Citizenship by Investment & Residency by Investment

Nigerian Jenkins Alumona shares with Uglobal his investment migration journey to Canada.

The Indonesian government has granted the golden visa to 52 applicants since the project was announced.

Greece’s national economy minister said that raising the minimum investment of the Greek Golden Visa might be imminent.

The Saint Lucia citizenship by investment unit announced a new "Infrastructure Option."

France has tightened language requirements for residency applicants, but is relaxing policy for understaffed occupations.

Despite being among the most coveted citizenships in the world, thousands of United States citizens renounce their nationality every year.

The UAE golden visa by real estate will reportedly no longer require a 50% down payment.

The decision was taken after a government review in 2023 found the economic rewards of the Australian BIIP program unsatisfactory.

Patrick Peters, an authorized representative for the Antigua and Barbuda CBI program, shares his insight into the current situation of the Caribbean CBI industry.

After officially joining the European Union in 2007, Bulgaria and Romania are finally gearing up to partially join the Schengen Area.

A recent report ranks the world’s most powerful passports in 2024.

The new visas mark Saudi Arabia’s first venture into the RBI industry and signal a departure from restrictive visa policies.

The country already eased restrictions for skilled labor in 2023 to address skills shortages. Eligibility conditions still apply for foreigners to access Danish residency easily.

In Southeast Asia, South Korea is second to Indonesia in launching a digital nomad visa. The visa is available to investors starting Jan. 1, 2024.

The update will apply to current and future golden visa holders. Pending approval from the Portuguese President, the changes aim to address delays in citizenship applications.

New requirements reduce the number of potential candidates. However, they improve the quality of candidates, authorized agents, and licensed promoters.

In recent years, these two cities have engaged in heated competition for the title of "Asia's financial center."

The left-wing party is urging the Greek government to abandon the program.

Changes to Dominica’s CBI program include new restrictions and some fee hikes.

Pakistan’s SIFC visa introduces Business and Investor options for foreigners.

The RCBI industry anticipates many changes, including new programs opening and other endings.

Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), just launched an affordable investor visa program to attract foreign investors and entrepreneurs.

Deemed unaffordable by a recent government review, the revamped program removes the monthly income requirement and includes new investment alternatives.

Unconfirmed media reports claim a surge in investment threshold, at a time when Turkey’s citizenship by investment program faces public criticism.

Australia’s federal government is considering leveling fines at foreign property owners who leave their properties vacant.

El Salvador launched a Bitcoin-based citizenship by investment program, Freedom VISA, targeting crypto investors.

The EEC visa will join the different routes foreign investors can use to settle in Thailand.

The United Kingdom will implement stricter migration rules for foreign workers starting in spring 2024 to reduce record migration levels.

The Malaysian government will soon ease restrictions on its residency by investment program, Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H), after a review found it unpopular.

In its state budget voting, the Portuguese Parliament voted to maintain the NHR tax scheme in 2024.

What are the top RCBI destinations for Russian HNWIs?

France and the United States announced that nationals from both countries will have easier access to investor visas and long-term residencies.

Hungary just announced it will soon be relaunching its golden visa program, which it had previously scrapped in 2017.

Government sources said that if approved, the new policy will enable foreign entrepreneurs to obtain two-year residencies in Japan as they prepare to launch their businesses.

The visa will allow remote foreign workers to live and work in Peru for up to one year, with the possibility of extending their stay.

Migration specialists explain how Vanuatu’s new CBI route works.

The Quebec government just announced that the revived QIIP will be open for applications in January 2024.

Cyprus is considering tightening or possibly eliminating its residency by investment program.

The Canadian Startup Visa program attracts entrepreneurs worldwide to establish businesses in Canada and obtain permanent residency.

Portugal’s prime minister, António Costa, announced his resignation on Nov. 7.

Vanuatu announced expanding its citizenship by investment offerings to include an investment in the Coconut Oil Future Fund.

Starting January 2024, highly skilled foreign workers in the Netherlands may start paying more taxes.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive announced the imminent reintroduction of the island’s residency-by-investment program, the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme.

The Italian government proposes restricting a preferential tax regime that gives foreigners and returning Italian diaspora tax cuts applicable to 70% of their income.

To qualify for Portugal’s golden visa under the new rules, investors now have to contemplate a number of different business and cultural investment routes.

The Italian Council of Ministers just approved a decree that expands eligibility for skilled foreigners to obtain the EU Blue Card.

The EU Commission made proposals that would make it easier for Member States to suspend visa-free travel agreements with CBI countries.

