Island nation's golden passport: $90,000 buys access to 85+ nations

Naoero's citizenship scheme promises global mobility while helping finance the country's climate change response

A Pacific island nation battling the impact of climate change is offering citizenship to foreign nationals in return for a financial contribution, with the money set to fund projects aimed at protecting the country from rising sea levels.

 

The Republic of Naoero, formerly known as Nauru, has been promoting a citizenship-by-investment programme under which eligible applicants can obtain its passport by contributing $90,000 under a limited-period offer. The initiative has drawn international attention because it links the sale of citizenship directly to climate adaptation, rather than broader economic development.

 

The programme also places Naoero among a group of countries that offer citizenship through investment, although officials say its primary objective is to raise funds to help the island nation respond to an existential environmental challenge.

   

Why is Naoero offering citizenship?

 

According to the country’s authorities, the programme is intended to generate money for climate resilience measures, including relocating communities and critical infrastructure away from vulnerable coastal areas.

 

Naoero covers only about 21 square kilometres, making it one of the world’s smallest countries. Much of its interior remains unsuitable for development after decades of phosphate mining, leaving a large share of its population concentrated along the coastline.

 

With sea levels rising and coastal flooding becoming more frequent, the government has said it plans to move around 90 per cent of families and key infrastructure to higher ground. Reports indicate that the first phase of this relocation project alone is expected to cost more than $60 million.

 

Officials say proceeds from the citizenship programme will help finance these projects.   

What does the programme offer?

 

According to information released by the programme’s administrators and international media reports, eligible applicants can receive Naoero citizenship after completing a stringent application process.

 

Key features include:

 

Citizenship through a $90,000 contribution for a single applicant under a promotional offer, compared with the regular fee of $115,000.

 

Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more than 85 destinations, including Singapore, Hong Kong Malaysia, South Korea, United Arab Emirates and Russia

 

A multi-stage due diligence process, including extensive background checks.

 

Citizenship that does not automatically provide the right to purchase land in Naoero, where land ownership remains subject to local restrictions.

 

Applicants must satisfy eligibility requirements before approval, and authorities have said screening is designed to protect the credibility of the programme.

 

Why has the programme attracted scrutiny?

 

Citizenship-by-investment schemes have long been debated globally because of concerns that passports could be misused if background checks are weak.

 

Naoero's programme has received similar scrutiny. Security experts and some governments have questioned whether such schemes can adequately prevent people with criminal backgrounds from obtaining citizenship.

 

The country says it has strengthened its safeguards by introducing stricter vetting, continuous monitoring and provisions allowing citizenship to be revoked if an individual is later found to have committed serious offences.

 

These measures are particularly significant because Naoero had previously operated a citizenship programme in the early 2000s that was later discontinued following reports that some passports had ended up with individuals linked to criminal or security concerns.

 

Authorities say the current framework has been designed with much tighter compliance standards.

 

How does it compare with other investment citizenship programmes?

 

Naoero is entering a market already occupied by several countries, particularly in the Caribbean, that offer citizenship in exchange for investment.

 

However, many Caribbean programmes typically require substantially larger investments, generally starting at around $200,000 to $250,000, depending on the investment route and country.

 

The lower entry cost may make Naoero's programme attractive to some global investors seeking an additional passport for travel or business purposes. However, its passport provides access to fewer destinations than some competing programmes.

 

Reports indicate that more than 120 citizenships have already been granted since the programme was introduced.

 

What does this mean for Indians?

 

For wealthy Indian citizens exploring citizenship-by-investment options, Naoero’s programme represents a relatively lower-cost route to acquiring a second passport. However, applicants should carefully evaluate factors beyond the headline investment amount.

 

These include the passport's travel benefits, taxation implications, due diligence requirements, long-term policy stability and India's rules on citizenship. Under Indian law, citizens are not permitted to hold dual citizenship, meaning anyone voluntarily acquiring another country's citizenship would lose Indian citizenship and would instead need to consider options such as the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) framework, where eligible.

 

Prospective applicants should therefore seek professional legal and immigration advice before making any decision.

 

Supporters argue that Naoero has found an innovative way to finance its climate adaptation efforts at a time when small island nations face mounting environmental risks. Critics, however, continue to question whether citizenship should be linked to financial contributions, even if the proceeds are intended for climate resilience.