There has been a substantial increase in the number of citizenship by investment programmes in recent years and 2016 looks set to see further change.
Global citizenship and residency programs leading to second passports have been in existence since the 1980’s led by those of St. Kitts and Canada. In recent years the numbers of programmes have increased exponentially along with rising demand from High Net Worth Investors (HNWI’s) for the benefits they offer. Over half the worldwide programmes available today and all the European residency visa offerings, have come into existence in the last five years. Most programmes see amendments to their rules annually. The landscape continues to change.
The year ahead is expected to bring further developments. The migration crisis in Europe and global security fears are two factors driving change. Certain countries within the European Union are under pressure to amend rules, Canada recently scrapped its programme, the Caribbean countries are being watched carefully following mistakes in their issuance of passports and the USA looks set to modify the popular Eb5 programme.
Against this backdrop of change and evolving opportunities it is important to gain the right advice that is both balanced and independent. La Vida deals with over 15 different programmes worldwide. Clients who decide to engage our services gain a balanced and informative opinion on the right programme for their needs. And through our carefully selected lawyers, real estate partners, banks and developers we ensure they gain a comprehensive A to Z service.
It looks to be an exciting year ahead and anyone considering investing for residency has a number of attractive options open to them. Please do contact our consultants for any advice against this changing background.
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