Egypt is becoming an increasingly attractive CBI destination.

Investors seeking RCBI programs often consider tax benefits when choosing a destination.

France is facing an imminent labor shortage, and it’s working on a new immigration bill to address it.

Born a citizen of Bangladesh, serial entrepreneur Kamran Sarkar relocated to Canada through the Start-up Visa.

Australia is expected to make changes to its migration policy by the end of this year.

The residency and citizenship by investment programs evolve in global interest, requirements, competition, and diversification of alternatives.

The prime minister of Portugal announced his government’s intention to end a favorable tax regime for foreigners.

The rise in Hong Kong's population could be due to arrivals from mainland China through various programs.

One reason the UAE attained a 7.9 percent growth in GDP in 2022 is through its golden and investor visa programs.

Starting from next year, the residency by investment program in the Netherlands will no longer be available.

Antigua and Barbuda CBI Unit's deputy CEO, Sherelyn Hughes Thomas, reveals how the program plans to move forward.

Portugal's Parliament overwhelmingly voted to pass the More Housing bill without changes.

The global RCBI industry continues to have one of its most successful years on record.

Daniel Lösch, a German entrepreneur and digital nomad, applied for Estonia’s e-residency.

These programs offer different options for investors seeking citizenship that would allow them to apply for the E-2 visa.

In the increasingly competitive landscape for attracting entrepreneurs and skilled talent, several countries are reshaping their immigration policies and startup visa programs.

Indonesia just launched its long-anticipated golden visa program to attract foreign investors.

The latest country to join the Bitcoin wave in the investment migration space is the Cayman Islands.

Kazakhstan announced it is overhauling its immigration policy in a bid to attract skilled migrants and investors.

The Czech Republic just became the latest EU country to introduce a digital nomad visa.

Here are global RCBI programs that have financing or loan options.

The Portuguese president just announced vetoing the More Housing bill.

Canada’s immigration minister recently announced the country’s tech talent strategy to attract foreign workers and entrepreneurs to the country.

Canada announced launching the REP program to make hiring foreign labor easier for local businesses.

Southeast Asia has become a hotspot for investor visa programs.

Thailand Elite Visa for foreign investors is set to witness major changes by October 31.

The government of New Zealand revamped its Skilled Migrant visa by introducing a simplified point-based system.

Grenada’s Citizenship by Investment Unit introduced personal interviews to all citizenship applicants.

Indonesia is soon to roll out a golden visa program to attract global talent and investors.

Saudi Arabia introduced a new visa program with a swifter entry process for foreign investors, joining other countries in the region.

Spain ruled against a royal decree from 2011 that obligated foreign residents to spend six months or more in Spain to maintain their residency status.

St. Kitts and Nevis announced doubling its CBI investment threshold to $250,000 for main applicants.

The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis said that EU is working to establish a committee to review and structure the CBI programs of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.

Canada reached the cap of 10,000 applicants for its new residency route in less than 48 hours after launching the program.

Significant trends are shaping the global passport strength landscape in 2023.

The Portuguese Parliament approved the government’s proposal to end the real estate golden visa while maintaining routes.

The UK is suspending visa-free travel with five countries.

Dominica has announced that applicants to its CBI program will have to undergo mandatory personal interviews.

Singapore has implemented stricter criteria for foreigners seeking to obtain or renew their Employment Pass.

Portugal’s government is preparing to officially terminate new Golden Visa applications for its real estate stream.

St Kitts and Nevis has extended the deadline for its Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF) until January 31, 2024.

Malta aims to transform into a thriving hub for startups and scale-ups while increasing tax revenue with its new Startup Residence Programme.

The UAE has announced that top-performing students residing in the country will be awarded an unconditional golden visa.

Greece has extended the period for obtaining a "Golden Visa" at 250,000 euros until July 31, 2023.

Spain recently introduced its Blue Card program.

Canada is adopting a new strategy that will open new residency pathways for foreign tech workers and entrepreneurs.

Germany’s parliament just passed a new labor law set to make it easier for foreign labor to move to the country.

Chinese applicants to Australia’s BIIP Program took to the streets of Sydney last week in a rare protest.

South Korea extended its real estate investment visa for three years and doubled its threshold to 1 billion won.

The Portuguese government submitted a proposal backtracking on its plans to fully cancel the golden visa program.

A new Parliament-approved Greek law opens new residency routes for foreign investors.

What are the RCBI programs Chinese applicants have sought the most?

