Real Estate or Donation?

Many golden visa programmes offer two options to investors, a donation to a government fund or a real estate investment. In most cases, the real estate route is higher in price, which commonly causes clients much deliberation over which route is financially best for them.

There is no right or wrong answer as all clients are unique and have different situations. The deciding factor for most is personal budget. If one is looking to keep their costs down then the donation routes are usually more affordable. The downside to a donation is that you will not generate any return from your investment. In this case, it is important to keep in mind that the major return will be the privilege of gaining a second residency or passport at a lower cost.

For those with a more flexible budget, then, of course, a real estate investment makes more financial sense. The applicant will initially have a larger outlay of funds, but with this comes a tangible asset which will not only generate them a rental return during ownership but can also be sold in the future, allowing them to regain the majority of their investment.

The other thing investors should consider is the size of their family. If you are a single applicant applying alone, then a government donation is going to be much lower in cost. If a family of four are applying then they will be looking at a higher donation, which in most cases, will equate to nearly as much as a real estate investment. Let’s take the Dominica Citizenship programme as an example:

Dominica Citizenship by Donation:
Single applicant $100,000  + fees
Family application $200,000 + fees

Dominica Citizenship by Real Estate Investment:
$218,000 +fees.

When you compare both options, there is a significant difference in cost for a single applicant donating versus a single applicant investing in real estate. A difference of $118,000 + fees to be precise.  However, for a family of four, the difference in cost between the two options is minimal and for the sake of $18,000 (+ fees) more, many would opt for the real estate investment. There are pro’s and con’s to both routes, but the end goal of gaining a second passport and the many advantages that come with it, are priceless.

For an accurate price comparison on the various programmes available, please contact one of our experienced specialist who can provide you with a free consultation.