Citizenship and Residency by Investment Programmes
See below a selection of countries offering residency and citizenship investment programmes.
Guatemala
Home to dense rainforest, extensive indigenous history, and over two dozen volcanoes stretching for 300 kilometers, Guatemala presents diverse investment opportunities for foreign investors. Potential sectors for high net worth investors include real estate, energy, and infrastructure. The real estate sector, particularly in tourism destinations and urban areas, offers potential returns. Agriculture, including coffee and bananas, is a key industry with room for expansion. Renewable energy projects, such as hydroelectric and geothermal ventures, align with the country’s efforts to diversify its energy sources. Manufacturing, particularly in textiles and apparel, is another sector showing promise. While the country showcases these attractive opportunities, it also faces social and economic challenges that may put off international investors.
Guatemala Citizenship Investment
Currently there is no formal residency or citizenship by investment programme offered by Guatemala. Such programmes allow individuals to obtain citizenship or residency rights in select countries through substantial investment. This investment most often is in real estate, national development funds, or local businesses.
Guatemala Residency Options
Guatemala does offer an affordable residency visa. Applicants with an income of more than just $1000 per month can apply for a second residency. This can eventually be a pathway to citizenship, though it requires applicants to spend the majority of their time in the country. This can be overly restrictive for high net worth applicants who conduct business abroad, so we advise instead taking a look at countries offering routes to citizenship through investment.
Guatemela Passport Strength and Ranking
Were Guatemala to offer a Citizenship by Investment programme, its passport would be a valuable asset. Like other Central American countries, Guatemala holds a reasonably strong passport. Guatemalan citizenship affords visa free access to 148 countries worldwide. These countries account for 48.3% of world wealth (GDP) and 69.1% of world travel. The country ranks 76th overall in La Vida’s comprehensive Global Passport Ranking. However, it still ranks well below existing popular citizenship by investment options. St Kitts’s Citizenship by Investment programme is one of several options offering a stronger passport (ranked 64th) with more extensive visa free travel.