Canada has announced that citizens of 13 countries who meet certain criteria will be exempt from applying for a visa when entering Canada.

The Montenegrin remote work visa has finally become available to applicants.

The Portuguese parliament is debating the bill to end its golden visa.

What are the Caribbean nations with the most popular and successful CBI programs?

Canada’s suspended Quebec Immigrant Investor Program is soon to be revived with increased limitations and different criteria.

The process to revamp Vanuatu’s citizenship by investment program is in progress.

A guide on the number of golden visas issued across the EU’s most active golden visa programs.

The end of popular golden visa programs in Europe is causing a surge in applications to Latvia’s program.

Australia’s Home Affairs minister has announced a revamp to the country’s skilled migrant visa policies, among other measures.

Spanish Más País party has reached an agreement with the Social Security Minister to either pull the plug on the golden visa or increase restrictions.

What does the latest data suggest regarding trends and predictions in the RCBI industry?

Bulgaria, which halted its CBI program in 2021, has launched new regulations for its residency by investment program.

The Worldwide Immigration Trends Report takes a deep dive into current political, economic and cultural factors, offering future projections.

Cyprus has announced a number of new regulations pertaining to foreigners seeking permanent residency in the country through investment.

Calling for better wages and workplace inclusivity, the Public Service Alliance of Canada has announced a nationwide strike.

The Portuguese government has released its final draft of the bill, backtracking on retroactivity among other things.

Colombia just launched its own digital nomad visa.

Following a parliament vote, Greece’s doubling of its golden visa investment amount in high-demand areas will be pushed to July 31, 2023.

Bahrain's new 'golden license' program targets companies and institutions pumping sizable investments into the kingdom.

A new immigration law that aims to relax obstacles faced by non-EU migrants seeking to relocate to Germany has been approved.

The Canadian government announced that the suspension of QIIP will continue to be effective through January 1, 2024.

In its final draft of the ‘More Housing’ bill, the Portuguese government confirmed its intention to halt issuance of new golden visas.

The UK is merging two old visa routes into the Innovator Founder visa and scrapping minimum investment requirement.

What does the future hold for Europe’s Top 5 most popular golden visa programs?

The anticipated Spanish digital nomad visa has finally been made available to applicants.

Weary from the EU’s reaction, the Albanian government has announced suspending its citizenship-by-investment program plans.

UK security minister Tom Tugendhat announced that CBI programs that give questionable individuals access to the UK borders will be investigated.

The U.S. deputy assistant secretary of treasury for global affairs recently went to St. Kitts & Nevis for a roundtable discussion with the prime ministers of five Caribbean isla...

Singapore is quadrupling the investment threshold of GIP, making it arguably the world’s most expensive RBI program.

The Portuguese government has released the official draft of the proposal to end its Golden Visa, opening the door to public discussion and debate.

Namibia has joined the countries that offer residency-by-investment programs on the African continent.

Hong Kong has announced it will soon be relaunching its residency-by-investment scheme to attract foreign investors.

EU decided to start working closely with the Vanuatu authorities to reform its CBI programs.

The United States is losing some of its allure among migrating millionaires.

The independent Malaysian territory of Sabah has recently announced launching its own version of MM2H.

St Kitts and Nevis government has recently announced changes to its laws governing the country’s popular citizenship-by-investment program.

The Spanish left-wing party came forward with a parliamentary proposal to end the real estate option in the country’s golden visa program.

The Portuguese government announced the ending of its golden visa program in an attempt to tackle the housing crisis in the country.

Starting Feb. 15, 2023, the Irish Immigrant Investor Program will no longer be active.

Singapore is addressing an anticipated talent crunch by launching a new five-year visa granted to wealthy foreigners.

SEF is being sued by more than 60 golden visa applicants.

Kuwait, the small oil-rich nation of the Persian Gulf, is considering launching its variation of a residency-by-investment program.

The UK government has announced that it is now considering new options for investment-based migration.

For the first time, Portugal’s Golden Visa holders are now able to renew their visas online.

To attract and keep talented workers, UAE is increasing the length of its golden visa.

With a new CEO of its Citizenship by Investment Unit, St Kitts and Nevis has lowered the investment amount.

Greece’s parliament has announced it is moving forward with a government-proposed amendment to double the investment threshold for the Greek golden visa program in certain areas...

Amigos Act was signed into law by U.S. President Joe Biden, officially announcing Portugal as an E-2 treaty country.

St Lucia’s government has just announced updates to its CBI regulations, reducing the real estate investment threshold by $100,000.

