AIMA (Portugal)
Portugal’s agency for integration, migration and asylum. It took over residence permit processing, including the golden visa, from SEF in 2023.
Legal Terms
Definitions of the legal and nationality law terms used in citizenship and residence applications.
Start typing to search every term in the glossary.
Certificate of Sponsorship
A UK reference number issued by a licensed sponsor to a worker, confirming the job details needed for a sponsored work visa application.
Citizenship by Investment Unit
The government office that receives, checks and decides citizenship by investment applications in several Caribbean countries.
Dual Citizenship
The legal status of being a recognised citizen of two countries simultaneously. Permitted by most CBI-issuing states and by the majority of major Western jurisdictions, but explicitly prohibited by some.
Endorsing body
An organisation approved by the UK Home Office to assess and endorse applicants for certain talent and innovator visa routes.
European Union
A political and economic union of 27 European states. EU citizenship — acquired through citizenship of any member state — grants the right to live, work, and study across the entire bloc.
ICP (UAE)
The UAE federal authority that issues residence visas, including the golden visa, and Emirates ID cards.
Indefinite Leave to Remain
The UK form of permanent residence, allowing a person to live, work and study in the UK without time limits.
Jordan Investment Commission
The Jordanian government body that promotes investment and receives investor applications under Jordan’s citizenship by investment route.
Naturalisation
The legal process by which a non-citizen acquires citizenship of a country, typically after a qualifying period of residency and the satisfaction of integration requirements.
Permanent residence
An immigration status that lets a non-national live in a country indefinitely, usually after a qualifying period of lawful temporary residence.
Residence permit
An official document that authorises a non-national to live in a country for a set period, subject to conditions and renewal.
Schengen Area
A bloc of 29 European states that have abolished internal border controls, allowing visa-free movement between them for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period.
Sponsor licence
Permission granted by the UK Home Office allowing an organisation to employ overseas workers on sponsored visa routes.
Visa-Free Access
The ability to enter a country for a short stay without obtaining a visa in advance. The visa-free count of a passport is the standard headline metric for passport strength.
Plan your next step
Compare live programmes on eligibility, timelines and family rules, check where you qualify, then read the country guides before you book a paid 60-minute consultation.
Browse live programmes
Residency and citizenship by investment programmes that are currently open, with the qualifying routes for each country.
Compare programmes
See two or more programmes side by side: investment routes, processing stages, family inclusion and residence rules.
Check your eligibility
Answer a few questions about your nationality, family and goals to see which programmes may fit.
Read the country guides
Plain guides to each programme: requirements, documents, due diligence and the steps from application to approval.
Frequently asked questions
How many legal terms are in the glossary?
The glossary currently defines 15 terms in this topic. Each entry gives a short definition first, with a full article where the subject needs more detail.
Can I suggest a term?
Yes. If a term you need is missing, contact our team and an adviser will review it for the next update.
What is investment migration?
Investment migration covers programmes that grant residency or citizenship in return for a qualifying investment in a country, such as a donation, property or a fund.
What is the difference between a golden visa and citizenship by investment?
A golden visa grants residency, usually renewable, and can lead to citizenship after years of residence. Citizenship by investment grants a passport directly once the application is approved.
What does due diligence mean?
Due diligence is the background check that governments run on every applicant and adult family member before approval.
What is the difference between residency and citizenship by investment?
Residence by investment gives you the right to live in a country; citizenship by investment makes you a national with a passport and full civic rights.
Residence permits usually need renewing and may carry stay requirements, while citizenship is generally permanent. Many families combine the two to cover different needs.
What is the difference between citizenship by investment and a golden visa?
A golden visa grants residency — the right to live, work, and travel in a country — but not citizenship or a second passport. Citizenship by investment grants full citizenship, including a second passport with all associated rights. Some programmes (like Portugal's) offer a residency-first route with citizenship eligibility after 5 years of residency. The right choice depends entirely on your goals: travel access, tax benefits, speed, or long-term settlement.
Explore further
Programmes, guides, insights and tools related to this page.