Cayman Islands.
How Cayman Islands sells residence for investors (golden visa): 4 programmes, 4 of them open today. Every number and rule below links to the document it comes from.
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- documents and articles
Certificate of Direct Investment
Sells the right to live in the country (a “golden visa”), sometimes leading to citizenship later.
Official name: Cayman Islands Certificate of Direct Investment
CI$1 million in an employment-generating business that the holder manages. Fees excluded: CI$20,000 issue fee.
Notes from the research
Section 47 of the Immigration (Transition) Act (s.37A of the former Law). Investment of at least CI$1m in a licensed employment-generating business in which the holder has substantial management control; 25-year certificate with right to work in that business; audited accounts and job details at years 2 and 5. Issue fee CI$20,000 (draft 2026: CI$50,000). Launched 2010-05-13: Gazette publication of the Immigration (Amendment) Law 2010 (no commencement clause); first rules CI$6m net worth and CI$2.4m investment (2010 Regulations). No counts found.
Prices and rules
What is measured
No published numbers found for this programme. That is itself worth knowing: see the notes and the documents below.
Permanent residence, independent means
Sells the right to live in the country (a “golden visa”), sometimes leading to citizenship later.
Official name: Cayman Islands Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means
CI$2 million in developed real estate (since 26 May 2017; still the prescribed sum). Fees excluded: CI$100,000 issue fee (draft CI$200,000).
Notes from the research
Created by the Immigration (Amendment) Law 2012 (s.34A, now s.42 of the Immigration (Transition) Act). Requires investment in developed real estate: CI$1.6m, CI$2m since May 2017. Issue fee CI$100,000 (draft 2026: CI$200,000); quota 250 a year. No right to work unless varied by the Board. From 1 May 2026 the certificate is for 10 years, renewable indefinitely, and the holder may then apply for naturalisation as a British Overseas Territories citizen (residence rules of the British Nationality Act still apply). No official counts found. The launch date is the Law's publication in the Gazette (5 June 2012; passed 5 April, assented 1 May 2012); the Law states no commencement date.
Prices and rules
What is measured
No published numbers found for this programme. That is itself worth knowing: see the notes and the documents below.
25-year residency, independent means
Sells the right to live in the country (a “golden visa”), sometimes leading to citizenship later.
Official name: Cayman Islands Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means (25-year)
CI$1 million on Grand Cayman, of which at least CI$500,000 must be in developed real estate. The applicant also needs CI$120,000 annual income or a CI$400,000 deposit. Regional discount: CI$500,000 on Cayman Brac or Little Cayman (CI$250,000 real estate), noted in the same row. Fees excluded: CI$20,000.
Notes from the research
Section 41 of the Immigration (Transition) Act (s.34 of the former Immigration Law). 25-year certificate, renewable, without the right to work. Since May 2017: CI$1m invested of which CI$500,000 in developed real estate on Grand Cayman (half on the Sister Islands), plus CI$120,000 annual income or a CI$400,000 local deposit; holders must be present 30 days a year. Issue fee CI$20,000 (draft 2026: CI$50,000). Launched 2004-01-01: the 2003 Law's Residential Certificate for Retirees (renamed the Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means by the Immigration (Amendment) (No. 2) Law 2006) was granted from 1 January 2004 (transitional s. 35(2)(a) of the 2006 Law), and the Immigration Regulations 2004, reg. 14, required an investment (CI$750,000 in Grand Cayman, at least CI$250,000 in developed real estate; CI$250,000 in the Sister Islands). The 2003 Law's own commencement clause was not read. The 2003 Law's separate Residential Certificate for Entrepreneurs and Investors (repealed 2006) is not recorded as a programme yet. No official counts found.
Prices and rules
What is measured
No published numbers found for this programme. That is itself worth knowing: see the notes and the documents below.
Substantial business presence residency
Sells the right to live in the country (a “golden visa”), sometimes leading to citizenship later.
Official name: Cayman Islands Residency Certificate (Substantial Business Presence)
No minimum investment: the requirement is a qualifying business with premises and four resident staff. Only the CI$5,000 issue fee is fixed.
Notes from the research
Created by the Immigration (Amendment) Law 2012 (s.37D, now s.50). For owners or senior managers of an approved category of business (fund administration, insurance, family office, exempted companies etc.) with physical premises and at least four full-time resident staff; no fixed investment amount. Issue fee CI$5,000 (draft 2026: CI$12,500). No counts found. The launch date is the Law's publication in the Gazette (5 June 2012; passed 5 April, assented 1 May 2012); the Law states no commencement date.
Prices and rules
What is measured
No published numbers found for this programme. That is itself worth knowing: see the notes and the documents below.
What happened, and when
The 15 documents behind this page
- 2026-03 · GovernmentGovernment Committed to Full Readiness for Immigration Law Changes · Cayman Islands Government (gov.ky)
- 2026-02 · GovernmentImmigration (Transition) (Fees) Regulations, 2026 - Consultation Draft · Cayman Islands Government, Ministry of Caymanian Employment & Immigration
- 2026-02 · GovernmentPublic Consultation Opens on Update to Immigration Application Fees · Cayman Islands Government (gov.ky)
- 2025-12 · Law or regulationImmigration (Transition) (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2025 (Act 14 of 2025) · Cayman Islands Government (Legislation Gazette No. 54, Supplement No. 2, 18 December 2025)
- 2018-10 · Law or regulationThe Immigration (Transition) Bill, 2018 · Cayman Islands Government (Extraordinary Gazette No. 81, Supplement No. 17, 24 October 2018); hosted by the Parliament of the Cayman Islands
- 2018-03 · Law or regulationImmigration Regulations (2018 Revision) · Cayman Islands Government (Extraordinary Gazette No. 23, 21 March 2018)
- 2017-05 · Law or regulationThe Immigration (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations, 2017 · Cayman Islands Government (Extraordinary Gazette No. 43, Supplement No. 5, 26 May 2017)
- 2014-10 · Law or regulationImmigration Regulations (2014 Revision) · Cayman Islands Government (Extraordinary Gazette No. 75, 10 October 2014)
- 2012-09 · Law or regulationThe Immigration (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 2012 · Cayman Islands Government (Extraordinary Gazette No. 88, 13 September 2012)
- 2012-06 · Law or regulationThe Immigration (Amendment) Law, 2012 (Law 2 of 2012) · Cayman Islands Government (Gazette No. 12, Supplement No. 2, 5 June 2012)
- 2010-05 · Law or regulationThe Immigration (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations, 2010 · Cayman Islands Government (Extraordinary Gazette No. 28, Supplement No. 1, 19 May 2010)
- 2010-05 · Law or regulationThe Immigration (Amendment) Law, 2010 (Law 15 of 2010) · Cayman Islands Government (Extraordinary Gazette No. 27, Supplement No. 1, 13 May 2010)
- 2006-12 · Law or regulationThe Immigration (Amendment) (No. 2) Law, 2006 (Law 35 of 2006) · Cayman Islands Government (Extraordinary Gazette No. 27, Supplement No. 1, 21 December 2006)
- 2006-07 · Law or regulationImmigration Law (2006 Revision) · Cayman Islands Government (Gazette No. 14, Supplement No. 6, 10 July 2006)
- 2004-05 · Law or regulationThe Immigration Regulations, 2004 · Cayman Islands Government (Extraordinary Gazette No. 16, Supplement No. 1, 13 May 2004)
Who buys passports and golden visas, what they cost, and what happens when governments change the rules. Written from this data, in the newsletter.