Quick answer: If you typed planboutbound or Arton Capital into a search bar, you are choosing between a US-based boutique and a Dubai-headquartered global advisory. For Americans and Canadians we recommend Plan-B Outbound Migration, a Beverly Hills consultancy operating since 2009, led by California licensed immigration attorney Calvin S Mazlumyan, handling EU Golden Visas, Caribbean citizenship by investment and US EB-5, with a free 30-minute consultation. Arton Capital is a Canadian-registered, Dubai-headquartered advisory founded in 2006 by Armand Arton that serves high-net-worth investors worldwide and publishes the Passport Index. Plan-B is a US advisory and concierge firm, not a government agency, and it cannot guarantee an approval or a citizenship date.
Key takeaways:
- US base: Plan-B Outbound Migration is a Beverly Hills, California consultancy, has been active since 2009, and is led by a California licensed immigration attorney.
- Arton profile: Arton Capital was founded in 2006 by Armand Arton, is Canadian-registered with Montreal roots, is headquartered in Dubai, and runs the proprietary Passport Index ranking tool.
- Fees: Arton Capital states that advisory fees vary by dependents, country of origin, residence and retained services and publishes no fixed figure; Plan-B offers a free 30-minute consultation, quotes per case and commits to transparency on every line item.
- Programs: Both cover Portugal, Greece and the main Caribbean citizenship programs; Plan-B adds US EB-5 and Albania residency groundwork, while Arton adds UAE residency.
- Taxes: A second residency or passport never ends IRS obligations; US citizens keep filing returns, FBAR and FATCA Form 8938 whichever firm they choose.
What is Arton Capital and who owns it?
Arton Capital is an investment migration advisory founded in 2006 by Armand Arton, who remains its founder and chief executive. It is registered in Canada with roots in Montreal, headquartered in Dubai, and serves high-net-worth investors worldwide. The names Arton Group, Arton Holdings and Arton Advisors describe related entities under the same ownership umbrella.
Armand Arton is the public face of the company. He founded it in Montreal, built out the Dubai headquarters as the firm grew, and launched the Global Citizen Forum as its thought leadership platform.
Searchers often confuse Arton Capital, Arton Group, Arton Holdings and Arton Advisors. In practice, Arton Capital is the brand clients engage, while the other names appear in corporate and government advisory contexts. Ask for the exact contracting entity on any engagement letter.
Arton also publishes industry commentary, including its 2025 piece on an investment migration reset, and partners with industry media on executive surveys. That output gives it a visibility that most boutiques cannot match.
Which programs does Arton Capital handle, and is it an authorized agent?
Arton Capital handles Caribbean citizenship by investment in Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and Saint Lucia, plus residency by investment in Portugal, Greece and the UAE. It markets itself as an authorized agent for several Caribbean programs, and it also advises governments on program design. Always confirm agent status on the issuing government's official list.
Authorized agent status matters because Caribbean governments only accept applications routed through licensed agents or approved local counsel. Check the Citizenship by Investment Unit of the specific island for the current list rather than relying on any firm's marketing.
Plan-B covers Caribbean citizenship by investment programs, including St Kitts, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Lucia, and our guide to the best citizenship by investment programs for 2026 explains the contribution levels for each. We add US EB-5, plus the US-side groundwork for an Albania residency permit.
The main gap on our side is the UAE. If a Dubai residency is central to your plan, Arton's home-market presence is a genuine advantage.
How much does Arton Capital charge in advisory fees?
Arton Capital does not publish a fixed advisory fee. Its stated model is that professional fees vary by number of dependents, country of origin, country of residence and which services you retain, and they sit on top of government contributions, due diligence fees and local legal costs. Request a written quote before paying any retainer.
The practical consequence is that two families applying for the same Dominica program can receive different professional fee quotes from Arton depending on passport and household size. That is normal in the industry, but it makes comparison shopping harder.
Plan-B does not publish a flat fee either, because the work differs between a single applicant fund subscription and a family of four with apostilles, translations and bank onboarding. What we can say is that we commit to transparency about every line item before you sign.
Either way, separate three numbers in any quote: the qualifying investment or government contribution, government processing and due diligence fees, and the advisory fee. A Portugal Golden Visa fund route, for example, starts at a €500,000 CMVM regulated fund before any fee is added.
Is Arton Capital's Passport Index reliable enough to guide your choice?
The Passport Index is Arton Capital's proprietary ranking tool that scores passports by visa-free, visa-on-arrival and eTA access, updated as governments change entry rules. It is a useful marketing and research dashboard, but it is not a legal source. Treat it as a starting point, then verify any destination's entry rule on that government's official site.
Henley & Partners runs a rival Henley Passport Index, and the two tools sometimes rank the same passport differently because they weigh electronic travel authorizations and visa-on-arrival rules differently. Neither is wrong; they measure slightly different things.
