What you actually receive — one investor's situation, mapped to the right programs. Names and numbers below are illustrative.
A U.S. citizen, 46, who recently sold a services business and has earmarked roughly $500,000 for a Plan B. Married, two children (11 and 14). In his words, he wants three things: a credible second base for the family, the option to run a U.S. business under a treaty if he relocates, and a real path to a second citizenship within a decade. He is comfortable taking 12–18 months to decide — no emergency.
Those weights are his, not ours. Re-score the same programs against them and the order changes from our published report — which is the entire point of a personal roadmap.
The cleanest E-2 gateway for his #1 priority: a second passport in roughly four to six months that also unlocks eligibility to operate a U.S. business under the E-2 treaty. Highest fit for "the option to run a U.S. business," with a real second citizenship from day one.
E-2 treaty since 1991, a five-year path to citizenship, and a territorial tax system. A strong all-rounder — with one timing flag: the investment threshold is scheduled to rise after October 2026, so the cost case is better acted on sooner than later.
E-2 treaty (1949) and a modern U.S. tax treaty, at the lowest entry cost of the EU options. The trade-off is patience: the citizenship horizon is around ten years, which is why it sits third against his weighting, not first.
Also flagged: Portugal (D7) as a lower-cost relocation alternative if he is willing to actually move and wait out a longer citizenship clock.
| Program | E-2 / U.S.-tax fit | Path to citizenship | Approx. entry | Fit for The Builder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grenada (CBI) | E-2 treaty · passport-based | Immediate (at grant) | ~$235k+* | Strongest |
| Panama (Qualified Investor) | E-2 (1991) · territorial tax | ~5 years | ~$300k* | Strong |
| Italy (Investor Visa) | E-2 (1949) · modern treaty | ~10 years | ~$290k* | Good, but patient |
| Portugal (D7) | E-2 (since 2024) | ~10 years* | Low (income-based) | Good if relocating |
| Greece (Golden Visa) | No E-2 (older treaty) | ~7 years | ~$470k* | Weaker on his #1 |
| Cyprus (PR) | No E-2 | ~7 years | ~$415k* | Weaker on his #1 |
*Figures are illustrative and change frequently. Every number in a real roadmap is sourced to official publications and dated, and confirmed with you before you act.
The only option here that delivers a second citizenship and an E-2 pathway quickly. For The Builder, that combination is the headline. The honest caveats: donation funds are non-recoverable; due-diligence is strict; and the E-2 application is a separate step with its own requirements.
Verify with licensed counsel: current donation/real-estate thresholds, whether his business plan meets E-2 "real and active" tests, and U.S. tax treatment of his existing holdings before any transfer.
Cost-efficient E-2 access with a genuinely fast naturalization clock and a territorial tax system that can matter for non-U.S.-source income. The flag is timing: the qualifying threshold is set to rise after October 2026, so the favorable cost case has a shelf life.
Verify with licensed counsel: the exact threshold and effective date, physical-presence expectations for citizenship, and how Panama's territorial system interacts with his continuing U.S. obligations.
The most "EU-anchored" of the three, with a modern U.S. tax treaty and a comparatively low entry point. If The Builder valued an EU base and a strong treaty over speed-to-citizenship, this would climb. Under his stated weights, the long citizenship horizon keeps it third.
Verify with licensed counsel: which investment tier fits, residence/physical-presence rules, and Italian tax residency triggers relative to his plans.
Same framework, applied to your capital, timeline, citizenship, and goals — independent, sourced, no sales call.
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