | — | — |
| Dual citizenship | No | Yes |
| Visa-free countries | — | 130 |
| Remote work | Yes | — |
| Healthcare | — | No |
| Data confidence | high | high |
Frequently asked
Which is cheaper, Golden Visa or CBI Programme?
CBI Programme has the lower financial requirement (Golden Visa: $545,000, CBI Programme: $130,000).
Which is faster to get, Golden Visa or CBI Programme?
Golden Visa is faster (Golden Visa: 1 months, CBI Programme: 2 months).
Do Golden Visa or CBI Programme lead to citizenship?
Golden Visa: no direct citizenship route. CBI Programme: leads to permanent residency.
Can I hold dual citizenship with Golden Visa or CBI Programme?
Golden Visa: No. CBI Programme: Yes.