New on Abroadbase: Six Residency Programmes Open Now, and Six More on the Horizon

We have added five residency programmes to the Abroadbase catalogue this week and rewritten a sixth after a rule change. All six accept applications today, and each one is checked against an official government source linked from its programme page. Below them are six programmes that are announced, or already written into law, but that you cannot apply for yet, with an honest rating of how certain each one is.

Open now

Ecuador Investor Visa: from US$48,200

The cheapest entry ticket on this list. Ecuador's investor visa asks for at least 100 times the national monthly minimum wage, which is US$48,200 in 2026 and is re-set each January. You can place it in a fixed-term deposit of 730 days or more at a regulated Ecuadorian bank or cooperative, in registered real estate, or in shares of an Ecuadorian company. The visa is issued by Ecuadorian consulates abroad or by zonal offices inside the country, the government fee is about US$50, and there is no limit on time spent abroad. It can lead to permanent residence and later to naturalisation. Ecuador uses the US dollar.

Paraguay Investor Pass: from US$70,000

Since April 2026, Paraguay's investor route grants permanent residence directly, with no two-year temporary stage. Under a Ministry of Industry and Commerce resolution there are three tiers: US$70,000 in a productive business with a plan to create at least five formal jobs; US$150,000 in tourism; or US$200,000 in real estate or financial and stock-market instruments, with no job requirement reported. Citizenship is possible after three years of permanent residence. Taxes are low and territorial.

Uzbekistan Golden Visa: US$250,000 (limited)

A 2025 presidential decree introduced a five-year residence permit in exchange for a non-refundable US$250,000 payment to the state, plus US$150,000 for each family member. It is residency only: it does not lead to citizenship, and Uzbekistan does not allow dual nationality. We list it as limited because no application procedure or portal has been published, so confirm the process with an Uzbek embassy before paying anything.

Kazakhstan Investor Visa: US$300,000

Since May 2025, Kazakhstan has offered an investor visa to foreigners who put at least US$300,000 into the charter capital of a Kazakh company or into locally issued securities. Real estate and bank deposits reportedly do not count. Investors apply online and can then obtain a residence permit of up to 10 years; the investment agency lists 45 days to issue the permit. Kazakhstan does not allow dual citizenship, so treat this as a long-term residence base rather than a passport route.

Oman Golden Residency: from OMR 200,000 (about US$520,000)

Launched in September 2025, Oman's Golden Residency offers renewable five- or ten-year residence through seven routes: property in integrated tourism complexes, a company registered in Oman, government development bonds, Muscat Stock Exchange securities, a five-year bank deposit, a company employing 50 or more Omanis, or nomination under the foreign investment law. Spouse, children and first-degree relatives can be included. Oman levies no personal income tax. Applications go through the government's online residence portal; some sources still quote older, higher tiers, so confirm the current threshold there.

Mauritius Golden Visa: US$1 million

The newest programme here. A 2026 Act created a Mauritius golden visa for people who commit in writing to invest at least US$1 million in a Mauritian business within 12 months, in priority sectors such as financial services, technology, tourism, manufacturing, healthcare or renewable energy. Residential property does not count. The first visa lasts two years and covers a spouse and dependent children; once the investment is made, holders can apply for a permanent residence permit. The target processing time is five working days. No visas have been reported as issued yet. It is separate from Mauritius's existing US$375,000 property route.

On the horizon

These are not open yet. We rate each one by how firm its legal footing is today.

• Argentina Citizenship by Investment: announced, legally contested. US$350,000 to the Treasury or US$800,000 in government bonds; applications expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. The decree behind it has been ruled unconstitutional in individual court cases, and opposition bills would ban the scheme.
• Kazakhstan "Altyn Visa": decree issued, details pending. A presidential decree of April 2026 creates a golden visa for investors and in-demand specialists, with tax incentives, to be implemented by the end of 2026. No price or procedure has been published, so do not confuse it with the US$300,000 investor visa above.
• Latvia's €150,000 fund route: in law, not usable. The new Immigration Law (in force since 15 September 2026) allows residence for a €150,000 stake in a state-created investment fund, but the fund does not exist yet and a bill to delete the route is pending.
• Armenia investor residence: law amended, details pending. Armenia is introducing a new residence system from 1 November 2026, including a fast-track for investors, but the investment threshold has not been published.
• US "Platinum Card": announcement only. The government site takes waitlist sign-ups for a proposed US$5 million card with special tax treatment, but it needs an Act of Congress. The separate US Gold Card is already open.
• Canada's new start-up pilot: announcement only. Canada has closed its Start-Up Visa and says a "High Impact Start-up Pilot" will replace it, but no criteria, investment level or launch date have been published.

What we left out, and why

Some programmes circulating in industry news did not pass our checks: a reported US$50,000 residency route in Egypt (agent sources only, contradicted by official press), new Sierra Leone citizenship tiers (conflicting prices, no government notice) and talk of a Montenegro relaunch (no government announcement). San Marino's entrepreneur residency and Oman's new property-owner permit look real, but we will add them once we can link an official government source.

How to use this list

Residency programmes differ far more than headline prices suggest: check whether the money is a donation or an investment you get back, whether time spent there leads to citizenship, and whether your own country lets you hold a second nationality. Each programme page links the official source; confirm current terms there before committing funds.