Independent index: figures taken from official tariffs, not from agents
themigrationroute.com/
BUSINESS
Residence
through business
Status in exchange for a genuinely operating business — opened, bought, or built locally. Unlike RBI, you cannot be a passive investor.
A good fit if
You are ready to personally run a company, or already run one that can move or scale abroad.
The entry bar is often lower than RBI — from €60,000 in Latvia, and no fixed amount at all in some jurisdictions.
A flexible path without a large one-off sum, in exchange for ongoing operating obligations, appeals to you.
A poor fit if
You want a passive status without operational involvement — RBI is the closer fit.
You have no real business plan or existing business — almost every programme checks substance, not just paperwork.
Speed with minimal effort is your top priority.
How it differs from neighbouring categories
Unlike RBI, it requires genuine involvement in running the business — you cannot just invest and stay hands-off. Unlike NOMAD, the business usually needs to operate in the new country itself, not remotely for outside clients.
Programmes in this category in the index:
COUNTRY
PROGRAMME
ENTRY FROM
TIMELINE
LatviaBusiness investment
$65,000
from 3 mo.
United StatesE-2 visa via Grenada passport
$100,000
from 5 mo.