Residency & Citizenship by Investment

I met with TG to chat about the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) residency program for foreigners seeking to reside in Malaysia as a Plan B or retirement location. We discuss the differences between the various program tiers, recent changes to the program, minimum presence requirements and how the program offers a solid option for those seeking refuge or diversification from the West. Topics such as medical care, religious tolerance, education and other aspects of Malaysian society are also explored.

I met with Francisco to discuss the various pathways to residency in Brazil. We focus on the bureaucratic steps for purchasing property and using the investment to get permanent residency through the Brazil Investor Visa program. Francisco shares the relevant timelines for converting temporary residency to permanent residency as well as the requirements for naturalization and becoming a Brazilian citizen. Additionally, we explore the various tax schemes that can be used to soften the blow of Brazil’s high taxation.

I met with Sergei, who has a company specializing in birth tourism in Mexico. By giving birth in Mexico, the parents are entitled to permanent residency in Mexico, as well as the grandparents and siblings of the child. Doing so also gives a fast track two-year path to Mexican citizenship for these relatives. The child is immediately a Mexican citizen by birth. Sergei and I tour various hospitals in the Riviera Maya region and interview doctors, nurses, midwives, doulas and home birth specialists who are facilitating this process for foreigners.

Maybe you haven't heard of the Republic of Georgia in the South Caucasus, but there are many compelling reasons to get residency in Georgia. Personally, it's one of my favorite countries and I go there on a regular basis. I absolutely love Georgia. The only...

Turkey is cancelling the “Yavam” accounts specifically for the Turkish CBI, which means that people who want to get the Turkish citizenship through bank deposit will now have full Turkish Lira exposure. I discuss the changes with my citizenship lawyer, Yuksel, as well as the future of the Turkish citizenship by investment program.

I join citizenship expert Laszlo to do a side-by-side comparison of Caribbean citizenship and Vanuatu citizenship. We examine factors to consider when choosing a CBI program such as visa-free travel, investment costs and processing time. We also discuss increased scrutiny related to source of funds used to make the citizenship investment and which programs are crypto-friendly.