You can count on a “cheap” second passport in the Caribbean, and an “advanced” one in Malta and Cyprus
More and more Russians are interested in the possibility of obtaining a second passport. This is a way to travel to many countries without a visa, and sometimes it is an opportunity to live, study and work in any EU country. Recently, as Marina Shalaeva, Director of the Department of Overseas Real Estate and Private Investments of Knight Frank, noted, citizenship of the Caribbean is gaining popularity. This is due to the availability of a passport and exotic locations.
“These states have introduced a number of programs for investment in the economy or real estate with the minimum required threshold for obtaining citizenship of only 150 thousand euros,” said Yulia Ovchinnikova, director of the Savills overseas property department in Russia. – With the citizenship of the Caribbean countries, you can travel visa-free to about 160 countries. However, to live freely on a permanent basis, work and study in these countries, as, for example, an EU citizen, a Russian with such citizenship will not be able to. ”
The option is good, according to the head of Kalinka International Tatiana Burlakovskaya, for those Russians who cannot afford less exotic but more expensive destinations. The countries of the Caribbean are also suitable for those who are applying for citizenship of other countries for the first time, so they want to test this opportunity without high costs before moving to the states familiar to investors. Kalinka International also named the Pacific state of Vanuatu among countries with a relatively low level of investment.
With European citizenship obtained in Malta or Cyprus, you can live, work and study in any EU country
As for Europe, among the countries with programs for obtaining a passport, as Yulia Ovchinnikova said, Malta and Cyprus are in the lead. The chairman of the board of directors of the Kalinka Group, Yekaterina Rumyantseva, clarified that last year, 600 passports were issued under the Cyprus citizenship by investment program, with half of them to Russians. Of course, a passport is quite expensive here, and the governments of these countries have tightened the criteria for those who wish to obtain citizenship by investment. But there are more opportunities. With European citizenship obtained in Malta or Cyprus, you can live, work and study in all EU countries.
Also, in some European countries, you can consider such an option as a residence permit. “The difference between a residence permit and citizenship is, in particular, that with a residence permit you can permanently reside in the country that issued the residence permit,” explained Yulia Ovchinnikova. – For example, having a residence permit in Spain, you can live in Spain (but you cannot always work), but, for example, you cannot officially live permanently in France. Although so far the European authorities do not always monitor these moments. ”
The Elitnoe.ru portal, together with Kalinka International, Savills and Knight Frank, has selected the most attractive countries where citizens of the Russian Federation can obtain a second citizenship. The experts spoke about the options for obtaining citizenship, the general costs of this and additional costs. They also named the countries to which the holders of passports of these states can travel without a visa.
Saint Lucia – from 110 thousand dollars and a visa-free regime with more than 140 countries
Saint Lucia is a Caribbean country. This is an island with an area of 616 sq. km. To obtain a passport, you can make a free contribution of $ 100,000 to the country (for a family of two — $ 165,000, for a family of four — $ 190,000) or invest $ 300,000 in real estate. Additional expenses for the contribution will be 10 thousand, for the purchase of real estate – 70 thousand dollars. For citizens of Saint Lucia, there is a visa-free regime with more than 140 countries, including the United Kingdom and the Schengen countries.
Dominica – from 110 thousand dollars and visa-free travel with more than 120 countries
Another Caribbean country. Moreover, Dominica is called the “Island of the Caribbean Sea”, which reflects the pristine natural beauty of the territory (754 sq. Km). The conditions for obtaining citizenship are approximately the same as in Saint Lucia. The Dominica authorities provide the investor with two options: either a gratuitous contribution to the treasury ($ 100-200 thousand, depending on the number of people in the family), or the purchase of real estate for $ 200 thousand. In the first case, the additional costs will amount to $ 10 thousand, in the second – from $ 35 to 110 thousand. Dominica citizenship assumes a visa-free regime with more than 120 states, including the UK and Schengen countries.
