Where to Retire as an Investor in 2024

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Heading to a place in the sun is a well-trodden route for retired couples. Indeed, investing in a new residency or second citizenship provides a range of desirable options. Here are our recommendations where to retire as an investor in 2024.

Antigua and Barbuda

Beaches. Check. There are 365 of them to choose from in Antigua and Barbuda. Yes, one for every day of the year, with Dickenson Bay, Ffryes Beach, and Rendezvous Bay among the most picture-perfect.

Climate. Check. Antigua and Barbuda has an average annual temperature of 29.7°C.

Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment is a passport to a relaxed Caribbean lifestyle. Picture lazy days spent reading from the comfort of a hammock. Or being more adventurous and snorkelling with rays in Stingray City.

Dominica

A fellow Eastern Caribbean country, Dominica is another of our where to retire suggestions. Where both Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica belong to the Lesser Antilles, the latter is in the more southerly Windward Islands rather than the Leeward Islands.

Dominica is also known as the Nature Island. So if the prospect of hiking through rainforest appeals, Dominica Citizenship by Investment could be for you and your partner. Imagine cooling off in a handily-placed waterfall.

For a less taxing discovery of Dominica’s Great Outdoors, head to the capital Roseau’s Dominica Botanic Gardens. There are 40 acres to explore, home to fantastic fauna and fascinating flora. What’s more, the gardens are open every day and there’s no entry charge.

Greece

Where to retire in Europe? The Greek Golden Visa is a gateway to a land noted for its delicious cuisine such as the reassuringly familiar trio of hummus, taramasalata, and tzatziki to start, moreish moussaka as a main, and spoonfuls of yoghurt and honey to finish. All washed down with a glass or two of the national wine, retsina.

Although a Residency by Investment rather than a Citizenship by Investment, the 5-year residence permit offered by purchasing property is renewable. This is dependent on you maintaining possession of the qualifying real estate. You’re eligible to apply for Greek citizenship after 7 years of permanent residence in the country.

Athens, the birthplace of democracy, is a capital that will delight culture vultures. If you prefer a quieter existence, take your pick of the many islands. Bear in mind, however, that prices for the Greece Golden Visa do go up and down depending on which area you choose to invest in.

Grenada

If you like your food more flavoursome, you’re going to appreciate the Spice Isle. Nutmeg adorns this Eastern Caribbean nation’s flag in tribute to the plantations scattered across the island. It’s used in recipes sweet and savoury, from ice cream to spicy chicken.

Grenada Citizenship by Investment is a quicker path to a second passport than a Greek Golden Visa. Instead of having to wait 7 years to apply, you can get your hands on this prized travel document within six months at the earliest. This guarantees you visa-free access to 150+ destinations.

Rum is the drink of choice in the Caribbean. The River Antoine Estate is home to Grenada’s oldest distillery, established in 1785. You can also view the Caribbean’s original working water mill here.

Malta

Unlike other European investment migration programmes, the big draw of Malta’s is that there is no language test to take and the two official languages are English and Maltese. You will be able to acclimatize to your new life abroad more easily. There is no linguistic barrier to negotiate and you can relax in public, knowing that locals will be able to understand you.

Another advantage Malta has is that it is the world’s only Residency and Citizenship by Investment country. Others offer one or the other, but in Malta you can choose between the two. Either the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) or Maltese Exceptional Investor Naturalization (MEIN).

Stepping on Maltese ground for the first time feels like stepping inside a history book or onto a film set. Malta’s ancient architecture has provided the background for some famous films and TV programmes. These include Gladiator and Game of Thrones.

Portugal

Although the government has removed the real estate option, the Portuguese Golden Visa remains a popular European Residency by Investment. You can donate to projects preserving the national heritage or supporting local arts, as  well as investing in qualifying funds. You must maintain that investment for 5 years to ensure your continued residency and apply for citizenship should you wish to.

Portugal is one of Europe’s leading golf nations. Take your pick from some of the finest courses on the continent. And given Portugal’s favourable weather, rain rarely stops play.

The cuisine may be eye-opening, if you’re expecting to sample Mediterranean fare. Portuguese chefs, both amateur and professional, source ingredients from the Atlantic. These include cod, bacalhau, which is typically salted and goose neck barnacles, percebes.

Spain

Where Portugal led, Spain looks set to follow. The Spanish government has indicated its intention to eliminate the property purchase option. Nevertheless, you can presently still buy real estate to qualify for a Spanish Golden Visa.

Spain is home to two of the most famous clubs in the world: FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF. When the two teams play each other, the whole Spanish nation watches. El clásico is one of the most hotly-contested sporting derbies.

With Spanish Residency by Investment, you can qualify for Spanish citizenship after 10 years of residence in the country. There is a Spanish language component, however. If you come from a Latin American country, you only have to reside for 10 years before you become eligible for a citizenship.

St Kitts and Nevis

St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment is the world’s oldest Citizenship by Investment programme. Established in 1984, this was the prototype that other nations in the Eastern Caribbean and beyond modelled their CBI offerings on. With a St Kitts and Nevis citizenship, you’re able to apply for a St Kitts and Nevis passport that offers visa-free access to 160+ countries.

On the larger island of St Kitts, there’s so much to see and do. Look and listen out for brown pelicans and green vervet monkeys, just two of the many species endemic. Over on Nevis, you can walk in the famous footsteps of British naval legend Lord Horatio Nelson who met and married Fanny Nisbet here.

St Kitts is where you’ll find the oldest surviving rum distillery in the whole of the Caribbean. It’s located in the 18th-Century Wingfield Estate. Here, you can become a certified rummaster.

St Lucia

St Lucia is so beautiful, it even has what looks like sentries guarding this treasure island. These are the Pitons, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Petit Piton and Gros Pitons are mountainous volcanic spires, 743 metres and 798.25 metres above sea level respectively.

One of the main benefits of St Lucia Citizenship by Investment is that you can apply for a St Lucia passport. Our Passport Index rates it among the 30 most powerful passports in the world. You will be able to travel to 150+ countries without a visa.

St Lucia is perfect for sailing enthusiasts. With guaranteed sunny days and seasonal winds you can use to your advantage, you can hop to other Caribbean islands such as the Grenadines and Martinique. If you prefer to watch, the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers ends in December in the island’s Rodney Bay, 2,700 nautical miles from the starting point of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Choosing Where to Retire as an Investor in 2024

We’ve given you quite a selection of countries to retire in. For more detailed breakdowns of the various Residency and Citizenship by Investment programmes, we recommend you consult a reputable investment migration expert such as RIF Trust. So, don’t delay and contact us today.