Can An EU Passport Be Purchased Directly?

No.

A passport is a travel document issued to a citizen. It cannot be purchased independently from the underlying citizenship.

EU citizenship is acquired by becoming a citizen of an EU member state. The European Union does not issue a separate EU nationality or passport.

An applicant must therefore qualify for citizenship under the nationality law of a particular EU country.

The conventional routes include:

• Citizenship by descent;
• Citizenship through marriage or family connection;
• Ordinary residence-based naturalisation; and
• Naturalisation after holding an employment, business, investment or other qualifying types of EU residence permits.

None allows an applicant simply to purchase an EU passport.

Does Any EU Country Still Offer Citizenship By Investment In 2026?

No EU member state currently operates a conventional citizenship-by-investment programme.

A conventional CBI programme normally provides:

• A published minimum investment threshold;
• Defined qualifying investment options;
• A standard application procedure;
• Published eligibility requirements; and
• Citizenship following governmental approval and completion of the prescribed contribution or investment.

That structure no longer exists within the European Union.

Cyprus terminated its investment-citizenship programme in 2020. Bulgaria subsequently abolished its investment-linked fast-track citizenship provisions.

Malta’s Exceptional Investor Naturalisation framework was the last formal investor-citizenship mechanism operating within the EU. It ended following the April 2025 judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Websites continuing to describe Malta, Cyprus or Bulgaria as active EU passport-by-investment programmes may therefore be relying on outdated information.

Related Information: Citizenship By Investment Europe: Does It Still Exist In 2026?

What Exactly Happened To Malta Citizenship By Investment?

On 29 April 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Malta’s investor-citizenship framework was incompatible with EU law.

Malta subsequently repealed the investment-based structure and amended its nationality legislation.

This ended the final conventional citizenship-by-investment programme within the European Union.

Malta continues to provide for naturalisation on the basis of merit. Citizenship may be considered for individuals who have rendered, or are expected to render, exceptional services or contributions to Malta or humanity.

There is no published investment amount that creates an entitlement to citizenship under the merit framework.

A person’s economic, scientific, entrepreneurial, philanthropic, cultural or other contribution may be relevant, but each case remains individually assessed and subject to sovereign discretion.

Related Information:

• Malta Exceptional Naturalisation In The National Interest
• Malta Citizenship By Investment Is Over

Can A European Golden Visa Lead To An EU Passport?

Potentially, but not directly.

A Golden Visa is a residence-by-investment programme. It allows an applicant to obtain legal residence by making a qualifying investment.

Depending upon the country, this may provide:

• A renewable residence permit with low in-country presence requirements;
• The right to live in the issuing country;
• Schengen visa-free travel access;
• Residence rights for qualifying family members; and
• Eventual eligibility to apply for ordinary naturalisation, subject to meeting the requisite conditions.

The investment does not itself produce citizenship.

An investor may still have to satisfy requirements concerning:

• The duration of legal residence;
• Physical presence;
• Language ability;
• Integration;
• Tax and social-security compliance;
• Maintining a clean criminal record; and
• Demonstrating continuing connections with the country.

A Golden Visa may form part of a long-term strategy for obtaining EU citizenship. It is not a method of buying an EU passport.

What Is Citizenship By Merit Or National Interest?

Citizenship by merit and national-interest naturalisation operate outside conventional CBI programmes.

These mechanisms preserve the authority of a state to grant citizenship where naturalising a particular person would provide an exceptional benefit to the country.

Depending upon the jurisdiction, the relevant legislation may refer to:

• Exceptional merit;
• Eminent services to the state;
• Extraordinary achievement in domains like technology, sport, science, cultural or economics;
• Exceptional contribution to the state;
• Special state interest;
• National interest;
• Presidential discretion; or
• Naturalisation by sovereign decree.

The terminology and approval mechanism differ between countries.

Some decisions are made by a president. Others require a ministerial recommendation, cabinet approval or another sovereign governmental process.

These mechanisms are not standardised investment-linked citizenship programmes. They are generally highly selective, individually assessed, and dependent upon the state’s priorities and acceptance of the applicant and proposed contribution.

Related Information:

• European Citizenship By Merit And National Interest
• Citizenship By Merit vs Citizenship By Investment

Can Investment Support An Exceptional Citizenship Case?

Sometimes.

A significant economic contribution may be relevant where it creates an identifiable and exceptional benefit for the country.

This could involve:

• Establishing a strategically important business;
• Creating meaningful employment;
• Developing nationally significant technology;
• Supporting scientific research;
• Expanding an important industry;
• Making a substantial philanthropic contribution;
• Bringing internationally recognised expertise to the country; or
• Advancing another clearly defined national objective.

The investment must generally form part of a wider national-interest proposition.

