3 ms·

Every country does this in some way through "investment visas." Including the US. Malta's sale is just a bit more blatant.

• adamnemecek 13y ago
  But that's still a visa. This is a full blown citizenship.
  • usaphp 13y ago
    It's not a visa it's permanent residence: http://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-through-job/green-card-through-investment http://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-through-job/green...
    • adamnemecek 13y ago
      Fair enough, but it's still not a full blown citizenship.
      • eli 13y ago
        After 5 years in the US with a green card you can become a full citizen.
        • adamnemecek 13y ago
          Correct. Which is the reason why the two scenarios are different.
• romanovcode 13y ago
  Yes, AFAIK if you invest $1m+ to some U.S. company you get investment visa and free to live in U.S. There is one difference though - U.S. is a country, so is Malta. But if you get citizenship of Malta you get citizenship of E.U. which means you can leave Malta behind and go to any country that is in E.U. Also, Visa is not really citizenship.
• wavefunction 13y ago
  You may (not guaranteed) get a visa and green card. You do not receive citizenship (at least in the US, I am ignorant about other countries' investment visas.)
  • selectodude 13y ago
    Well, it's somewhat conditional. You can apply for citizenship after 5 years with a green card.
  • auctiontheory 13y ago
    The US investment visa provides a GC and puts you on track to receive US citizenship. http://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-through-job/green-card-through-investment http://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-through-job/green... You'd (eventually) have to live in the US, and wait several years for the passport, so it's not quite a cash-on-the-counter transaction like Malta. But it is similar in concept