When it comes to the Citizenship by Investment options on the global table, the Caribbean countries continue to lead the way offering affordable, fast, efficient and stable routes to second passport ownership. Couple this with global mobility, mainly Covid-free spaces, and an excellent quality of life, and it’s clear to see how these West Indies’ islands are giving other CBI countries a run for their money.
With the aim of strengthening the Russian economy and creating new jobs, Russia’s Economic Development Ministry has put forward a draft bill for a residency by investment programme, which would allow foreigners to invest in the country via various routes in exchange for permanent residency.
With the aim of delivering an application and investment process that is friction-free and to combat delays caused by the pandemic, Saint Lucia’s CIU has unveiled its e-payment platform, making the Caribbean nation the first citizenship by investment programme to offer a wholly owned and managed e-payment platform as part of its recently launched website.
Following a recent spate of changes by CBI-bearing countries to make their programmes more family-friendly, the Saint & Kitts Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit has announced the inclusion of siblings in its CBI Programme, making it the last Caribbean island to do so.
Ranked as the fourth happiest country in the world, remote South Pacific island Vanuatu combines high levels of wellbeing with a low carbon footprint and a culture of inclusion, and it’s one of the last places on Earth with no confirmed Covid cases. And for just US$130,000, foreigners can become citizens in just 45 days. So why wouldn't you?
Of the nearly 7 million (6.9 million) houses purchased in Turkey in the last five years, 154,871 were bought by foreign investors, demonstrating a rapid increase in foreign property purchase in Turkey in the last year due to the easing of minimum requirements for acquiring Turkish citizenship by investment.
In October, the Citizenship by Investment Programme of Caribbean island Saint Lucia unveiled its new brand identity and website. With its contemporary and clean branding and content-rich, easy-to-use website, the programme’s unit has upped the ante in the global CBI programme stakes as it continues to grow during the pandemic.
While applications to Antigua & Barbuda’s successful citizenship by investment programme have continued throughout the pandemic, the numbers of applications have only recently returned to what they were pre-coronavirus, according to the Caribbean nation’s Citizenship by Investment Unit.
Following huge delays in applicant interviews for Bulgarian citizenship by investment due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bulgaria’s Justice Ministry has announced an increase in the number of time slots available during October 2020 in the online scheduling system of its citizenship by investment directorate.
The government of Dominica has expanded its citizenship by investment opportunities, which includes its successful CBI programme, with the launch of a brand-new initiative. The Entrepreneur Visa Program lets foreigners acquire a residency permit to Dominica, from which they can then obtain citizenship, in exchange for investment in the country.