In this article
Investment programmes are created by governments and can be ended by them. Since 1996, at least 27 citizenship and residence routes we track have closed, from the Marshall Islands to Latvia's property route in September 2026.
Security and international pressure
Several early programmes ended after concerns about who had obtained passports, often with pressure from other governments: the Marshall Islands in 1996, Grenada in 2001, Belize in 2002 and Nauru in 2003.
European law and policy
Within the EU, pressure has grown on routes that grant citizenship or residence for money. Cyprus abolished its citizenship programme in 2020, Bulgaria in 2022, and Malta's ended after the EU Court of Justice ruling in 2025. Portugal removed real estate from its golden visa in 2023.
Abuse and weak oversight
Programmes run with little transparency tend not to last. Comoros stopped selling citizenship in 2016, and a parliamentary inquiry later found serious abuse.
Changing priorities
Some closures reflect new goals rather than scandal. Canada ended its federal investor program in 2014, the UK closed its Tier 1 Investor visa in 2022 and Hong Kong suspended its investor scheme in 2015, later opening a new one in 2023.
What it means for applicants
Closures usually stop new applications; how pending applications and existing holders are treated depends on each country's rules. Choose programmes with clear legal footing, keep your investment compliant, and have a second route in mind. Our closed programmes pages explain each case.
Programmes in this article
General information only — not legal, tax or financial advice.