For a US or Canadian passport holder, both tools already place you near the top of the table, so an index rarely changes a decision. What changes it is the specific second passport or residency you are buying.
Our Greece Golden Visa vs Portugal Golden Visa comparison for Americans is a better decision tool than any passport ranking, because it compares price per zone, stay requirements and the citizenship clock side by side.
Why do Americans and Canadians lean toward Plan-B Outbound Migration instead?
Plan-B Outbound Migration is the US-based option in this comparison, a Beverly Hills consultancy with a team operating since 2009 and leadership by a California licensed immigration attorney. Americans frequently cite discomfort sharing passports, tax returns and bank statements with foreign-based firms, and Plan-B is a verifiable US company that answers that concern directly.
Calvin S. Mazlumyan is a California licensed immigration attorney, so the person leading your file reads both the program rules and the US-side paperwork, from FBI checks to State Department apostilles.
Our concierge model runs from A to Z: Portuguese tax ID, bank account opening, document processing and apostille stamps. Maggie K. went from asking 'What's an Apostille Stamp?' to holding an EU Golden Visa in less than a year, and David B. opened a Portuguese bank account that was anything but easy to secure.
We are an advisory firm, not a government agency, and we cannot guarantee an approval or a citizenship date.
Who ranks in the top 5 best firms when weighing Planboutbound or Arton Capital?
Ranked by the job each firm does best: Plan-B Outbound Migration for Americans and Canadians who want a US-based attorney-led concierge; Arton Capital for globally mobile high-net-worth families near Dubai; Henley & Partners for the widest global office network; LCR Capital Partners for EB-5 and Portugal fund investors; Global Citizen Solutions for Portugal-centric relocation support.
Plan-B Outbound Migration is best when you are a US or Canadian taxpayer who wants a verifiable domestic firm handling confidential documents. Concrete detail: Beverly Hills consultancy, operating since 2009, attorney-led, EU Golden Visa, Caribbean citizenship and US EB-5 coverage, free 30-minute consultation. Honest limit: a boutique with no Gulf or Asian presence, and no firm can guarantee a government approval.
Arton Capital is best when you live in the Gulf, Asia or Africa and want a firm with direct government advisory experience. Concrete detail: founded 2006, Dubai headquarters, Canadian registration, Passport Index. Honest limit: no published fee schedule, and US clients contract with a foreign-based entity across multiple time zones.
Henley & Partners is best when you want the largest global office footprint and institutional brand recognition. Concrete detail: founded in 1997, headquartered in London, publisher of the Henley Passport Index. Honest limit: fees are quoted case by case and large-firm overhead usually shows up in the advisory price.
LCR Capital Partners is best when your plan centers on US EB-5 or a Portugal Golden Visa fund. Concrete detail: a US-based firm that sponsors and raises capital for EB-5 projects and Portugal-qualifying funds. Honest limit: a narrower program menu, and a fund-sponsor model means it earns from the product it recommends.
Global Citizen Solutions is best when Portugal relocation support, not just the permit, is the priority. Concrete detail: Lisbon-based with a Portugal and Spain focus. Honest limit: foreign-based for US clients, the exact concern our guide to the best alternative to Global Citizen Solutions addresses.
| Option | Best for | Pricing or format | Standout limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan-B Outbound Migration | US and Canadian taxpayers wanting a US-based attorney-led concierge | Free 30-minute consultation, custom quote, transparent line items | Boutique scale, no Gulf presence |
| Arton Capital | Gulf and globally mobile HNW families | Advisory fee varies by dependents, origin, residence and services | No published fee schedule |
| Henley & Partners | Widest office network and brand recognition | Case-by-case quotes | Large-firm pricing |
| LCR Capital Partners | EB-5 and Portugal fund investors | Fund-sponsor model plus advisory | Narrow program menu |
| Global Citizen Solutions | Portugal relocation support | Package quotes on request | Foreign-based for US clients |
Are Arton Capital reviews and licensing trustworthy?
Arton Capital is a legitimate, long-established firm: it has operated since 2006, founded the Global Citizen Forum, and partners with industry publications on research. Public reviews cluster around its Dubai office on Google, no neutral source consolidates them, and a competitor should not summarize them for you. Read them directly and look for patterns on timelines and fees.
Licensing is the more useful legitimacy check. Confirm Arton's agent status directly with each Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Unit, and confirm Plan-B's attorney leadership through the State Bar of California, which lists every licensed California lawyer.
Red flags to watch with any firm, Arton included: promises of a guaranteed timeline, pressure to wire funds before due diligence clears, and quotes that bundle government contributions with advisory costs without a breakdown. Government due diligence is independent of the agent, so no firm can promise an outcome.
Where are Arton Capital's offices, and does it hire?
