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Puerto Rico residence and citizenship

The lowest comparable cited investment amount on file for a residence route in Puerto Rico is $800,000, for the US EB-5 Immigrant Investor (including Puerto Rico). Ordinary naturalisation in Puerto Rico needs 5 years of legal residence.

Last updated: 9 November 2026

Checked — Sources last checked 9 November 2026 by the automated residence and citizenship review.

Residence routes in Puerto Rico

Investment, own-income, remote-work and permanent routes. Scroll across the table to see every column.

RouteKindMinimumProcessingTo citizenship
US EB-5 Immigrant Investor (including Puerto Rico)Investor$800,000—5 years
US E-2 Treaty Investor (including Puerto Rico)Investor—3–6 months—
US EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (self petition)Permanent residence——5 years
US EB-2 National Interest Waiver (self petition)Permanent residence——5 years
US EB-1C Multinational Manager or ExecutivePermanent residence——5 years
US EB-2 Employer-Sponsored Professional or Exceptional AbilityPermanent residence——5 years
US EB-3 Employer-Sponsored WorkerPermanent residence——5 years

"Minimum" is a cited investment threshold in its stated currency. A USD figure appears only when a supported conversion is on file; "—" means no supported amount is on file, not that it is free. "To citizenship" counts the years of residence before a naturalisation application. A zero-year entry states no residence wait; citizenship still needs a separate decision.

Work, family, study and other routes (7)
RouteKindMinimumProcessingTo citizenship
US E-1 Treaty Trader (including Puerto Rico)Work———
US L-1 Intracompany TransferWork———
US O-1 Extraordinary Ability or AchievementWork———
US H-1B Specialty OccupationWork———
US Family-Sponsored Immigrant VisaFamily——5 years
US citizen relocation to Puerto RicoEU / EEA free movement———
US lawful permanent resident relocation to Puerto RicoEU / EEA free movement——5 years
Each route's conditions and sources

US EB-5 Immigrant Investor (including Puerto Rico)

Not for US citizens.

Federal EB-5 route for foreign investors; US citizens are excluded because they cannot receive a US visa. $800,000 USD applies only to a qualifying targeted employment area or infrastructure project; standard minimum is $1,050,000 USD. Both figures are already in USD, rate 1:1. Investment must create at least ten full-time US jobs. Conditional LPR status starts the five-year naturalization clock, subject to federal residence rules. No single current total application fee or reliable processing bound is established by the cited sources; renewal amount is also unstated.

Sources: EB-5 investor and green card requirements (US Citizenship and Immigration Services), Naturalization residence and physical presence (US Citizenship and Immigration Services), US citizens and visas (US Department of State), US investor visas and citizenship (Global Citizen Solutions, summary)

US E-2 Treaty Investor (including Puerto Rico)

Not for US citizens.

Treaty-country nationals who develop and direct an active US enterprise may use E-2. US citizens are excluded. GCS estimates 3–6 months for regular consular or USCIS change-of-status processing; this is a route estimate, not a guarantee or a premium processing time. A single total application or renewal fee is not established.

Sources: Treaty investor visa requirements (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State), E-2 regular processing estimates (Global Citizen Solutions, summary)

US EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (self petition)

Not for US citizens.

Foreign applicants with documented sustained acclaim in science, arts, education, business or athletics can self petition without a job offer. No prescribed investment is stated. Five years is measured from LPR status, not filing. US citizens are excluded; the official summary establishes no single total fee, renewal amount, or end-to-end processing time.

Sources: Employment-based immigrant visa categories (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State), Naturalization residence and physical presence (US Citizenship and Immigration Services)

US EB-2 National Interest Waiver (self petition)

Not for US citizens.

Foreign advanced-degree professionals or people of exceptional ability may self petition if a national interest waiver is granted. No prescribed investment is stated. Five years is measured from LPR status, not filing. US citizens are excluded; the official summary establishes no single total fee, renewal amount, or end-to-end processing time.

Sources: Employment-based immigrant visa categories (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State), Naturalization residence and physical presence (US Citizenship and Immigration Services)

US EB-1C Multinational Manager or Executive

Not for US citizens.

Employer sponsored immigrant route for qualifying managers or executives employed by a related foreign company for at least one of the preceding three years. No prescribed investment is stated. Five years is measured from LPR status. US citizens are excluded; no single total fee, renewal amount, or end-to-end processing time is established.

Sources: Employment-based immigrant visa categories (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State), Naturalization residence and physical presence (US Citizenship and Immigration Services)

US EB-2 Employer-Sponsored Professional or Exceptional Ability

Not for US citizens.

For a qualifying foreign advanced-degree professional or person of exceptional ability with an employer petition; labor certification and a job offer generally apply unless waived. No prescribed investment is stated. The five years to naturalization start at LPR status. US citizens are excluded; no single total fee, renewal amount or end-to-end processing time is established.

Sources: Employment second preference (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State), Naturalization residence and physical presence (US Citizenship and Immigration Services)

US EB-3 Employer-Sponsored Worker

Not for US citizens.

