Amelia Blake

When evaluating investment residency programs, the raw financial requirements often dominate the conversation. However, two critical factors—family inclusion and global mobility benefits—can significantly impact an investor's decision. This analysis examines how Trump's proposed $5 million "Golden Visa" compares to global alternatives on these important but often overlooked dimensions.

Part I: Family Inclusion - Who Gets to Come Along?

Trump's Golden Visa: The Nuclear Family Approach

Trump's proposed program would likely follow standard U.S. immigration principles for investor visas, which include:

• Primary applicant's spouse receives green card
• Unmarried children under 21 at time of visa issuance qualify as dependents
• No provisions for parents, siblings, or married/adult children
• Once green cards are obtained, all family members have equal rights to live, work, and study in the U.S.

This restrictive definition of "immediate family" aligns with existing U.S. immigration categories but falls short of many global competitors' more expansive approaches.

European Programs: The Three-Generation Model

European golden visas typically offer broader family inclusion:

Portugal allows:

• Spouse
• Children up to age 26 (if financially dependent and unmarried, enrolled in education)
• Parents of either applicant or spouse (if over 65 or financially dependent)

This three-generation approach makes Portugal attractive for family-oriented cultures where supporting parents is culturally significant.

Greece goes even further:

• Spouse
• Children up to age 21 (extendable to 24 for students)
• Parents of main applicant
• Parents-in-law (without requiring financial dependency)

This unique inclusion of in-laws makes Greece particularly generous for extended families.

Caribbean Programs: The Expansive Definition

Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programs offer remarkably inclusive family definitions:

• Spouse
• Children up to age 30 (if financially dependent)
• Parents or grandparents (typically above age 55)
• Some programs (St. Kitts, Antigua) even allow unmarried siblings

While additional family members increase the donation amount, the total cost for a large family still remains far below Trump's $5 million entry point.

UAE's Golden Visa: Future-Proofing Family Status

The UAE Golden Visa explicitly allows:

• Spouse
• Children "regardless of age" (later clarified as daughters of any age; sons up to 25)
• Parents (with conditions)
• Unlimited domestic workers

This makes UAE particularly attractive for families with adult children who might be excluded from other programs.

Comparative Analysis: Family Inclusion

Program Spouse Children Parents Extended Family Trump's Golden Visa Yes Under 21 only No No Portugal Golden Visa Yes Up to 26 (if dependent) Yes (if dependent) No Greece Golden Visa Yes Up to 21/24 Yes In-laws included Caribbean CBI Yes Up to 30 (if dependent) Yes (usually 55+) Some allow siblings UAE Golden Visa Yes Daughters any age; sons to 25 Yes (with conditions) Domestic workers

Part II: Global Mobility - Freedom to Travel and Relocate

Visa-Free Travel: Passports vs. Residence Cards

A critical distinction in mobility benefits is whether a program provides citizenship (passport) or only residency:

Trump's Golden Visa initially provides only U.S. permanent residency (green card), which:

• Does not confer visa-free travel privileges
• Allows visa-free entry only to Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean nations
• Requires holders to continue using their original passport for international travel
• Eventually leads to a powerful U.S. passport (after 5+ years) with access to 184 countries

European Golden Visas grant residence permits that:

• Allow free movement within the Schengen Area (90 days in 180-day periods)
• Do not permit living long-term in other EU countries
• Eventually can lead to EU citizenship with full freedom of movement rights
• EU passports provide visa-free access to ~187 countries

Caribbean CBI Programs immediately deliver:

• Full citizenship and passport within months
• Visa-free travel to 140-156 countries (including EU/UK but not U.S./Canada)
• No residency required before or after obtaining citizenship

This makes Caribbean programs uniquely valuable for immediate travel freedom enhancement.

Freedom of Movement Rights

Beyond visa-free travel, some programs offer regional mobility rights:

• EU Citizenship (via Portugal, Spain, etc.): The right to live, work, or study in any EU country indefinitely
• CARICOM: Caribbean citizens have certain mobility rights within the Caribbean Community
• U.S./Canada: No automatic rights to live elsewhere; each requires its own immigration process

This makes European golden visas particularly valuable once citizenship is attained, as they unlock an entire continent rather than just one country.

Comparative Mobility Timeline

Program Immediate Mobility Benefit Timeline to Enhanced Mobility Final Travel Access Trump's Golden Visa Limited (U.S./Canada/Mexico) 5+ years to U.S. citizenship 184 countries visa-free Portugal Golden Visa Schengen travel 5 years to EU citizenship 187 countries + EU mobility Caribbean CBI 150+ countries immediately Immediate upon passport receipt 150+ countries (no improvement) UAE Golden Visa Minimal No citizenship path Limited to residency benefits Turkey CIP 110 countries + E-2 treaty Immediate upon passport receipt 110 countries (no improvement)

Strategic Combinations for Optimal Mobility

Many wealthy individuals strategically combine programs to maximize benefits:

Immediate Mobility + Long-term Premium Citizenship: Obtain a Caribbean passport immediately while pursuing Trump's visa or EU golden visa for eventual superior citizenship

Tax Optimization + Premium Passport: Maintain UAE residency for tax purposes while pursuing citizenship elsewhere

Multiple Residency Options: Hold residency permits in several countries (e.g., Portugal and UAE) to maximize flexibility

Part III: Education and Healthcare Benefits for Families

Educational Access and Benefits

Different programs offer varying educational advantages:

Trump's Golden Visa (USA):

• Free K-12 public education
• In-state tuition at universities (significant savings)
• Potentially easier university admissions as residents vs. international students
• High-quality but costly higher education

European Golden Visas:

• Free or low-cost public education (including universities)
• Multicultural, often multilingual environment
• Lower overall higher education costs

UAE Golden Visa:

• Access to private international schools (high quality but expensive)
• Growing university presence but limited compared to U.S./Europe

Healthcare System Access

Health systems vary dramatically:

Trump's Golden Visa (USA):

• No universal healthcare
• Access requires private insurance
• High quality but costly care

European Golden Visas:

• Universal healthcare systems
• Residents generally have access to public healthcare
• Quality care with minimal out-of-pocket costs

Caribbean/UAE:

• Caribbean: Limited local healthcare infrastructure
• UAE: Excellent private healthcare but expensive

Conclusion: Beyond the Investment - Assessing Total Value

When evaluating investment migration options, the complete package—investment structure, family inclusion, and mobility benefits—determines true value:

Trump's Golden Visa offers:

• Restrictive family definition limited to nuclear family
• Limited immediate mobility enhancement
• Excellent long-term mobility (U.S. passport) after 5+ years
• Strong educational opportunities at a high cost
• Premium healthcare access (with private insurance)

European Golden Visas provide:

• Generous three-generation family inclusion
• Immediate Schengen mobility
• Excellent long-term mobility (EU freedom of movement)
• Free/affordable education and healthcare

Caribbean/Alternative Programs deliver:

• Extensive family inclusion
• Immediate citizenship and passport benefits
• Limited healthcare/education infrastructure (Caribbean)
• No tax residence obligations

For families seeking maximum inclusion across generations, European and Caribbean programs clearly outperform Trump's proposal. For immediate mobility enhancement, Caribbean programs are superior. For those prioritizing eventual access to a premium passport with strong mobility, Trump's program delivers—but at a substantially higher cost and longer timeline than many alternatives.

The ideal choice depends on whether an investor prioritizes bringing extended family, enhancing immediate travel freedom, or securing long-term rights in a specific country or region.