Some countries allow an applicant to change his and his family’s name, and some do not.

Depending which program the investor chooses, an interview might be mandatory. Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Programs generally do not require the applicant to attend an interview, however legally they are allowed to insist on such an interview.

Currently, no Caribbean citizenship allows visa-free travel to the U.S.A. However, the Grenada Citizenship by Investment Program allows the investor to apply for an E-2 visa (U.S.A.).

Some Citizenship by Investment Programs apply restrictions as to the applicant’s current citizenship. Also most countries will not accept candidates who have been refused a visa in a country to which they would gain visa-free travel to.

There is no limit on the number of dependents who can apply with the main applicant.

No, there is no education requirement.

Some Citizenship by Investment Programs will let someone else transfer the funds on the investor’s behalf. However, certain procedures must be respected in order to meet bank requirements.

Some Citizenship by Investment Programs allow investor’s children to apply as long as they are full-time students.

All programs require a valid passport. However, there can be some slight exceptions in cases of extreme hardship.

All programs require a birth certificate. However, there can be exceptions. Depending on your personal history, we might be able to help you.

Many programs define “spouse” as a partner of the opposite sex. Some residence by investment programs such as the Canadian and US programs do accept same sex marriages.

There is currently a fast-track option in St. Kitts, where additional fees apply. However the best way to assure a speedy process is by making a well-prepared and complete application.

If the file has been submitted before the child turns 18, there won’t be any consequences.

Most of the Citizenship or Residency by Investment Programs allow parents to be included in the application; some age restrictions do apply.

If a Caribbean citizen does not live in the Caribbean there will be absolutely no tax consequences. The different countries have different tax systems so it is important to review those tax systems if one is interested in taking up residency in the Caribbean.

In some of the Islands such as St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship is passed on from generation to generation. In St. Lucia currently that is not the case.

The applicant will have to apply for his newborn to obtain the citizenship and pay certain applicable fees.

Yes. French speaking applicants are not subject to the program cap (no quota restrictions), may submit an application at any time during the year and are given priority processing, which means that decisions can be rendered within a matter of months.

Typically, the entire process of obtaining Cyprus citizenship and passport will take six months.

Antigua and Barbuda: 5 years

Dominica: 10 years

Grenada: 5 years

St Kitts and Nevis: 10 years

St Lucia: 5 years

Being a citizen of a member of the Commonwealth of Nations brings several benefits. For example, an investor will be able to travel easily across member states, they will be protected by the embassies and commissions of other member states across the globe, and they will be eligible for certain sporting activities (the Commonwealth Games).

To be eligible for this program, an investor must:

• Have, alone or with his accompanying spouse, including de facto spouse, net assets of at least $1,600,000 CAN obtained legally;
• Have experience in management;
• Intend to settle in Québec and sign an agreement to invest $800,000 CAN with a financial intermediary (broker or trust company) authorized to participate in the Investor Program.

Cyprus is a member of the European Union, which means that its citizens are European citizens. They can live, work or study anywhere in Europe.

Yes. The investor’s family, namely children, spouse and dependent family members, can also apply and obtain a resident permit from Portugal.

An investor and his family are eligible for permanent residency after 5 years and Portuguese citizenship after 6 years.

There is no expiry date with respect to Citizenship by Investment programs.

There is no cap in the number of applicants accepted in Caribbean Citizenship by Investment programs.

Citizenship by Investment programs enable individuals to acquire a citizenship (passport) by making a substantial financial contribution to a country.

The Citizenship by Investment programs are usually structured to ensure that the applicant’s donation contributes to the creation or maintenance of infrastructures or to help the economic development of the country they are investing in. Furthermore, these programs are another tactic to attract foreign direct investment.

Obtaining a citizenship via a Citizenship by Investment program does not grant a particular/special status.

Obtaining a citizenship via a Citizenship by Investment program enjoy the same rights and privileges as any other citizen.

No. Citizenship by Investment programs allow for the applicant to keep dual citizenship.

The Common Reporting Standard (“CRS”) is a regulation initiated by the OECD (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).

The CRS requires financial institutions to identify customer tax residencies and report financial accounts held directly or indirectly by foreign tax residents to local tax authorities.

The CRS seeks to establish the tax residency of clients. It gives participating countries transparency on the financial assets held offshore by their residents.

All financial institutions including banks, insurers and asset management firms, in participating countries, are required to be compliant with the CRS.

No, your second passport will have a unique number. More info>>

Yes, definitely. Once you become a citizen of a country, it means that you hold all the same rights, privileges and liberties as any other citizen. You can stay there as long as you want.

Depending which Citizenship by Investment program you want to apply, you can obtain a second passport without having to visit it.

Some countries do report it, some – not. If confidentiality is an issue for you, then the choice of citizenship should be made carefully.

Depending on what your needs and objectives are, we can suggest different residency programs such as Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States.

As long as your passport is valid, you should not have issues because you have the absolute right to use it.

Choosing a program will depend on your objectives in obtaining a second passport, your country of citizenship and your budget. Each program has its own requirements and benefits.

No, the current address of the applicant is not shown on the passport.

Yes it is; make sure to verify if you are allowed dual citizenship.

We recommend verifying the laws in your country and seeing if they allow dual citizenship.

Yes it is; the entire process is confidential.

When applying for a passport via a Citizenship by Investment program, in countries such as Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts or Cyprus, to mention a few, you are not required to speak the official language of the country.

For the majority of Citizenship by Investment programs, passports cannot be revoked. Some countries may decide to revoke a passport if, for example, the new citizens have committed acts which could bring the country into disrepute.