For a foreign skilled worker or professional with an employer petition and generally labor certification. No prescribed investment is stated. The five years to naturalization start at LPR status. US citizens are excluded; no single total fee, renewal amount or end-to-end processing time is established.

Sources: Employment-based immigrant visa categories (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State), Naturalization residence and physical presence (US Citizenship and Immigration Services)

US E-1 Treaty Trader (including Puerto Rico)

Not for US citizens.

Treaty-country nationals conducting substantial continuing trade principally between the US and treaty country may qualify. No fixed investment amount is prescribed; the route requires trade rather than a capital investment. US citizens are excluded; no single total application or renewal fee or reliable end-to-end processing time is stated.

Sources: Treaty trader visa requirements (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State)

US L-1 Intracompany Transfer

Not for US citizens.

For a foreign manager, executive or specialist transferred by a related employer after one year of employment abroad within the preceding three. It is temporary; an immigrant route must separately establish LPR status before the five-year naturalization clock begins. No prescribed investment, single total fee, renewal amount or end-to-end processing time is stated. US citizens are excluded.

Sources: Temporary worker visa categories (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State)

US O-1 Extraordinary Ability or Achievement

Not for US citizens.

For foreign nationals with extraordinary ability or achievement in the specified fields. It is temporary; an immigrant route must separately establish LPR status before the five-year naturalization clock begins. No prescribed investment, single total fee, renewal amount or end-to-end processing time is stated. US citizens are excluded.

Sources: Temporary worker visa categories (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State)

US H-1B Specialty Occupation

Not for US citizens.

Employer petition for a qualifying foreign specialty-occupation worker. It is temporary; an immigrant route must separately establish LPR status before the five-year naturalization clock begins. No prescribed investment, single total fee, renewal amount or end-to-end processing time is stated. US citizens are excluded.

Sources: Temporary worker visa categories (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State)

US Family-Sponsored Immigrant Visa

Not for US citizens.

A qualifying foreign family member sponsored by a US citizen or lawful permanent resident can seek an immigrant visa. Immediate-relative and family-preference categories differ; visa availability can delay the latter. No prescribed investment is stated. The general five-year naturalization clock starts at LPR status; other eligibility rules may change it. US citizens are excluded; no single total fee, renewal amount or end-to-end processing time is established.

Sources: Family immigrant visas (US Department of State), US citizens and visas (US Department of State), Naturalization residence and physical presence (US Citizenship and Immigration Services)

US citizen relocation to Puerto Rico

Only for US citizens.

The US-citizen group follows the federal rule that US citizens are ineligible for a US visa, and Invest Puerto Rico confirms mainland arrivals need no work or travel visa. Already citizens, so no citizenship path or visa processing applies. No investment is required for relocation; Act 60 is a separate tax incentive.

Sources: US citizens and visas (US Department of State), Relocation to Puerto Rico (Invest Puerto Rico, summary)

US lawful permanent resident relocation to Puerto Rico

Not for US citizens.

Existing US green-card holders may live in US states and territories, including Puerto Rico. Excluded_groups US means this route is for noncitizen LPRs; a passport group alone cannot establish LPR status, which must be checked separately. No new PR visa application, specified fee, investment, renewal or processing time is stated. Naturalization normally follows five years of US LPR status, with all other federal requirements.

Sources: Rights of US permanent residents (US Citizenship and Immigration Services), Naturalization residence and physical presence (US Citizenship and Immigration Services)

Citizenship in Puerto Rico

  • Years of residence before naturalisation: 5 years
  • Years before permanent residence: not stated
  • Dual citizenship allowed: Yes
  • Language: Basic English reading, writing and speaking, subject to age, residence and medical exceptions
  • Residence and presence: Usually 30 months (913 days) in the US during 5 years of continuous LPR residence, plus 3 months in the USCIS district before filing

Puerto Rico does not issue separate citizenship; resident noncitizens follow federal naturalization. General route is five years after obtaining LPR status. EB-5 can initially confer conditional LPR. US dual citizenship is allowed, subject to the other country's law. Act 60 is a tax incentive, not a CBI programme.

What is the cheapest residence visa in Puerto Rico?

The lowest comparable cited investment amount on file for a residence route in Puerto Rico is $800,000, for the US EB-5 Immigrant Investor (including Puerto Rico).

How many years to citizenship in Puerto Rico?

Ordinary naturalisation in Puerto Rico needs 5 years of legal residence. Usually 30 months (913 days) in the US during 5 years of continuous LPR residence, plus 3 months in the USCIS district before filing.

Does Puerto Rico allow dual citizenship?

Yes. Puerto Rico lets a new citizen keep another nationality, subject to the other country's rules.

Tax and residence days

A residence permit and tax residence are different tests. See the Puerto Rico tax rates, count your days with the Puerto Rico day test and see what changed in the data, day by day.

Sources

The Puerto Rico profile cites 17 sources, 14 of them from a government or a statute. Data as of 2026-Q4.

Rules, fees and minimums change, and many routes have conditions not shown here. Did you find an error? Tell us, with the source.

Other countries in Caribbean: Turks and Caicos Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados. See every country.

This page is general information. It is not legal, immigration, tax or investment advice. Check the official source and ask a qualified immigration lawyer before you apply or invest.