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[Investment Migration | Issue 29] Officially Finalized! PBO Families of Four for USD 250,000, Government Fees Exempted!
When applying for overseas Citizenship by Investment (CBI), the biggest headache for many investors is "how to calculate the costs." Especially when the whole family is accompanying them, the various additional fees and government registration fees often leave people completely confused.
Recently, the authorities officially announced a major piece of good news: through the Public Benefit Option (PBO) application, the total investment for a family of up to four is only USD 250,000, and "government fees are completely exempted"!
Based on the progressive pricing schedule released by the authorities, we will break down for you how to utilize these rules to maximize the cost-effectiveness of your family's application:
According to the newly announced PBO (Public Benefit Option) policy, USD 250,000 is no longer a single applicant price, but directly covers a family combination of "up to 4 people." Most crucially, this USD 250,000 already includes the government fees, which were previously extremely expensive.
The authorities have clearly specified that this USD 250,000 basic package applies to the following two family structures:
Main Applicant + Spouse + Two Dependents (The most typical family of four)
Main Applicant + Three Dependents (e.g., a single parent with three children, or with one child and two elderly parents)
In the past, if the real estate option was selected, a family of four had to pay tens of thousands of US dollars in government fees on top of the property purchase price. Under the current PBO option, USD 250,000 is a truly "all-inclusive base price."
This means that whether a single applicant applies alone or brings along up to 3 family members to total 4 people, the total cost remains a solid USD 250,000. Applying as a single applicant offers relatively low value; traveling with a family of three or four is the ultimate way to make the most of this policy.
If your total family size exceeds 4 people (meaning the first four people have used up the USD 250,000 basic package), the authorities adopt a "progressive age-based pricing" rule starting from the 5th person:
☆ Underage Dependent Additional Fee (USD 25,000 per person):
For accompanying dependents beyond the 4-person limit, if they are under 18 years of age, each additional person only requires an extra payment of USD 25,000.
☆ Adult Dependent Additional Fee (USD 50,000 per person):
For accompanying dependents beyond the 4-person limit, if they are 18 years of age or older (such as adult children, parents, or grandparents), each additional person requires an extra payment of USD 50,000.
To make it more intuitive, let's apply two common multi-member family models:
Two-Child Family + 1 Elderly Parent (5 people in total): Main Applicant + Spouse + 2 Minor Children + 60-year-old Mother.
The first 4 people (Main Applicant + Spouse + 2 Children) utilize the PBO basic package: USD 250,000 (Government Fees Exempted).
The 5th person (60-year-old mother) falls into the 18+ category: an additional USD 50,000.
➤ Total Investment: USD 300,000.
Three-Child Family (5 people in total): Main Applicant + Spouse + 3 Minor Children.
The first 4 people utilize the PBO basic package: USD 250,000.
The 5th person (minor child) falls into the under-18 category: an additional USD 25,000.
➤ Total Investment: USD 275,000.
Once you understand this PBO fee structure, you need to make two plans before submitting your application:
If you have a child in your family who is about to turn 18, and the total family size exceeds 4 people, please make sure to submit the application before your child's 18th birthday! Once delayed past the 18th birthday, the additional fee will double from USD 25,000 to USD 50,000. Simply due to submitting documents a few days late, you could spend an extra RMB 180,000 for nothing.
When entering the system, the system defaults the first 4 people into the USD 250,000 basic package. If it is a family of 5 (including elderly parents and children), be sure to make the minor child the "5th person" to trigger the lower USD 25,000 price. Do not calculate the elderly parent as the excess dependent to trigger the higher USD 50,000 fee.
The official announcement of the PBO for a family of four at USD 250,000, with government registration fees completely exempted, is an exceptionally rare, highly cost-effective channel currently on the market. Understanding the authorities' progressive rules and reasonably aligning with your children's age milestones will help you save real money.