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Vanuatu – from 115 thousand dollars and visa-free travel with more than 100 countries
The Pacific state of Vanuatu is located northeast of Australia in Melanesia (the islands of the Pacific Ocean between the Malay Archipelago and the Polynesian islands). Unlike the previous two countries, occupying one island each, Vanuatu is located immediately on 83 islands of the New Hebrides archipelago – a total of 12.2 thousand square meters. km. To obtain the citizenship of this country, you need to pay a free contribution to the state & # 8211; just over 80 thousand dollars. However, the amount of the deduction depends on the composition of the applicant's family: $ 135,000 for the applicant and spouse, $ 160,000 for a family with a child. Another $ 10,000 is required for each of the dependents. In addition to the fee, it is worth considering additional costs (35-40 thousand dollars). The waiting period is two months. A Vanuatu passport gives you a visa-free regime with the Schengen states, as well as the UK and Ireland, Russia and hundreds of other countries.
Grenada – from 225 thousand dollars, visa-free regime with more than 130 countries plus E-2 visa (USA)
The state occupies the island of the same name and the southern part of the Grenadines, in total – no more than 344 sq. km. In Grenada, citizenship requires a donation to the state ($ 200,000 for a family of four) plus additional expenses of $ 25,000 or real estate investments for $ 350,000 plus 71,000 additional expenses. A Grenada passport allows its holder to travel without a visa to more than 130 countries, including the Schengen countries and countries such as the UK, China and Russia. In addition, Grenadians can apply for the US E-2 visa.
Saint Kitts and Nevis – from 235 thousand dollars and visa-free travel with more than 130 countries
The country of Saint Kitts and Nevis is located on the islands of the same name (261 sq. Km). Investments – from 200 to 400 thousand dollars (depending on the period of property ownership). Government fees will be $ 35,000 for an investor and $ 10,000 to $ 20,000 for a relative. Having obtained the citizenship of Saint Kitts and Nevis and made a charitable contribution to the Sustainable Development Fund, Russians will be able to freely enter the territory of more than 130 countries.
Malta – from 880 thousand euros, visa-free regime with 173 countries, you can live, work and study in all EU countries
It is an island nation with an area of 316 sq. km is located in the Mediterranean Sea. In Malta, the procedure is much more complicated and time-consuming than, for example, in the next in the selection of Cyprus, and refusals to grant citizenship happen much more often. In this country, citizenship can be obtained not only by direct purchase of real estate – 1.2 million euros, but also by renting – 880 thousand euros. It should be noted that the amount includes charitable contributions to the National Trust of Malta. In addition, the nationality of the state is leading in the number of countries with visa-free entry – 173 countries of the world.
Cyprus – from 2.15 million euros, you can move, work and study in 163 countries of the world, including the EU
Cyprus is also an island in the Mediterranean Sea, but large – 9.3 thousand square meters. km. In this country, you can get a passport by investing in the real estate sector in about 9 months. The volume of investments ranges from 2 million euros (2 million euros in housing or 2.5 euros in commercial real estate). At the same time, from May 15, 2019, the parameters of the program have changed: in particular, an additional non-refundable fee of 150 thousand euros from the applicant was introduced, which goes to the Cyprus Land Development Corporation and the Research Assistance Fund, and the period of property ownership was increased from 3 to 5 years. Applicants and their family members must be Schengen visa holders before applying for citizenship, with the exception of minor children. A Cypriot passport will allow you to travel, work and study in 163 countries of the world, in particular in the EU.
Residence permit – from 250 thousand euros and the opportunity to live only in the country that issued the residence permit
As for obtaining a residence permit, Spain is the most popular among the countries where it is possible to obtain it by acquiring real estate property (pictured below) and Portugal. Here, the minimum investment threshold for a residence permit is 500 thousand euros. It is also worth noting other EU states. So, in Latvia and Greece, a residence permit can be obtained when buying real estate with a total value of 250 thousand euros, in Cyprus – from 300 thousand euros. In the US economy, in turn, for obtaining an EB-5 visa, you will have to invest at least 500 thousand dollars (including through real estate projects).
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