Samoa

Samoa is an independent South Pacific nation with a stable political environment and opportunities across tourism, agriculture and renewable energy. It operates a citizenship by investment program, though at thresholds well above the established market and with a residence condition attached.

Samoa Citizenship by Investment

Samoa’s Citizenship by Investment program was established in 2017. Applicants must hold a minimum net worth of SAT$2.5 million, approximately $1 million, and invest a minimum of $1.5 million in real estate, a significant area of the Samoan economy or a government fund.

That places Samoa several times above the entry point of the established programs.

The Caribbean programs grant citizenship in four to eight months at a fraction of the cost and with no residence requirement. Grenada ranks 63rd on the La Vida Passport Value Index with 179 destinations, 59.6% of world GDP and 79.4% of global travel, and holds an E-2 treaty with the United States allowing citizens to apply for a US investor visa, which no Pacific citizenship provides.

Antigua And Barbuda sits 65th with 186 destinations, covering a spouse, children and dependent parents on a single application. St Kitts And Nevis reaches 191 destinations, the widest count of any Caribbean citizenship, from the longest-running program in the world.

Investors may also compare Vanuatu, the other South Pacific option, which grants honorary citizenship following a government donation, though its passport ranks 144th on the Index with 135 destinations.

Samoa Residency by Investment

Applicants for Samoan citizenship receive a Temporary Resident Permit lasting three years on approval. To maintain eligibility for permanent residency, investors and accompanying family members must reside in Samoa for at least 15 days within the three-year permit period.

For more established residency by investment routes, the Greek Golden Visa program, launched in July 2013, grants residency in an EU member state alongside visa-free travel throughout the Schengen zone. It requires property investment from €400,000 across most regions, rising to €800,000 in Athens, Thessaloniki and the larger islands, with a €250,000 tier for qualifying conversions and restorations, and imposes no minimum stay at all.

The Portugal Golden Visa requires a qualifying fund investment from €500,000 and asks for only seven days a year in the country, with permanent residence available after five years. Spain previously offered a comparable route but closed its golden visa to new applicants on 3 April 2025.

Samoa Passport Strength and Ranking

Samoa ranks 67th of 199 on the La Vida Passport Value Index. The Samoan passport reaches 176 of the world’s 227 destinations without a prior visa, representing 57.5% of world GDP and 75.0% of global travel measured by international visitor arrivals.

That places Samoa close to the Caribbean investment citizenships on both weighted measures, and ahead of several of them. Samoan nationals hold visa-free access to the Schengen Area and the United Kingdom for short stays but require advance visas for the United States, China and Japan.

Citizenship and Residency by Investment Programs

See below a selection of countries offering residency and citizenship investment programs.

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