ECONOMIC CITIZENSHIP

Citizenship is a valuable asset that is rarely handed out lightly. Unless you are born in the territory or have parents of that country, it generally takes years of residence to qualify for citizenship. But there is an alternative called Economic Citizenship that doesn't take so long. Countries that offer economic citizenship waive the normalization period for people who make an economic contribution to the country, usually by buying government bonds or real estate.

Over the years there have been many countries that have opened and closed legal Economic Citizenships. Many were small countries but this list has included larger countries like Ireland and Austria. Tragically, there have been (and continue to be) many offers by unscrupulous characters for economic citizenship programmes that do not exist, with the purchasers becoming victims of advance fee fraud.

If you might be interested in Economic Citizenship, I suggest we investigate it sooner, rather than later. The history of these programmes suggests that current windows may not be open forever, and indeed current programmes could close at any time. Indeed, due to recent acts of terrorism, new international secuity measures have taken affect, and already there is pressure on these programmes to seize their existence.

The only three programmes that exist today are St. Kitts & Nevis, Dominica, and Austria. 

DOMINICA

The Commonwealth of Dominica (to be distinguished from the Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic), known as “the Nature Island of the Caribbean”, is a green tropical paradise, one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean. It lies between the French overseas territories of Guadeloupe and Martinique and is famous for its practically untouched nature – green mountains, countless rivers and waterfalls.

It has one of the highest rates in the Caribbean in a NatGeo islands survey. In 1998 Dominica’s Morne Trois Pitons National Park was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

In 1997 Dominica became the first Caribbean country to participate in the work of Green Globe in order to make Dominica a model ecotourism destination.

The area of about 300 square miles (750 sq km) is a home to approximately 70,000 people mainly of African descent, few indigenous Carib population - last in the Caribbean, and recently increasing white population. About 20,000 of them live in Roseau, the capital.

In 1978 Dominica was granted independence by the United Kingdom. It is an independent state with parliamentary democracy and efficient judiciary system based on English common law. President is the Head of the State, with Prime Minister being the Head of the Government.

English is the official language. French dialect (Creole) is widely spoken.

The currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD or EC$), which is very stable and has an exchange rate of EC$ 2.70 for US$ 1.00.

Dominica is a member of CARICOM, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), the Commonwealth of Nations, United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank and Organization of American States (OAS). The country maintains missions in Washington, New York, London, and Brussels and is represented jointly with other Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) members in Canada.

Benefits of Passport of the Commonwealth of Dominica

• Dominica recognizes dual citizenship, and you are not required to renounce your other citizenships. Besides that, Dominica does not notify authorities of your country of residence or citizenship on your Dominican citizenship.
• You are not required to reside in Dominica to keep your citizen’s status.
• It’s safe for traveling. The country has a good international image and being a Dominican is excluding a number of possible travel problems by definition.
• Dominican passport allows free international travel to more than 100 countries and territories where no visa required at all, or you easily get a visa upon arrival. The list includes United Kingdom, Hong Kong, South Korea, China, Singapore and most British Commonwealth countries. And for those countries where a visa is still required, you normally can obtain it with minimum formalities within a couple of days.
• You can also extend your visa-free access by obtaining a residence permit in an appropriate country, for example, if you obtain a residence permit in Canada, you will be able to travel to the United States, same as a residence permit of one of the Schengen states gives you a visa-free access to any European country.
• Being a Commonwealth citizen, you can count on certain privileges in the United Kingdom to study and work after graduation. As Dominica is a member of CARICOM, you enjoy privileges in all CARICOM countries as to working and employment.
• You get virtually the same rights as if you were born in Dominica, i.e. you can vote, purchase property, come, live and work in Dominica, if you wish. You enjoy a tax-free status on foreign income, capital gains, gift, wealth and inheritance tax. Your worldwide income is liable to taxation in Dominica only if you reside in there.
• You are granted citizenship for life and it’s not revocable. Issued passports are valid for 10 years. Passports for children under 16 years old are being issued for 5 years. Expired passports or those with no free visa pages left can be easily renewed for a small fee at the immigration and passport office in Dominica or at any Dominican consulate.

