2. Cyprus
Passport Power Rank: 12
Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, right after Sicily and Sardinia. The island ranks second on our list of countries where you can buy citizenship. It had a turbulent history of rivalry between its Greek and Turkish citizens and is de facto divided into two entities. Despite that, the political situation is currently stable, but with the recent developments in Turkey there’s a possibility of unrest among the indigenous Turkish population as the Turkish relationship with the EU continues to deteriorate. The 2008 financial crisis hit the island’s economy pretty hard and the government is trying to replenish its funds spend on bank bailouts by a citizenship-by-investment program. The minimal investment that would make an applicant eligible for a Cypriot citizenship is €5,000,000 (around $5.6 million). The requirement can be lowered to €2.5 million if the investment is a part of a larger investment scheme, valued at least €12.5 million. In that case, an applicant must own a residency in Cyprus worth at least €500,000. Further information on the Scheme for Naturalization of Investors in Cyprus by exception can be found here.
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