So, you’re upset by current events — whatever that may be — and now you’re trying to move out of the Philippines because of our unfavorable political situation. How about a golden visa?
For most Filipinos, the path to a life abroad is employment. According to the House of Representatives’ Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD), approximately two million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were recorded in 2022 and 2023, while a 2023 Social Weather Stations survey found that 17 percent more Filipinos wanted to work abroad. However, investment also provides a path to perceived better opportunities abroad.
A golden visa allows people to reside in a foreign country in exchange for investing capital. Various countries offer different programs with varying requirements and benefits, but they all promise the same thing: a way out.
U.K.-based investment migration consultancy firm Henley & Partners reported a 504 percent increase in inquiries in 2023 from Americans looking to use their golden visa services. Most of these inquiries were reportedly driven by families looking to protect their wealth from “economic and political uncertainties” in the U.S.
If you have the capital, then you have a long list of countries you can choose to move to. Some of these countries grant full citizenship, while others issue residence permits for a limited period.
Here are some countries that offer citizenship by investment (CBI) programs, and their minimum requirements:
- Jordan – JOD 350,000 or around P28.6 million
- North Macedonia – EUR 200,000 or P13.7 million
- Turkey – USD 400,000 or P23.2 million
Other CBI programs require the applicant to make significant contributions to the host country, such as Austria and Malta. Australia’s National Innovation Visa program is less clear-cut. It is only offered by invitation to people who are “internationally recognized for exceptional and outstanding achievement” and “demonstrate that they would be an asset to Australia […] through economic, social, cultural, academic, artistic, or sporting achievements.”
Golden Visa for Residency
More countries offer temporary but long-term residencies. The highest minimum capital requirement for a residency is in Singapore, at SGD 10 million (P457.5 million), while the lowest is in Thailand, at THB 650,000 (P1.2 million).
Here are other countries that offer residency, and their minimum requirements:
- Austria – EUR 50,000 or P3.4 million in liquid funds, and German language skills
- The Bahamas – USD 1 million or P57.9 million
- Canada – CAD 1.2 million or P50.8 million
- Greece – EUR 250,000 or P17.1 million
- Hong Kong – HKD 30 million or P222.8 million
- Italy – EUR 250,000 or P17.1 million
- Malaysia – MYR 1 million or P14.8 million
- Mexico – USD 280,000 or P16.2 million
- New Zealand – NXD 5 million or P173.3 million
- Portugal – EUR 250,000 or P17.1 million
- Switzerland – CHF 250,000 in annual taxes or P18.8 million
- U.A.E. – AED 1 million or P15.8 million
- U.S. – USD 800,000 or P46.4 million
Monaco also grants residency to foreign individuals who can prove that they can afford the lifestyle in this famously expensive city-state. In the U.K., the Innovator Founder Visa requires an individual to set up an “innovative,” scaling business in the country. Meanwhile, Argentina and the Maldives are also expected to launch their own golden visa programs in 2026.
Moving to these countries requires more than just the minimum capital, and the prices above don’t even include the cost of living and travel fees. So, if you’re stuck here, like many of us, the most you can do is suck it up or demand better of our public officials.