Turkey introduced new guidelines that will end the possibility of combining different properties on a single notary contract.

As we bid 2022 farewell, we journey back across the year to bring you the biggest news that happened in the RCBI industry this year.

St. Kitts and Nevis’s government has replaced the longtime CEO of the Citizenship by Investment Unit.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Amigo Act, which would extend the E-2 treaty countries to include Portugal.

The German government has announced it will introduce a green-card equivalent in a bid to attract foreign talent to the country.

The Spanish parliament has recently approved the Startup Act, which could come to the rescue of those seeking Spanish residency.

Sri Lanka, an island country in South Asia, has announced it will soon be offering long-term residence to foreign condominium property holders.

In a Portuguese parliamentary session this week, the legislative body rejected a proposal to end the country’s Golden Visa program.

Malaysia has recently announced its new residency-by-investment Premium Visa Programme (PVIP).

Indonesia is gearing up to launch its residency-by-investment program, coined the ‘second home visa’ program.

Wealthy and talented foreign investors are sought by the government of Thailand.

The Canadian government is doubling down with its plan to attract even more immigrants in the future.

Uzbekistan has announced it’s considering offering CBI programs that will see foreigners invest $1 million to get citizenship.

The ongoing political unrest in Iran has many countries reevaluating their relations and policies toward the country.

Following a partial suspension, the Council of the European Union has decided to fully suspend its visa-waiver program with Vanuatu.

Portugal’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa has announced that the government is considering ending Portugal’s popular Golden Visa program.

Centimillionaires are called the new global citizens and their wealth management revolves around multinational living, which could have a significant impact on the investment mi...

The Republic of Armenia is considering a draft decision that would grant citizenship by decree to foreign nationals who have provided exceptional service to the country.

Non-European residents who launch a startup in Malta will now get to apply for a three-year residency through a newly launched Malta Startup Residence Program.

The United Arab Emirates has significantly expanded its visa and resident permit offerings.

The European Commission plans to take Malta to court to file a legal challenge against the country for its popular golden visa scheme.

With a population of more than 1.3 billion, India is an increasingly active group in the investment migration market.

New changes have been announced by the Commonwealth Government of Dominica regarding their popular citizenship by investment program.

Greece has announced that it is doubling the minimum investment amount for the property investment option of its Golden Visa.

Singapore is poised to become home to Asia Pacific’s highest share of millionaires in the adult population by 2030.

The government of Albania is looking for a private company to promote its planned citizenship-by-investment program.

There is a growing number of investors worldwide in search of stability, security and a high standard of living, especially in the wake of Covid. Many professionals anticipate t...

An increasing number of foreign investors are turning to Spain to live and work.

Portugal’s Golden Visa program is increasingly a top choice for many Americans.

Learn how two of Portugal’s programs, the Golden Visa and the non-habitual resident program, complement one another.

The New Zealand government has made changes to its investor visa program to attract more high-value investors.

The wealthy in Vietnam want to use their earnings to further their freedom of movement throughout the world through investment immigration.

After a 46-year career in hospitality and as a culinary educator in Portland, Oregon, Maxine Borcherding became a Sommelier and wine educator and moved to Portugal, seeking a Go...

Portugal’s Borders and Immigration Service has resumed accepting Golden Visa applications.

Portugal’s Borders and Immigration Service has halted acceptance of new applications since December 2021.

Some new changes have been made to residence permits in Cyprus.

Numbers point to an expected rise in wealth in Africa, with five countries within the continent constituting 50% of its total wealth.

In what officials are calling an "immigration rebalance" plan, New Zealand government authorities recently announced new visa law changes aimed at attracting workers from specia...

The use of cryptocurrency in the investment immigration industry is starting to take off.

The minimum investment requirements for Turkey’s citizenship by investment program have been increased.

Uglobal Immigration Magazine is kicking off its annual Top 25 awards campaign to crown the best CBI professionals in the industry.

South Korea is home to UHNWIs and HNWIs who may be primed to invest in a second passport or residency visa in other countries.

Business owners and entrepreneurs can join the Cyprus Residence Permit program, which was recently revised to enable investment in companies.

The unit-linked life insurance is commonly used not just for protection purposes but also as an investment.

Jeanee Crane-Mauzy is a conscientious young American woman who recently acquired her second passport from Vanuatu to help fight climate change.

The United Arab Emirates has announced a major overhaul of the country’s visa residency program.

The Turkish government has decided to increase the minimum CBI investment threshold for buying real estate in Turkey by more than 60%, according to several Turkish media outlets.

