The number of people decides between the contribution and the fund. One person suits the contribution, three to five pay less in the fund immediately, six to eight do better in the fund after the share returns, and nine or ten do better with the contribution. A couple must decide whether to leave $50 000 in place for 5 years.
How the two routes differ
The contribution (DSP) is simple: you pay a fixed amount based on your family, and it does not come back. One person pays $130 000, a couple $150 000, a couple with one child $165 000, a couple with two children $180 000, and each further participant adds $10 000. The FIU due diligence fee is $5 000 per application.
The fund (CIIP) costs $157 000 for a family of 1 to 4, plus $26 500 for each person from the fifth. The fee is $8 000 per application. The key difference is that $50 000 of the amount becomes a share in the fund for 5 years, after which the fund buys it back from its reserves under its own documents.
The buyer is the fund, not the state, so this should not be called a guaranteed refund. When comparing, consider both what you pay now and the result after the buyback.
The fees differ too: $5 000 for the contribution and $8 000 for the fund, a gap of $3 000 per application. Both are paid at contract signing and neither is refunded. They hardly sway the comparison, and they are already included in the totals below.
Total amounts compared
The table shows amounts with the fee. Figures for seven or more people are derived from the program formula, and the exact total always appears on your invoice.
How to read the table: the "Fund now" column shows what you pay in. The "Fund after return" column shows the cost that remains once the fund buys back the share after 5 years. For five people, for example, the math is $157 000 + $26 500 + $8 000 = $191 500, and $141 500 after the buyback.
| People | Contribution | Fund now | Fund after return | Better option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $135 000 | $165 000 | $115 000 | Contribution |
| 2 | $155 000 | $165 000 | $115 000 | Depends on willingness to wait |
| 3 | $170 000 | $165 000 | $115 000 | Fund immediately |
| 4 | $185 000 | $165 000 | $115 000 | Fund immediately |
| 5 | $195 000 | $191 500 | $141 500 | Fund immediately |
| 6 | $205 000 | $218 000 | $168 000 | Fund after return |
| 7 | $215 000 | $244 500 | $194 500 | Fund after return |
| 8 | $225 000 | $271 000 | $221 000 | Fund after return |
| 9 | $235 000 | $297 500 | $247 500 | Contribution |
| 10 | $245 000 | $324 000 | $274 000 | Contribution |
One person: the contribution
For a single applicant the contribution costs $135 000 while the fund requires $165 000. So you put in $30 000 more through the fund and also wait 5 years. After the share is bought back the result is $115 000, which is $20 000 below the contribution.
For most single applicants that gap does not justify tying up the money, so the default choice here is the contribution.
A couple: the $50 000 for 5 years question
Couples face the hardest call. The contribution requires $155 000 and the fund $165 000, so the gap today is only $10 000. After the buyback, however, the fund comes to $115 000, or $40 000 less than the contribution.
It turns on one question: are you willing to leave $50 000 in place for 5 years? If that money is free and the term suits you, the math favors the fund. If you need it for other plans, such as buying a home in Greece, the contribution is the sensible choice.
Plans for Greece are worth factoring in. The threshold for buying a home is 400 000 € for most of the country and 800 000 € for Attica, Thessaloniki and the large islands. If your budget is tight, having that $50 000 available for the next 5 years may matter more than a later saving. Treat the money as committed for the full term.
A family of three to five: the fund costs less now
This one is straightforward. The fund is cheaper at the moment of payment: $165 000 against $170 000 for three, $165 000 against $185 000 for four, and $191 500 against $195 000 for five. The share buyback widens the gap further.
The best case is a family of four, since the fund amount is the same as for one person. The saving against the contribution is $20 000 at once and $70 000 after the share returns.
Six to eight, and nine or ten people
At six people the picture shifts. The fund costs more up front, $218 000 against $205 000, but comes to $168 000 after the buyback. So it wins if you are prepared to pay more now and wait. The same holds for seven and eight, though for eight the gap is small: $221 000 against $225 000.
With nine or ten people the contribution wins both immediately and after the share returns, because each new participant adds $10 000 to the contribution and $26 500 to the fund. A family that size can simply take the contribution.
What stays the same either way
Both routes bill translations and certification, Vanuatu citizen documents, biometrics and the passport, and bank charges separately. There are no other payments, and our work is included in the program cost. The timeline is the same as well: usually 2 months and 3 at most.
Family and document requirements match too. The fee is paid at contract signing and is not refunded on either route, and the contribution follows the contract schedule, in one payment or in parts. What happens to other amounts after a refusal is set by the program rules and your contract.
Your family may change along the way. A child born during the process is added before the oath, and our work for this is $2 500. A new spouse files a separate application. So calculate using the people who will really be on the application, and keep possible changes in mind.
How to reach a decision
First count the participants, meaning the people you will really include. Children aged 18-25 qualify if they study full time, have no income and are not married, while relatives and children over 25 are considered individually. Their number can change which route wins.
Then answer one question: will you need that $50 000 in the next 5 years? The free preliminary check takes 1-2 working days and confirms who is on the application before you sign, so the calculation is accurate.
Common questions
Which is better for a family of four?
The fund: $165 000 now and $115 000 after the share returns, against $185 000 under the contribution.
Which is better for one person?
Usually the contribution at $135 000. The fund requires $165 000 up front and reaches $115 000 only after the share returns in 5 years.
Who buys back the fund share?
The fund itself, from its reserves and under its own documents. The state is not involved, and it is not a guaranteed refund.
Do timelines differ between the two?
No, the timeline is the same: usually 2 months and 3 at most.
What if I am torn between the two?
Start with the free preliminary check. Within 1-2 working days it confirms who is on the application and so the amount for each route. You sign nothing at that stage.