With its strategic location, abundance of natural beauty, rising tourism, surge in property development and the lowest tax rate in Europe, not to mention its potential membership of the EU in 2025, the tiny Balkan country of Montenegro is ripe for investment. Here are CBI Guide’s top 10 reasons to secure citizenship by investment of Montenegro.
Approved by Saint Lucia’s citizenship by investment programme, The Alpina Saint Lucia Hotel and Alpina Square offer investors the opportunity to acquire real estate - hotel rooms, serviced apartments or offices - in Saint Lucia, delivering not just an attractive ROI but Saint Lucian citizenship and passport.
Following the expansion of two boutique hotels in leading CBI Caribbean country Antigua & Barbuda, international HNWIs have the opportunity to invest shares in exchange for citizenship of this Caribbean nation
Located on one of the world’s best beaches, five-star luxury resort Kimpton Kawana Bay on the Caribbean island of Grenada offers citizenship investors the chance to not only secure Grenada’s powerful passport, but also hassle-free ownership of a title deeded studio or suite with the potential for a very attractive return on investment.
The Federation of St Kitts and Nevis, a dual-island Caribbean nation that pioneered Citizenship by Investment with its programme unveiled nearly 40 years ago, has been encompassed in the Caribbean Journal's ranking of the region's best islands to visit in 2021. Good news for investors wishing to acquire citizenship of the country via investment in a government-approved tourist property.
According to the Caribbean Journal, Saint Kitts & Nevis was included due to its "uncrowded, calm and beautiful" nature – elements enticing for seasoned travellers. St Kitts and Nevis also boasts the lowest coronavirus rate in the Caribbean, reporting only 34 total cases and zero deaths. This makes it the perfect off-the-grid destination for American holidaymakers.
Before the pandemic, St Kitts and Nevis enjoyed a thriving tourism sector with a popular cruise season. The nation soon welcomed one million cruise passengers for two years consecutively, and it was recognised as a marquee destination by the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association. In recent years, St Kitts and Nevis have quickly become a popular destination for travellers and those seeking second citizenship.
With the coronavirus pandemic still imposing global lockdowns and triggering uncertainty amongst investors, many Americans are looking to acquire alternative citizenship as a 'Plan B' to protect their families from future unpredictability.
"COVID-19 has unveiled the weaknesses of Governments and their ability to deal with a crisis. Having a Plan B for one's family is worth a lot than the actual cost of investing in a safe, happy country," says Micha Emmett, CEO of CS Global Partners, London-headquartered legal advisory and marketing firm.
Under its Citizenship by Investment programme, St Kitts and Nevis welcomes high net-worth individuals and their families to become citizens after investing in its economy. Established in 1984, it is the longest-running CBI Programme in operation and is acknowledged within the industry as a 'Platinum Standard' brand.
Once successfully passing the multi-tiered vetting checks, applicants can invest in the Sustainable Growth Fund – the fastest and most straightforward route to a second citizenship. After gaining citizenship, investors gain access to a wide range of benefits including visa-free travel to 156 destinations across the world, the right to live and work in the country, and the ability to pass citizenship down for generations to come. A single applicant must only make an investment of US$150,000 to unlock a range of life-transforming benefits which also include a second home in a safe paradise.
Find out more about Saint Kitts' citizenship by investment programme by clicking here
Following the announcement last year that Portugal’s highly successful residency by investment programme was removing Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve as property investment options, with the aim of increasing investment in low-density areas, the Portuguese authorities have further announced this will become effective on July 1, 2021.
As countries continue to roll out long-stay visas for foreigners in an attempt to replace lost tourism dollars and to attract remote workers, Singapore announces the launch in 2021 of a Tech.Pass visa programme offering tech entrepreneurs from across the world the chance to set up and operate companies in the southeast Asia trading hub.
Adding to the globe's growing list of digital nomad visas introduced in 2020 is Work in Iceland, a programme that allows foreign national remote workers the chance to reside in, and work remotely from, the stunning country of Iceland with their family for up to six months.
Whether you have US$200,000 or US$1.5 million to spend, investment in a luxury, beach-front, sea-facing apartment or villa in the Tamarind Hills resort, one of Antigua & Barbuda's most successful CBI programme developments, will give you not just a tangible return on investment, but citizenship of this incredible Caribbean island (and an Antiguan passport).
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.