CBI Programs: The Ultimate Guide to Acquiring Citizenship and Residency Without Traveling

Many people in the business arena and perpetual travelers are in search of the best citizenship by investment that can help them move forward and escalate the ladder of wealth. Such programs have been among us since the 80s providing innovative solutions for those who want to emigrate without too much red tape. The citizenship by investment countries offer these programs and get the kind of income that helps them keep the economy running. In other words, it's a win-win situation. 

For the applicant, it's even better when the minimum stay requirements are flexible and when being present in the country in question is not mandatory for the process to be completed. This is why today Mundo focuses on second passport by investment options that you can obtain without being physically present.

What are CBI programs and why are they popular?

For those that are new in this field, we dedicate a short paragraph to explain what citizenship by investment countries offer. Regular naturalization procedures are extremely lengthy and tiresome, and they usually involve several stages before one can access citizenship. Most jurisdictions start by granting a temporary stay permit for two years which you can then renew for a longer period each time (like 2, 5, or 10 years). It's only after living in the country for a certain period and under precise conditions that a person can become a citizen.

However, in 1984, the immigration industry was reborn when the best citizenship by investment was diagramed in Saint Kitts and Nevis. 

Understanding Citizenship by Investment countries and how their programs work

Now, every applicant can access the right to citizenship if they put in some money that is usually destined for real estate or local financial vehicles. Another popular option is to donate a certain amount of money to the national fund. These golden passport countries thus allow a faster path toward new citizenship. 

Nonetheless, CBIs are not without detractors. They argue that a second passport by investment is wrong because it's about selling nationality, but this is not so. What the applicant acquires after making an investment is the right to apply. This is only the first step of the process, which will include due diligence and background checks.

Comparing a Golden Visa program and citizenship 

You probably already know everything there is to know about golden visa program alternatives. Simply speaking, these are programs that offer residency (not a second passport) by investment. In other words, the golden passport countries should not be mistaken for the golden visa residency programs.

Even though some of these are not available anymore, the following are some of the most popular golden visa program alternatives in the history of investment migration.

Portugal

This program allows you to live in Portugal with your family all year long and provides access to the Schengen Zone. The stay requirements are minimum making it quite a flexible option and the path to citizenship is still open. The investment varies between €280,000 and €400,000 on real estate properties.

Greece

This paradise also brings a flexible golden visa program with the lowest threshold being 250,000 euros. Moreover, you can be the owner of a property, which allows you to get a five-year permanent residency visa. There are other options for specific projects and businesspeople that went to settle here.

Cyprus

Cyprus stopped being one of the citizenship by investment countries its program was canceled, but it still kept its golden visa program active. With a 300,000 threshold, it provides access to an attractive tax system, modern banking, the European Union market, and good education.

The Benefits of a second passport by investment: Why People Choose this approach

A second passport by investment brings more advantages than you can imagine. Mundo has sorted them out into three categories for the reader’s better understanding:

Financial reasons

The best citizenship by investment is the one that covers all your battle lines. For starters, a second passport can be a solution for your financial plan. It will allow you to get better opportunities, investments, bank rates, more solid currencies, and better accessibility. Naturally, the depth of these advantages depends on the countries you choose and the structures you build. Either way, it requires work from your side and hiring financial exerts is a must. Also, visa-free travel is a key feature for the best citizenship by investment programs as it will simplify your business trips in general. 

Personal reasons

Depending on your personal goals, you can use your second passport by investment for self-development. Access better education systems, schools, and universities both for you and your children. The visa-free options also free you up to get around and learn a foreign language, if that's what you wish.

Access to freedom

This is the main reason why perpetual travelers choose these types of investments. Most people are born tied to a unique government with its own rules, legislations, and business policies. One may argue that there's no actual freedom if you hold only one passport, no matter how developed your home country is. If the pandemic taught us something is that you can never be too safe. In other words, it's always good to have a second or third citizenship in case your country decides to establish inconvenient policies. These can affect your freedom of movement, your tax burden, and your freedom to do business.

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The importance of a plan B and the Ayn Rand philosophy 

At Mundo, we have written several pieces about our anarcho capitalist philosophy inspired in Ayn Rand’s work. In her book, Atlas Shrugged, the main characters try to survive in a world that is against one-of-a-kind, intelligent people like them. While the system around them collapses into a dark hole of high taxation and restrictive policies, the main characters struggle to keep their individualities intact.

Mundo believes in finding one’s freedom in every possible aspect and this also includes finances. The best part is that this is not an impossible goal. Many people think that asset protection and offshore investments are only for the rich, but this is far from being the truth. 

Wealth is actually a state of mind and how many zeros you can add to your patrimony is not the main point. Instead, you should focus on changing the way you think and adopting new financial tools and strategies so that you can protect your capital and make it grow, whether if it's $15,000 or $15 million.

The programs presented in this article are essential because they are the step one of the forever-free strategy, a product that Mundo has put together based on the five flag theory. Thus, a second passport, residency, an offshore account and trust, and an operating company are the pieces that create and hold together your financial future, protecting it from any potentially ugly surprises.

Types of citizenship by investment: Which One lets you apply remotely? 

The best citizenship by investment programs are the ones that grant you flexibility. Usually, applicants are people that travel a lot and, therefore, need these friendly conditions. Here is a list of countries where you can apply remotely:

Vanuatu

A great option to get a second passport by investment remotely. Vanuatu is the ideal place if you want to live in an isolated paradise. We're talking about a country in the Pacific Ocean that may not have the best connections to the rest of the world, but it's still near important Asian financial centers. It is one of the cheapest citizenship by investment options but the reader should know that it doesn't offer real estate. 

Saint Kitts and Nevis

We introduce to you the pioneer of citizenship by investment countries, having established its own program in 1984. We've discussed Saint Kitts and Nevis in several articles, and this is one of Mundo’s favorite jurisdictions. Here you'll have the two typical options consisting of real estate and government donation. A big plus for this second passport by investment is that Nevis has an excellent business environment providing one of the most protective trust structures in the world. For more information, read our Vanuatu vs Saint Kitts comparison here.

Grenada

Grenada is the best citizenship by investment for those trying to enter China or the United States. This is one of the five countries in the world that don't need a visa to enter the Asian giant. When it comes to the United States, Granada is one of the countries that fall into the E2 program, which is a special residency permit in the US for those conducting business activities. However, you have to come from countries that have the correspondent agreement if you want to access an E2 visa. Read more about our options in Grenada here.

Disclaimer: This article is merely informative and does not and should not replace a legal consultation. 

Conclusion: Is a CBI Program Right for You?

The answer is always “yes”. Mundo offers more than financial services: we provide a path to freedom and the second passport by investment is a key piece of the puzzle. Unlike a golden visa program, CBIs offer a direct path to being a citizen with all the corresponding rights including entering and leaving the country, living in the territory, and doing business. The cheapest citizenship by investment is usually found in the Caribbean or Vanuatu as the European options can be much more expensive.

If you have any questions, appoint a consultation with your favorite representative at Mundo.

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