As more and more people look for unique strategies to safeguard their future prosperity, security, and opportunity, citizenship by investment has become THE immigrant investor trend of the last decade.
The programs that existed in 2010 were few and unpopular; today, there are catalogues teeming with attractive options. Immigration consultants and lawyers are approaching ClientReferrals with fervent interest in the “Second Citizenship” or “Second Passport” industry.
“Why would an investor choose Antigua & Barbuda over bigger countries like Canada, the US, the UK, or Australia?” This is the most common question we receive from the immigration consultants and lawyers with whom we work. This article will outline real-life examples of how high-net-worth clients can benefit from second citizenship through one of our most successful citizenship-by-investment programs.
Keeping One Foot at Home, the Other Elsewhere
For many African nationals, Europe is a place for business and entertainment. Their successful businesses are firmly rooted in their home countries—a fact that prevents them from relocating—but their ties with Europe remain strong.
Our client, a Nigerian businessman who we will call “Musa”, found himself in this situation. Musa’s eldest daughter was studying in London and he spent much time visiting and vacationing with his wife. He also travelled often to the UK to meet with his suppliers.
Musa found that obtaining a visa for his travel to the UK was a nuisance; he was also aware that future visa applications for his family could become more difficult to obtain due to increased global uncertainties and geopolitical issues. He was bothered by the thought of not travelling freely to visit his daughter or meet with his business partners. It also crossed his mind that Nigeria’s declining political stability could affect his daughter’s ability to renew her student visa or worse, hamper her dreams of one day working in London.
By working with ClientReferrals and engaging in a citizenship-by-investment program in Antigua and Barbuda, Musa alleviated his pain points. His family’s new passports afforded them visa-free admittance into the UK and the rest of Europe. They now had convenient access to these destinations and a valuable buffer against the uncertainty of geopolitical issues.
Leaving the Door Open
A global hub for businesspeople and professionals, the Gulf’s attractiveness for capital and opportunity is no longer up for debate. However, most of the region’s expat residents build their lives around temporary work permits.
One of our Dubai-based clients, who we will call “John”, engaged with ClientReferrals to secure his Antigua and Barbuda citizenship and passport. His goal? To establish a Plan B for his retirement. Because John had spent 20 years in the Gulf, he no longer felt a connection to his home country. In fact, he wasn’t sure returning would be the right move for him and his family. So, he looked to the citizenship-by-investment program to give him extra options once he finished his career in Dubai.
Streamlining the Process
“Omar”, one of our Canadian clients working in Kuwait, often faced uncertainty in renewing his work permit because of regional politics. By securing an Antigua and Barbuda citizenship through ClientReferrals, Omar was able to enjoy a simplified permit renewal process that saved him time and energy. Most importantly, knowing his young family could stay in the country and continue to enjoy earning a sizable income gave Omar and his wife great peace of mind.
[ORIGINAL PARA] We also had a client in Kuwait who simply faced uncertainty in renewing his work permit because of regional politics; having the Antigua & Barbuda citizenship allowed him to simplify the procedure and ensure he could renew his work permit for another cycle, bringing peace of mind to he and his wife knowing their young family could stay in a secure country and continue earning their high income.
Busting Boundaries
China’s booming economy is attractive to entrepreneurs but at the same time, the country’s rules can sometimes suffocate growth. For these reasons, Chinese nationals make up the biggest market for second citizenship.
Another of our clients, “Ling”, felt limited on two fronts: 1) in her freedom to travel 2) in her ability to move her capital as well as the movement of her capital. To remove these barriers, Ling worked with us to obtain an Antigua and Barbua passport. Subsequently, she found herself travelling more easily to many of the countries where she did business and was able to establish and advance her overseas business portfolio. Ling also implemented effective tax planning and asset protection strategies. Ling’s new citizenship afforded her freedom of choice—and an effective way to grow her business.
Final Thoughts
Whether it’s for travel, residency, business building, or wealth planning, people with high net worth will find substantial benefits from securing secondary citizenship. It’s no wonder we’ve seen a recent explosion in popularity for citizenship-by-investment programs. Who wouldn’t want increased freedom, opportunity, flexibility and security? The value proposition is real, and the trend is here to stay.
As an immigration professional, do you have the know-how to recommend simple and flexible second-citizenship solutions for your clients? We can help. Contact ClientReferrals to get started.