ST. KITTS & NEVIS

The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, also known in its Constitution as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is a small two-island nation in the Caribbean Basin.

St. Kitts and Nevis, like no other islands in the Caribbean, seem to embody a kind of lush tropical paradise usually associated with the South Pacific. The atmosphere here is palpably luxuriant, an intoxicating blend of sunlight, sea air and fantastically abundant vegetation.

These were the first islands in the Caribbean settled by the Europeans and home to the French and UK colonies that followed Columbus. The two islands of St. Kitts and Nevis were British possessions until 1983, when they became a tiny, independent two-island nation, and a member of the UN. The Government is represented by parliamentary democracy and federal constitutional monarchy. England’s Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the state, represented by a Governor general, and Prime Minister is the head of the Government. Judiciary system is based on English common law. English is the official language.

St. Kitts and Nevis maintains diplomatic relations with Canada, Cuba, France, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, UK, USA, as well as with many Latin American countries and Eastern Caribbean states. It is a member of the British Commonwealth, United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States, Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, Eastern Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS), and CARICOM. The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank is headquartered in St. Kitts.

Legislation Governing Economic Citizenship of St. Kitts & Nevis

The St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme has been operational in the Federation since 1984. The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis utilizes this programme to attract investors of good character to make a substantial contribution to the development of the Federation. These investors are then given the opportunity to apply for citizenship within the guidelines of the programme.

Citizenship of Saint Christopher and Nevis is governed by Chapter VIII (Sections 90-95) of the Constitution of Saint Christopher and Nevis. In 1984 pursuant to Section 92 (1) (h) of the Constitution Parliament prescribed the manner in which other persons not outlined in the foregoing sections of the Constitution would be able to make application to be registered as citizens of St. Christopher and Nevis. Section 3 (5) of the Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship Act, 1984 (No. 1 of 1984) provides as follows:

“Subject to subsections (8) and (9) of this section, a person is entitled, upon making application under this subsection to the Minister in the prescribed manner and upon payment of any fee that may be prescribed, to be registered as a citizen of St. Christopher and Nevis without any rights of voting save under and in accordance with the provisions of any law governing the qualification of voters, if the Cabinet is satisfied that such person has invested substantially in St. Christopher and Nevis.”

Benefits of Kittitian Citizenship

• St. Kitts & Nevis provide the oldest and the most respected programme of all currently existing economic citizenship programmes, being in existence since 1984.
• St. Kitts & Nevis recognizes dual citizenship, and you are not required to renounce your other citizenships. Besides that, St. Kitts does not notify authorities of your country of residence or citizenship on your Kittitian citizenship.
• You are not required to reside in St. Kitts & Nevis to keep your citizen’s status.
• It’s safe for traveling. The country has a good international image and being a Kittitian is excluding a number of possible travel problems by definition.
• St. Kitts & Nevis passport allows free international travel to more than 160 countries and territories where no visa required at all, or you easily get a visa upon arrival. The list includes United Kingdom, Europe, Hong Kong, Canada, South Korea, China, Singapore and most British Commonwealth countries. And for those countries where a visa is still required, you normally can obtain it with minimum formalities within a couple of days.
• You can also extend your visa-free access by obtaining a residence permit in an appropriate country, for example, if you obtain a residence permit in Canada, you will be able to travel to the United States, same as a residence permit of one of the Schengen states gives you a visa-free access to any European country.
• Being a Commonwealth citizen, you can count on certain privileges in the United Kingdom, for example, to study and gain employment after graduation. As St. Kitts & Nevis is a member of CARICOM, you enjoy privileges in all CARICOM countries as to working and employment.
• You get virtually the same rights as if you were born in St. Kitts & Nevis, i.e. you can vote, purchase property, come, live and work there, if you wish.
• You enjoy a tax-free status on foreign income, capital gains, gift, wealth and inheritance tax.
• You are granted citizenship for life and it’s not revocable. Issued passports are valid for 10 years. Expired passports or those with no free visa pages left can be easily renewed for a small fee at the immigration and passport office in St. Kitts or at any St. Kitts & Nevis consulate.

AUSTRIA

* Information being updated, please check again soon.

Please email mark@integrislaw.com for more information.