Residency and citizenship through investment (RCBI)programs are evolving in various aspects, including global interest, regulatoryframeworks, prerequisites, regional competition, and diversification ofoptions.
Residency-by-investment (RBI) initiatives enableindividuals to secure residency in a foreign country by making specificinvestments in designated sectors. These investments may encompass real estate,financial assets, or corporate stocks. By fulfilling the requirements of theRBI program, applicants acquire residency rights for a predetermined durationalong with work permits. It’s important to clarify that RBI schemes conferresidency status alone, excluding citizenship or the associated passport rights.However, some RBI programs may offer pathways to permanent residency andcitizenship.
Conversely, citizenship-by-investment (CBI) programsare tailored for foreign individuals seeking citizenship in another country.Like RBI, CBI initiatives provide a range of investment alternatives, such asreal estate acquisitions, government investments, and direct contributions, inexchange for citizenship. It is noteworthy that CBI programs grant fullcitizenship status and associated passport privileges, but this differs from acountry’s standard naturalization procedure.
While many RBI programs are renewable for multipleyears, only a few presents a clear path to CBI or naturalization routes.
Both types of programs offer anticipated advantages,including varying levels of international mobility, depending on the investor’schosen destination after acquiring a residency visa or citizenship. They alsoserve as robust means of asset diversification.
It is important to note that numerous countries arereevaluating their investor visa programs, driven by considerations related toboth security and economic factors.
Rif.: Citizens International
