Fast lane ticket for wealthy individuals
There are many countries that offer residency by investment programs. Many offer multiple options to choose from, making it very appealing to wealthy foreigners.
Generally speaking, if you are a high net worth individual you will be welcome in most places. Since lots of countries like foreign capital, you will have an open front door to the country if you are bringing money to invest.
We have been writing a lot about different citizenship by investment programs. We compared different countries, wrote about each country separately and explained the process of getting a second passport. But if you are not interested in a second passport (for example you already have a good one) but only care about residing in a different country and using its benefits such as favorable tax options you might want to consider residency by investment programs.
Digital nomads and foreign residency
There are lots of individuals that are interesting in setting up a residency abroad. Lots of entrepreneurs and digital nomads don’t want to be tied to one place, but rather live and work in multiple countries.
Some of them find their heaven and they decide to settle in that place – Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Bali are high on this list.
In the future, we can only expect that this trend will grow.
The Economist says that by 2035. there could be one billion location independent workers! That means more and more people shifting from one country to the other. Some theorists even say that this is going to be the future of work – not in the office but at the beach or in a beautiful sky bar with the view of your city of choice.
However, it’s important to know that you can only spend a certain period of time in a foreign country, depending on your country of origin. The time you are allowed to spend in a country as a tourist is varying anywhere from one to six months at the time. You always need to make sure you check the policies about your specific country and about the place where you intend to spend time.
If you are thinking about actually residing somewhere abroad for longer you will need to seek a residency permit in a foreign country. Otherwise, you will need to leave, and might not be able to return in the future.
As we already said many countries offer some type of residency by investment program – 71 of them! The number of these countries will probably expand in the future.
It’s important to note that residency by investment is almost certainly going to be less hassle and stress than obtaining a regular step by step residency, which can take months or even years in some cases.
What is residency and how is it different from citizenship?
Residency lets you live in a country that is not your own. You are allowed to live in a country where you are not a citizen (yet), so it means that you still have your original passport. You are not allowed to vote or run for office but you have all the rights as the natives to that country.
Being a resident of a certain country for long enough eventually leads to becoming a citizen of that country. At that point, you will obtain the passport of that country.
To become a resident of a certain country usually takes lots of time and effort. You would need to have a certain education, experience in certain fields, be an expert in something which that country needs. Then you would need to wait for quite a while to be accepted and finally move to that country.
Residency by investment is very different. This type of program has been around since 1986. when Quebec in Canada started its Immigrant Investor Program.
The main requirement in residency by investment is having the capital to invest in a foreign country. It basically removes all the other requirements such as needed education, language, working experience, etc.
What are the requirements for residency by investment programs (sometimes called ”elite residency”)
Every country has its own requirements when it comes to this program, however, certain requirements are universal. This would include having a clean criminal record, proving that your funds come from legal sources, investing funds in government approved options such as government bonds, national economic fund or real estate investments.
In most cases investing in the country will put you in the fast track for getting residency, and you will not have to wait as long as other people usually do (which is usually months, sometimes years!). However, this definitely varies from country to country.
So, who are the right candidates for this type of program?
First of all, people who want to live in a different country. They might not be happy with their own country, they might not be satisfied with the health care system, the government, they might want better schooling options for their children, they want better mobility or even safety… Maybe they just have a dream country they want to live in which is not their original one.
A huge portion of our customers are people who are not necessarily happy with their home country, but they seek better and more favorable options for their businesses. The most common example is lower tax rates in a different country. Residency by investment is a perfect option for them.
What can you expect?
Every country is different and has its own regulations about residency by investment (time frame, amount of the investment, documentation, process, etc.).
You should first decide what are the countries that you might be interested in residing. What are your reasons for wanting to get a second residency: better tax rates, more opportunities, living in a better country, access to foreign markets, etc. Based on your needs you will seek the ideal place for yourself.
The next step is researching what are the steps for obtaining your residency. We can help you with this, as this process can sometimes be quite confusing.
If you are interested in setting a residency abroad feel free to reach out to us. Let us know what are you looking for and we will help you with your journey.