What Is Citizenship by Investment?
Citizenship by investment is a government-approved immigration program through which qualifying individuals can apply for citizenship after meeting specified investment and due-diligence requirements. The International Monetary Fund describes CBI programs as arrangements that can allow individuals to obtain an additional citizenship or passport through economic contributions to another country. Contribution structures can include property purchases, business investments, financial assets or non-refundable government contributions. Unlike traditional naturalization, which may require several years of residence, language requirements and integration into society, some CBI programs are designed with limited or no long-term physical-residency requirements. However, this is dependent on the specific country's legislation. How Does a Citizenship by Investment Program Work? Although every program has its own rules, the application process commonly includes the following stages: 1. Sele...