Jordan has decided to open its lucrative commercial sector to foreigners who want to gain the country's citizenship in exchange for investment as the country looks to compete wi...

Migration professionals are calling for a balanced approach to deal with the complex issue of RCBI programs in Europe after the European Commission recommended a total ban on go...

This is the journey of American investor Douglas Spencer who searched for the right country for his second citizenship that would fit him and his wife, who is from Africa.

Italy has announced a new visa stream for digital nomads from non-EU countries, which is expected to be implemented by this coming summer season and compete with other similar p...

Latvia initially decided to end its RBI program, but the adopted text of the parliament's final reading of the bill to this effect did not call for total ban of the golden visa ...

Immigration attorney Keith Isaac says that St. Lucia's approach to ban only those Russians from the country's CBI program who have been named in the international sanctions is ...

Bulgarian lawmakers have voted in favor of ending the country’s citizenship by investment program during the second reading of the draft law to this effect; migration industry p...

Ireland and Spain have become the latest European countries to announce a blanket ban on investment immigration programs for all Russian nationals.

More Americans are packing up their belongings and leaving the U.S. to relocate to Europe, the Caribbean and other distant locales around the globe. The lure of a second passpor...

The United Kingdom has launched two separate residency programs for Ukrainians that would allow thousands of people fleeing the Russian invasion to stay in the country for up to...

European Parliament lawmakers have voted in favor of a legislative report calling on the European Commission to come up with its own legislative proposal to implement a phased e...

Caribbean nations are joining the chorus of Western sanctions on anti-Ukraine countries but migration professionals are hoping the setbacks would only be temporary.

Congress reauthorizes the EB-5 Regional Center Program for another five years, ending a nine-month long lapse.

The Council of the European Union has decided to suspend its visa waiver deal with Vanuatu, citing serious deficiencies and inherent risks in the country's CBI program.

The list of European countries shutting their golden visa residency doors to Russian and Belarusian citizens is growing rapidly after Portugal, Greece and Malta all announced th...

Investment immigration professionals disagree with a European parliament draft law that aims for a complete ban on RCBI programs in Europe, pointing out the fact that they are n...

Migration industry professionals across Europe are expecting a surge in inquiries from Ukrainians following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Canada has revised its targets under its freshly announced Immigration Levels Plan for 2022-2024, hoping to see as many as 451,000 permanent residents in a year.

Slovakia’s parliament has approved an amendment to the country's citizenship law allowing Slovaks living abroad to hold dual nationalities.

The UK home secretary has announced the shutting down of the Tier 1 Investor visa route for foreign investors with immediate effect citing national security concerns.

Bahrain has become the latest gulf country to announce a new golden visa residency program for foreigners as the oil-and-gas rich kingdom competes with its regional rivals.

Australia’s announcement to reopen its borders later this month has created a wave of excitement among investment immigration industry professionals.

The U.S. House of Representatives has adopted the America COMPETES Act that proposes the creation of a separate startup visa category for foreign entrepreneurs as well as green ...

The bill to end Bulgaria's golden passport program still has to go through a few stumbling blocks before it becomes a final act in the country's parliament, even after the gover...

Thousands of people in Ireland are being a given a chance to become citizens via naturalization under a new program, which the country's minister termed as a "once in a generati...

Canada is likely to continue focusing on immigration candidates who are already present in the country for its federal economic programs during the pandemic, according to Canadi...

Brazil has launched a new residency program specifically for digital nomads, allowing them to stay in the country on a renewable year-long visa as long as they work for a foreig...

Foreigners would have to pay around $1.25 million instead of the current roughly $418,000 for their preferred property in order to become eligible for the resident visa.

Alberta has launched a new immigration pathway for foreign tech workers, promising potential candidates that their processing times for permanent residency applications would be...

Malta has seen an increase in digital nomads into the country after launching its Nomad Residence Permit program (MNRP) for non-EU citizens some six months ago, many of whom are...

Foreigners will now be able to live and work in Thailand for up to 10 years following the Thai cabinet's approval to amend a key piece of an immigration legislation as the count...

The government of Vanuatu has taken steps to salvage its citizenship by investment program, appointing a UK-based due diligence agency as well as a new marketing firm.

Southeastern countries and EU states are again dominating the list of nations whose citizens have the most powerful passports in the world, according to a new report.

The Bulgarian cabinet has approved a bill to abolish the country's golden visa program for foreign investors, citing the reason that the CBI program did not significantly boost ...

