An Introduction to Residence and Citizenship Planning

Henley & Partners is recognized as the world’s leading experts in residence and citizenship planning. For over 25 years, we have assisted thousands of wealthy individuals, families, and their advisors in acquiring alternative residence and citizenship, facilitating more than USD 15 billion in foreign direct investments worldwide.

In addition to advising private individuals and families, Henley & Partners has a unique position as being the only firm worldwide to have advised multiple governments on projects ranging from strategic consulting to the design, implementation, and operation of investment-related residence and citizenship programs. The firm continues to advise and assist governments around the world in this field, and in 2013 was awarded a public services concession under competitive tender by the Government of Malta for the design, implementation, and international promotion of the Malta Individual Investor Program, which was the most successful citizenship program in the world, until its reconfiguration in 2020.   

We also provide authoritative resources on global residence and citizenship options through our annually updated Investment Migration Programs report. This comprehensive publication serves private clients, wealth management professionals, and governments, and includes the Global Residence Program Index and the Global Citizenship Program Index, which assess the relative worth of reputable residence and citizenship by investment programs. Additionally, our Henley Ultimate Portfolio is an interactive platform that enables investors to explore the ultimate combination of alternative residences and citizenships to unlock global access, mitigate risk, and create opportunity.

This unique combination of trusted client services, government advisory, and unmatched resources gives Henley & Partners’ clients a distinct advantage.

Services for Private Clients

A person of talent and means need not limit their life, business, or citizenship to a single country. Making an active decision about your residence and citizenship provides greater personal freedom, privacy, and security. Henley & Partners has the expertise and experience necessary to advise and assist clients with this important decision.

As a client of Henley & Partners, you benefit from integrated solutions rather than isolated advice. Our specialists pool their knowledge and experience to consider every detail of your case from all relevant perspectives. You also have a dedicated Client Advisor who coordinates the various specialists and ensures continuity of strategy and service.

We support you not only with strategic planning but also with the practical steps of establishing yourself abroad. This includes connecting you with key partners such as lawyers, tax experts, bankers, and real estate professionals, helping you build the right network to succeed in your new environment.

For each of our clients, we analyze the individual situation carefully, present the available options, develop a plan of action, and execute the strategy. Drawing on our extensive expertise and experience, we handle government procedures quickly and efficiently on your behalf — ensuring you achieve your personal and professional goals.

Services for Wealth Management Professionals

Every day, individual private clients and families, together with their trusted advisors worldwide, rely on us for our specialist knowledge in international residence and citizenship planning. Our services include comparative citizenship law, the relinquishment of citizenship, and the acquisition of citizenship based on residence, ancestry, citizenship by merit, or citizenship by investment.

The specialized services of Henley & Partners are a resource and complement to other firms that advise international private clients. We regularly help law firms, private banks, family offices, and other wealth management professionals by providing the unique and specific details required for a residence or citizenship planning portfolio for their clients.

Services for Governments

Besides its successful practice for international private clients, Henley & Partners also frequently advises governments and their agencies on economic development strategies and their implementation. Our government advisory practice focuses particularly on creating favorable conditions for foreign direct investment through the design, implementation, and operation of investment migration (residence and citizenship) programs and similar instruments aiming to enhance a country’s attractiveness to international entrepreneurs and investors.

Henley & Partners has been responsible for raising more than USD 15 billion in foreign direct investment and has designed, co-advised, or been mandated to implement the most successful residence and citizenship programs worldwide. Click here for more information.

Many Options, Many Complexities

There are a limited number of countries that offer citizenship programs providing a direct route to citizenship based on investment and that have passed Henley & Partners’ country due diligence. These countries include Austria, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Egypt, Grenada, Jordan, Nauru, North Macedonia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and Türkiye. Other countries, such as Australia, Canada, Greece, Portugal, Singapore, the UK, and the USA, offer citizenship following a reasonable period of residence.

In many jurisdictions, it is possible to obtain a residence permit by incorporating a company, establishing a branch or subsidiary, or investing in or establishing a business. Likewise, residence permits are often available to individuals of independent means who meet the relevant requirements.

However, the laws of most countries are complex and subject to continuous revision. The procedures can be daunting for applicants who are not fully familiar with all the legal aspects of their case. Engaging an experienced specialist significantly increases the chances of success — in most cases, professional guidance makes the difference between obtaining a residence permit and being refused one.

Henley & Partners simplifies the process by identifying the best options for your needs and guiding you through every step, offering real solutions with a sound legal basis backed by our expertise.