Plan B Passport: Why a Second Citizenship Is the Ultimate Safety Net

What is a Plan B Passport?

A plan B passport is a second citizenship held specifically as a safety net rather than for day-to-day use.

Think of it as insurance in a broader geopolitical context: if your home country faces political turmoil, punitive taxes, or travel restrictions, a backup passport lets you relocate, bank, invest, or simply move across borders with minimal hassle.

Unlike a standard tourist visa, which grants short-term temporary entry, or even a long-term residency permit, a plan B passport confers full citizenship rights:

• Visa-free travel to the issuing country’s treaty partners – think of the Schengen Zone if you get a Portuguese passport.
  
  
• The ability to live and work there indefinitely.
  
  
• The option to pass citizenship to future generations – something invaluable for long-term legacy planning.
  
  
• Because it is “in reserve”, most investors keep their primary residency unchanged while securing a legal foothold elsewhere, ready to exercise it only when circumstances demand.

Residency by Investment

Programs common in the EU, with options like the Portugal Golden Visa or Greece Golden Visa, which begin with a residency permit.

After a qualifying period, usually five to seven years, and basic integration requirements, you can naturalize and receive an EU passport: the ultimate plan B.

Citizenship by Investment

Caribbean nations such as Saint Lucia or Dominica grant passports in as little as six months when you meet a fixed investment or donation threshold.

Who Needs a Plan B Passport?

Theoretically, everyone ought to have a plan B passport.

However, considering the nature of residency and citizenship programs, it is simply not feasible for most people, and there are certain profiles which can benefit from this insurance policy, keeping it as an exit strategy.

If you fit into any of the following groups, chances are a plan B passport fits your profile better and you could stand to benefit from it much more.

High-Net-Worth Individuals in Politically Unstable Countries

Wealthy investors based in countries prone to currency controls, sudden wealth taxes, or regime changes have the most to lose if borders tighten overnight.

A plan B passport allows them to re-domicile assets, shift banking relationships, and relocate staff or family without waiting on emergency visas.

It also hedges against country-specific risks such as expropriation or capital-export restrictions, ensuring their global portfolios remain liquid and legally mobile.

Entrepreneurs & Remote Workers Seeking Tax Flexibility

Digital nomads, crypto traders and entrepreneurs value agility.

With a second citizenship, they can structure companies in business-friendly jurisdictions, access international payment rails, and base themselves where corporate and personal tax rates are optimal.

If a home government rewrites its residency-based tax rules, a valid passport elsewhere lets them pivot quickly, avoiding punitive exit taxes or double taxation.

Families Who Prioritize Education, Healthcare & Lifestyle

American, British and Canadians parents who want top universities, affordable private healthcare, and a stable social environment often pursue a plan B passport.

Dual citizenship gives children the option to study in multiple countries at domestic tuition rates, qualify for scholarships, and eventually work across larger labor markets.

It also grants access to strong public-health systems and a higher overall quality of life critical factors when future-proofing a family’s long-term well-being.

Why Have a Plan B Passport: Top 5 Benefits

Visa-Free Travel & Global Mobility

A plan B passport can instantly multiply the number of countries you enter without visas.

For instance, an EU passport, obtained via Portugal or Greece’s residency programs, delivers automatic Schengen and EU freedom of movement.

That means smoother business trips, easier family vacations, and the ability to relocate on short notice if your home country tightens exit controls or imposes travel bans.

Social Safety

With a world as increasingly as volatile as ours, there’s no price tag on safety.

By investing in a plan B passport, you can invest your capital in securing a safe haven should the situation in your home country go awry.

This is especially crticial since it allows you to all the bureaucracy-related issues of getting a visa.

Asset Protection & Wealth Planning

With citizenship in another country, you can legally open offshore bank accounts, purchase property, or hold brokerage assets under your second nationality.

This allows you to shield your wealth from single-country political risk or capital-control crackdowns.

Diversified banking also lets you remain flexible currency-wise; if one jurisdiction imposes transfer limits, you still have unrestricted access through your plan B country’s financial system.

Generational Security & Legacy Planning

A major benefit in securing a second citizenship is that it can usually be passed down to your children, and sometimes future generations, by descent.

That means your heirs inherit the same mobility, education, and lifestyle privileges without having to repeat the investment.

A plan B passport therefore works as a means to secure your legacy, safeguarding your family from future geopolitical or economic shocks while expanding their global opportunities.

Financial Benefits 

Holding a second passport issued by a tax-friendly nation can do far more than trim your annual bill to the revenue office.

It can also widen your personal privacy and business protections, letting you shield your wealth from sudden tax hikes at home while legitimately earning foreign income with little or no local tax.

At the same time, an alternate citizenship gives you a parallel identity that lets you bank, invest, and transact in countries with stronger confidentiality laws, reducing the risks that come with relying on a single country.

The Best Ways to Secure a Plan B Passport in 2025

Portugal Golden Visa

• Minimum Investment Amount: €500,000 in regulated funds.
  
  
• Receive a renewable residency permit in 16 to 18 months.
  
  
• Maintain an average of 7 days per year in Portugal.
  
  
• Eligibility for naturalization in 5 Years.

Greece Golden Visa

• Minimum Investment Amount: €250 000 via property purchase.
  
  
• Obtain residency in as little as 60 days.
  
  
• No need to visit Greece, other than for a biometrics appointment.
  
  
• Eligibility for naturalization in 7 Years.

Exclusive €155 K Portugal Residency Option

Structured by Investment Visa and vetted by Portuguese lawyers.

• €155,000 investment across staged payments over five years.
  
  
• You lock in residency within 8 months.
  
  
• Minimum stay requirements.
  
  
• Eligibility for naturalization in 5 Years.

Why Choose Investment Visa as Your Plan B Passport Partner?

We’re backed by the Harland & Poston Group, a multi-award-winning conglomerate that has channeled €500 million+ in global real estate and visa investments and controls €180 million in owned assets, including hotels in the UK, a 1 200-unit regeneration project in Glasgow, student housing in Paisley, and 11 developments across Portugal.

Making this possible are our multiple teams, who have 25+ years of combined experience in everything related to visas & residency-by-investment and directly liaise with licensed immigration attorneys.

Because of our experience, and our track record, which includes a 100 % approval rate on all residency-by-investment applications handled to date, we’re trusted by thousands of clients from 50 + countries.

And above all else, we’re driven by our mission of helping investors build their brighter future.

Speak to a Consultant Today

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long does a plan B passport take?

• Anywhere from four months (Caribbean) to 5 to 10 years for EU options.

2. Are Plan B passports only for the ultra-rich?

• Not at all. We cater to everyone who is interested in obtaining second citizenship. We’re proud to have the cheapest EU residency investment program, which starts at €155k, and can be paid over 5 years.

3. Do I need to move permanently?

• No. Greece requires no minimal stays for residency, though it does to get Citizenship. Portugal depends on the program of choice, but it’s minimal.

4. Can Americans keep their U.S. passport?

• Yes, the United States permits their citizens to have dual citizenship.

5. Is the €155 k Portugal residency option government-approved?

• We’ve gone to extensive detail to verify and vet our exclusive option complies with Portuguese immigration law and is filed through licensed attorneys.

6. Will my children inherit my second citizenship?

• In nearly all cases, yes. Citizenship acquired by naturalisation or investment passes to descendants.

7. What are the ongoing costs?

• Passport renewals (every 5–10 years), annual residency card fees (EU), and optional legal representation.

8. Can I finance the investment?

• Most programs require funds to be your own. However, our own payment by instalments model spreads payments over five years, easing cash flow.