Nauru has promoted its Economic Citizenship Program as a lower-cost Citizenship-by-Investment option even as U.S. and European authorities tighten scrutiny of “golden passport” schemes amid broader Immigration pressures.
The Nauru government launched the NECP at COP29 in November 2024 as a “climate-resilient” citizenship model, with applicants making a non-refundable contribution of $105,000 USD to the state. The program also carries application fees of approximately $20,000 USD, with processing time estimated at 60-90 days.
Netwealth, the government-appointed agency, exclusively manages the program, according to the program details described by Nauru. That structure places a single gatekeeper at the center of due diligence and application handling.
The “slash” framing around Nauru’s pricing reflects how far the NECP sits below a $200,000 minimum investment benchmark that reshaped parts of the global market in 2024. It has not been presented as Nauru cutting its own $105,000 USD contribution, but as a lower threshold compared with the new baseline in other jurisdictions.
U.S. officials have not issued a statement specifically about a “price slash” in Nauru, but the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department have repeatedly stressed that investment citizenship programs must maintain strict vetting. In a general DHS policy statement on investment migration, archived and maintained through 2025-2026, the department said: “The United States is committed to working with our international partners to address the security risks posed by citizenship-by-investment programs, which can be exploited by bad actors to facilitate financial crime and evade law enforcement.”
That U.S. posture has become a central reference point for smaller countries marketing Citizenship-by-Investment, particularly those advertising faster processing. Nauru’s stated 60-90 days timeline places it in direct comparison with other programs competing on speed.
Washington’s concerns center on who obtains new travel documents and how they use them. DHS and the State Department emphasize high due diligence to prevent misuse of CBI programs, including schemes that allow illicit actors to move funds or obscure identities.
A pivotal turning point came in 2024, when the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding with five Caribbean nations that mandated a minimum investment of $200,000. The agreement effectively ended the era of $100,000 passports in that region.
The 2024 benchmark emerged from what the material describes as the “Six Principles” for Citizenship-by-Investment programs, a framework that influenced regional standards. Those principles include mandatory interviews for all applicants, enhanced due diligence by independent international firms, and regular audits of the program.
Nauru’s $105,000 USD contribution now sits well below the level the Caribbean moved to adopt, and that gap is driving attention toward Pacific options. The divergence also heightens the scrutiny applied by partners that control access to major travel and financial systems.
International pressure has also come from Europe, where the European Union has suspended visa-free access for several Pacific and Caribbean nations due to CBI security concerns. Vanuatu was cited as an example of a country facing that type of EU action.
Those suspensions underline a core risk for countries offering Citizenship-by-Investment: visa-free travel arrangements can become a point of leverage. The material notes U.S. pressure that includes threats to revoke visa-free travel for countries that do not implement strict vetting for their CBI programs.
Nauru’s program has drawn attention in that context because its contribution level remains relatively low against the $200,000 minimum that has become standard in the Caribbean and Europe. Competitive pricing, the material says, has led investors to shift focus from the Caribbean to the Pacific.
The material describes a “surge in applications” tied to Nauru’s $105,000 USD price point, though it provides no numerical figure for the increase. That increase has drawn scrutiny from DHS and USCIS regarding the origin of funds and applicant backgrounds, it says.
For individuals considering Nauru’s NECP, the most immediate practical issue is that a CBI passport does not change U.S. visa rules. The material says applicants who obtain Nauru citizenship via investment remain subject to rigorous U.S. visa screening, and holding a CBI passport does not grant an “easier” path to a U.S. Green Card or Visa.
Visa interviews can also take longer. The material says CBI-linked applicants may face additional administrative processing under Section 221(g) during U.S. visa interviews.
That additional processing can arise even when an application is otherwise complete, because administrative processing often reflects internal checks rather than missing paperwork. The material does not describe how frequently Section 221(g) affects CBI passport holders, but it flags the possibility as part of the risk calculus.
The program’s marketing emphasis on speed and a defined price does not remove the layers of screening that other governments may apply afterward. Even if a citizenship application completes in 60-90 days, downstream travel plans can hinge on separate consular decisions.
Due diligence also cuts both ways for applicants. The material says investors must undergo “multi-layered” vetting and warns that misuse to bypass international sanctions can lead to loss of citizenship without a refund.
Because the NECP contribution is described as non-refundable, that sanction-related outcome carries a financial consequence beyond the loss of status. The contribution amount is listed as $105,000 USD, and the application fees are approximately $20,000 USD.
Nauru’s program has been presented as a climate-resilient model, launched at COP29 in November 2024, but its success depends on continued confidence among partner governments. The market it enters has become more constrained by security concerns and shifting standards than during earlier expansions of Citizenship-by-Investment.
The 2024 “Six Principles” framework created a clearer dividing line between programs that meet a rising set of expectations and those that face greater suspicion. The material frames Nauru’s lower threshold through that lens, where the program’s affordability attracts applicants but can also intensify questions about who is applying and why.
That dynamic has unfolded alongside broader Immigration turmoil described as a global crackdown on investment migration. Authorities have focused on the potential use of CBI programs by “bad actors,” and policy responses have included both higher minimum investments and tougher operational requirements such as interviews, external due diligence, and audits.
For Nauru, the exclusive management by Netwealth concentrates operational responsibility in one appointed agent. The material does not describe Netwealth’s internal processes, but it identifies the firm as the government-appointed agency in charge of the NECP.
The evolving environment also affects how applicants should interpret the value of an acquired passport. Citizenship-by-Investment may offer a change of nationality, but it does not provide automatic entry rights to other countries, and it does not guarantee favorable treatment in Immigration decisions.
Governments that worry about document integrity and identity controls often respond by tightening visa screening rather than adjusting it downward. The material’s emphasis on Section 221(g) administrative processing reflects that reality for U.S. consular practice.
Prospective applicants and observers monitoring policy shifts typically watch official channels for advisories and procedural updates. DHS posts updates at its DHS Newsroom, including items that can affect Pacific travel advisories.
USCIS publishes policy updates and announcements at the USCIS Newsroom, a venue the material links to investment-based status developments. The material does not identify a specific USCIS policy change tied to Nauru, but it points readers to that channel for U.S. procedural context.
Nauru posts government announcements at its Nauru Government official site, which the material identifies as the location for NECP updates. Those announcements can matter for applicants tracking contribution requirements, fees, and administrative steps.
For a wider view of investment environments, the State Department publishes Investment Climate Statements. The material cites those statements as another official resource for monitoring investment-related developments.
The tightening of standards since 2024 has made price comparisons more politically sensitive. A program priced at $105,000 USD can look attractive to applicants who view the Caribbean’s $200,000 minimum as a new barrier, but it can also amplify questions from other governments about vetting rigor.
In that sense, Nauru’s NECP sits at the intersection of competitive pricing and a security-driven policy shift. The same affordability that draws attention in the global Citizenship-by-Investment market also frames how partners assess risk, and how applicants experience Immigration screening after they receive a new passport.
