After the first citizenship by investment program was established in Saint Kitts and Nevis in 1984, many other governments launched similar programs in attempt to attract foreign investment into their countries.
With the wide range of citizenship by investment programs out there, investors are finding the process of choosing the right program overwhelming. There is a lot to consider when deciding which program is better suited to an investors’ citizenship needs; here are the top factors an investor should discuss with a citizenship expert consultant:
Minimum Investment Amount
An investor’s financial situation is a determining factor when choosing the country that they would like to invest in. As a rule of thumb, an investor can obtain a Caribbean Passport, such as that of Saint Kitts and Nevis, for a much lower investment requirement than that of a European Passport.
Furthermore, when talking about investment requirement, it is also worth mapping out the different investment routes an investor has.
For Caribbean citizenship by investment programs, an investor can either:
- Make a one-time, non-refundable contribution to the government – lower investment requirement, or
- Invest in real estate – a bit more expensive, but allows the investor to collect rental return and resell the property after the holding period.
- As for European citizenship by investment programs, investors only have the option of investing in real estate properties.
Minimum Residency Requirement:
Some countries impose a mandatory residency requirement for investors to give the biometric information, swear the oath, or do an interview.
There is no residency or travel requirement for any Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Program, except for Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment program, which impose a minimal presence requirement of at least 5 days within the first 5 years of getting the Antigua and Barbuda passport.
As for European Citizenship by Investment program most of them require at least one visit.
Visa Free Travel:
Visa applications can be long and exhausting. Investors for whom travelling is an integral part of their businesses must seek to obtain the strongest passports in term of visa-free and visa-on-arrival countries.
If this is the case, investor should consider any of the following options:
- Malta Passport – travel freely to 181 countries
- Cyprus Passport – 173 countries
At Bluemina, our expert consultants put considerable effort into understanding the investor’s needs and goals in order to recommend the citizenship by investment program that is best suited for them and their families. Contact any of Bluemina’s 6 global offices and get started on your second passport application today.