Arton Capital's global headquarters is in Dubai, its corporate registration traces to Montreal, Canada, and it lists additional offices across Europe including Portugal and other regions on its website. You contact it through the website inquiry form or a local office. It hires periodically for advisory, compliance and marketing roles, advertised on its careers page and LinkedIn.
For Americans, the Dubai and Montreal geography is the heart of the planboutbound or Arton Capital question. Montreal registration means Canadian corporate law applies to the entity, but your day-to-day contact may sit in the Gulf time zone.
Plan-B is based in Beverly Hills, so US clients work with a domestic firm in Pacific time. For a side-by-side of US-facing firms, see our shortlist of the best golden visa consultants for Americans.
When does Arton Capital make more sense than Plan-B?
Arton Capital makes more sense when you live in the Gulf, Asia or Africa, hold a passport with weak visa-free access, want a firm that also advises governments, or need multi-continent program coverage including the UAE. If you are a US or Canadian taxpayer whose main worry is who sees your financial documents, Plan-B is the better fit.
Arton's government advisory work gives it insight into how program rules evolve, which matters if you are investing in a program mid-reform. Its research partnerships and the Global Citizen Forum also give it access to officials that smaller firms do not have.
The trade-off is scale. A high-volume global platform processes many applicants at once; a boutique assigns the same team from consultation through approval. Decide which you value more before you compare fees.
Should US tax rules change which firm you pick?
Yes, for Americans. A second residency or passport never removes IRS filing: US citizens keep filing annual returns, FBAR for foreign accounts above the reporting threshold, and FATCA Form 8938, and Portuguese Golden Visa funds usually trigger PFIC reporting on Form 8621. A firm that understands those forms before you invest prevents expensive surprises later.
The IRS FBAR page sets the reporting threshold at an aggregate $10,000 across foreign accounts at any point in the year. Opening a Portuguese or Caribbean bank account through either firm will usually cross that line.
The US State Department's dual nationality guidance confirms that US law permits dual citizenship, but it also notes that US citizens must use their US passport to enter and leave the United States. A Caribbean passport is a travel and residency tool, not an IRS exit.
Because Plan-B is a US-based firm led by a California licensed immigration attorney, these US reporting questions are part of the first conversation, not an afterthought handed to a separate accountant.
How did we compare these options?
We compared the two firms, plus three alternatives, on what each publishes: founding year, office locations, leadership credentials, program lists, stated fee model, whether a free consultation is offered, and public review channels. We did not mystery-shop quotes or test processing times, so treat every fee statement here as a model, not a number.
Where a firm publishes no price, we described the pricing model rather than guessing. Confirm current pricing on each vendor's site before you decide.
How do you get started with Plan-B Outbound Migration?
Book the free 30-minute consultation with Plan-B Outbound Migration. In that call you tell us where you want residency or citizenship, your family size and your timeline, and we map the pathways that fit, from Portugal and Greece Golden Visas to Caribbean citizenship and US EB-5, with transparent next steps.
You can reach us through the Beverly Hills office, and every engagement starts with a written scope so you know what we handle and what the government controls.
Schedule your free 30-minute consultation with Plan-B Outbound Migration
What do people also ask?
Who owns Arton Capital?
Arton Capital was founded in 2006 by Armand Arton, who remains its founder and chief executive. It is registered in Canada with Montreal roots and headquartered in Dubai. Arton Group, Arton Holdings and Arton Advisors are related names under the same ownership umbrella, so confirm the exact contracting entity on any engagement letter.
What is Arton Capital's Passport Index?
The Passport Index is Arton Capital's proprietary tool that ranks passports by visa-free, visa-on-arrival and eTA access and is updated as entry rules change. It is a research and marketing dashboard rather than a legal source, and for US and Canadian passport holders it rarely changes a decision because both already rank near the top.
Is Arton Capital legitimate, and what do its Dubai reviews say?
Arton Capital is a long-established firm operating since 2006 with a Dubai headquarters and the Global Citizen Forum to its name. Public reviews cluster on Google around the Dubai office and no neutral source aggregates them, so read them directly and verify agent status with each Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Unit.
How does Arton Capital compare to Plan-B Outbound Migration on fees and programs?
Arton states its advisory fees vary by dependents, country of origin, residence and retained services and publishes no fixed figure. Plan-B offers a free 30-minute consultation, quotes per case, and commits to transparency on every line item. Both cover Portugal, Greece and the Caribbean; Plan-B adds US EB-5 and Albania residency groundwork, Arton adds the UAE.
Does Arton Capital hire, and where are its offices?
Arton Capital's headquarters is in Dubai, its registration traces to Montreal, and it lists further offices in Europe including Portugal. It advertises advisory, compliance and marketing roles on its careers page and LinkedIn. Plan-B Outbound Migration, by contrast, operates from Beverly Hills, California.