A passive property purchase, bank deposit, or financial transfer does not ordinarily establish exceptional merit merely because the amount is substantial.

There is no universal minimum investment for citizenship by merit. The scale and nature of the contribution must be considered in relation to the country, the applicant, and the governmental interest being advanced.

Which EU Countries Retain Exceptional Citizenship Mechanisms?

A number of EU member states retain some form of exceptional or discretionary naturalisation authority.

Examples include:

• Austria;
• Malta;
• Italy;
• Poland;
• Slovenia;
• Bulgaria;
• Greece;
• Germany;
• France; and
• Other jurisdictions documented within the DirectCitizenship country library.

The existence of a legal mechanism does not mean that it is publicly accessible, commercially executable or regularly used.

Some provisions operate only in very rare circumstances. Others have clearer administrative or institutional pathways but remain subject to substantial governmental discretion.

There is no single application that can be submitted for “EU citizenship by merit.” Each country applies its own nationality law and determines its own national interests.

Is A European Passport The Same As An EU Passport?

No.

Europe includes countries that are not members of the European Union.

Obtaining citizenship status in Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Moldova, or Georgia does not provide EU citizenship or an automatic right to live and work throughout the European Union.

Some non-EU European countries possess valuable citizenship-by-exception or national-interest mechanisms. Those routes may be relevant to someone seeking a European second citizenship, but they should not be represented as EU passport programmes.

Applicants should establish whether their actual objective is:

• Citizenship of an EU member state;
• Citizenship of an EU candidate country;
• Residence within the EU;
• Access to the Schengen Area;
• A European second citizenship; or
• A stronger international travel document.

These objectives are not interchangeable.

Warning Signs When Someone Offers To Sell An EU Passport

Prospective applicants should exercise particular caution where an intermediary claims to offer:

• Guaranteed EU citizenship;
• A secret European passport programme;
• Citizenship purely through a property purchase;
• A fixed payment producing certain presidential approval;
• A Golden Visa that automatically becomes citizenship;
• A current Malta, Cyprus or Bulgaria CBI programme;
• An EU passport without identifying the issuing country;
• Citizenship without due diligence or governmental scrutiny; or
• Diplomatic or political influence capable of overriding nationality law.

A legitimate exceptional-naturalisation case must have a valid legal basis within the relevant country.

It must also remain subject to the decision of the competent governmental authority. No private intermediary can guarantee the exercise of sovereign discretion.

Who May Have A Case To Apply For Exceptional EU Citizenship?

The ability to fund a contribution is only one part of a potentially credible case.

Relevant considerations may include:

• The applicant’s professional and entrepreneurial history;
• Their international standing;
• The nature of the proposed contribution;
• The benefit to the country;
• Existing connections with the jurisdiction;
• Source of wealth and funds;
• Personal and commercial reputation;
• Family composition;
• Political or regulatory sensitivities; and
• The availability of an appropriate legal and institutional pathway.

The most viable exceptional merit jurisdiction may not be the country initially preferred by the applicant.

A preliminary assessment should therefore consider the applicant’s complete profile and the national-interest proposition that can realistically be established.

Can DirectCitizenship Assist?

DirectCitizenship documents citizenship mechanisms operating through exceptional merit, national interest, executive authority and other forms of legally enshrined sovereign discretion.

The existence of exceptional-naturalisation provisions across Europe does not mean that every jurisdiction supports practical implementation.

In a limited number of environments, DirectCitizenship may be able to assess whether an applicant’s background, proposed contribution and citizenship objectives warrant further structured consideration.

No assessment, introduction or submission can guarantee citizenship or the exercise of sovereign discretion.

Explore Exceptional EU Citizenship Options

If your objective is to obtain citizenship of an EU member state through exceptional merit, national interest or a substantial strategic contribution, you may submit a confidential enquiry.

DirectCitizenship can assess whether your profile and objectives correspond with a legally recognised exceptional-citizenship mechanism in a jurisdiction where further consideration may be appropriate.

This is not an application to purchase an EU passport, and no exceptional-naturalisation outcome can be guaranteed.

Related Information

• Citizenship By Investment Europe: Does It Still Exist In 2026?
• European Citizenship By Merit And National Interest Countries
• Citizenship By Merit vs Citizenship By Investment
• Countries Offering Citizenship By Merit, Exception And National Interest
• Malta Exceptional Naturalisation In The National Interest

DISCLAIMER

This page provides general information concerning European citizenship and exceptional naturalisation mechanisms. It does not constitute legal, immigration, investment, tax or financial advice. Citizenship decisions remain subject to the applicable nationality law and the sovereign discretion of the competent governmental authorities. Legislation, administrative practice and political tolerance may change.