Is it possible to just "buy" citizenship?

A U.S. Passport for U.S. cash
It's going to cost a lot more than $80.
If you've ever tried to do a web search for "second citizenship" or "second passport", you have probably encountered some dubious search results. Most of the results are pretty dodgy. The best results are for retirees looking to spend their days in warmer climates (and Florida isn't their thing).. The iffy results are those advertising citizenship in code as a way to hide income or avoid paying taxes for one's home country. (The creatives advertising these second nationalities often highlight the fact that they "Do not tax foreign income!") The worst results are those advertising a second passport and/or citizenship because you need to hide your original identity or citizenship for "safety" reasons (code for avoiding responsibility associated with your real identity or citizenship).

Of the almost two hundred sovereign nations in the world, only four countries offer what is referred to, via euphemism, as "economic citizenship":
  1. Commonwealth of Dominica (not to be confused with the Dominican Republic):
    anywhere from US$100,000 for a single person to US$200,000 for a family of four will get you citizenship. Getting citizenship requires as little as 90 days.
  2. Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis:
    a five year investment of US$400,000 or more in real estate or a US$200,000 investment in the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF). Getting citizenship can be done in as little as 90 days.
  3. Republic of Cyprus:
    There are five ways, through investment, to obtain citizenship:
    1. hold a permanent privately-owned residence in the Republic of Cyprus, with a purchase price of at least €500,000.
    2. a deposit of €2,000,000 for the purchase of shares and/or bonds of the State Investment Company (under formation) and a donation of at least €500,000 to the Research and Technology Fund. Investors need to maintain the shares and/or bonds for a period of three (3) years.
    3. a direct investment of at least €5,000,000 in the purchase of any property, business or company, or financial assets. The investor would need to maintain ownership of the assets for a period of three (3) years.
    4. a €5,000,000 fixed-term deposit for a three year (3) period in a Cypriot bank.
    5. be a shareholder or beneficiary owner of a company, the management of which is in the Republic of Cyprus and the company has contributed at least €500,000 per annum in the past three (3) years to state funds.
  4. Republic of Austria (not to be confused with Australia):
    an investment of almost €2,000,000 to €3,000,000 in a Austrian charity (non-recoverable) or a US$10,000,000+ (possibly recoverable) investment into the economy of Austria is required. The paperwork is complicated (you must submit a CV and references) and can take from twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months to process.
Austria is the most surprising in the list, in that it is part of the G-20 major economies. None of these countries will let a person with a criminal history become a citizen, although some of these are known to be lax regarding background checks.

World Passport
Edward Snowden got one of these
Often included in the search results of these "second citizenship & second passport" schemes is the "World Passport" (for the "World Citizen"). The World Passport is a real thing, that looks like a real passport, and is sold by a non-profit organization. The only country in the world known to be supportive of the concept is the Holy See aka the Vatican. Four others have said they will "accept" it: Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Togo. The United States, as well as Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Great Britain, specifically single out the World Passport as an example of an invalid travel document in its immigration rules.

Applying for naturalization and becoming legally Japanese is free (with the exception of small fees on your side for gathering paperwork and possibly third parties you may optionally — which are not necessary — hire to help you with paperwork). However, you have to apply for it and earn it by passing its six requirements. Money alone cannot get you Japanese citizenship.

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