Vanuatu's citizenship by investment program appears to be in jeopardy after the EU Commission announced today that it is seeking to partially suspend its visa waiver deal with t...

Turkey has announced a major change in its citizenship by investment law, making all such investments conditional as the country looks to boost its foreign currency reserves and...

Pakistan is crafting its own citizenship by investment policy, with plans to grant permanent residency and eventually citizenship to all foreign investors who make investments w...

Countries around the world offer second passports and/or foreign residency geared for retirees.

The government of Montenegro has reportedly delayed the expiration of its Citizenship by Investment program, which was set to sunset Dec. 31.

Many industry professionals are hopeful that the demand in the global RCBI industry will continue in 2022.

The Canadian prime minister has listed new priorities for the country's immigration system, putting an emphasis on faster application processing times and fee exemption for thos...

The global pandemic has led to an increase in digital transformation as well as a plenitude of digital nomad programs worldwide and a competition among countries to attract fore...

Latest news, updates, and achievements from professionals in the residency-by-investment and citizenship-by-investment industries

Investment immigration professionals say CBI programs offering visa-free access to China is a useful incentive for niche clientele.

The incoming German coalition government’s plans to overhaul the country’s citizenship laws is most likely to take place sometime next year.

The UAE has announced that retirees from all over the world can get long term residency in the oil-and-gas rich gulf nation.

The Irish Department of Justice has announced changes to the citizenship application process and extended the validity period of expired residency permits for foreigners until m...

Which investment path is more attractive for investors in Portugal's Golden Visa?

Saudi Arabia has started to grant citizenship to highly skilled foreign talent of a wide range of professions – a step that comes after several other gulf states in the region t...

One great option for a second citizenship is Panama, which is the only country in the world where residents and tourists alike can watch the sun rise on the Pacific and set in t...

Maltese immigration professionals are hopeful that Malta’s investment immigration programs will withstand the ongoing pressure from the EU, which wants the country to halt the p...

Latest news and updates from professionals in the residency-by-investment and citizenship-by-investment industries.

Leading EB-5 industry professionals have termed President Joe Biden's new international air travel order as a positive step that would help bring key investors back to the U.S.

The number of residence permits issued for the first time to foreigners in the EU went down by 24% in 2020 because of the pandemic, according to new data released by Eurostat – ...

The Malaysian government has decided to revise some of its new rules for the Malaysia My Second Home (MMH2) program for foreign applicants who are already enrolled in the program.

Global immigration experts believe that German immigration laws are likely to stay the same after recent elections with the focus on foreign entrepreneurs and qualified skilled ...

The European parliament has adopted an agreement to revise the EU Blue Card Directive to make the EU an even more appealing place for the globally sought after highly skilled mi...

Foreigners with at least $1 million in assets and minimum $80,000 income over a period of two years would be considered as wealthy global citizens.

Jordan is now offering passports and citizenships to foreign investors who put in at least $1 million for a minimum period of three years as the country looks to generate employ...

The European Commission has recommended that eight countries in the Western Balkans and Eastern European region, which the EU has visa-free regimes with, to phase out their plan...

While all major Canadian political parties agree that the country’s economic survival depends on robust immigration policies, investment immigration professionals hope that the ...

The UAE has announced a new visa stream called the Green Visa that will allow foreign investors, entrepreneurs and highly skilled workers to live and work in the gulf state.

A new bill has been presented in the Greek parliament to amend investment immigration laws, proposing several key reforms, including introducing the digital nomad visa.

If there is one silver lining in the pandemic worth mentioning, it’s the rise of the global digital workforce and the smorgasbord of nomad visa choices they have to pick from.

Australian migration agent Mark Welch talks about the recent changes in Australia’s program, his experience in the field, and the current trends in the RCBI industry.

There are still only a handful of countries that allow digital currencies for investment immigration purposes, leaving several global immigration firms at a disadvantage since t...

The Malaysian government has reactivated its Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) long-term visa program following a months-long, post-pandemic freeze, announcing several key changes ...

The UK has announced that it plans to introduce three more visa routes to attract global talent as it continues to look for way to boost its economy and regain its innovation ed...

Australia has granted close to 15,000 visas to businesspersons and entrepreneurs since the pandemic began last year, according to latest figures from the country's Department of...

United States’ President Joe Biden has signed an order to defer the enforced departure of thousands of Hong Kong residents in the U.S. for 18 months.

Canada is sharply increasing the number of new permanent residents in the country despite the ongoing pandemic, with June 2021 recording more than 35,000 successful applicants –...

Many countries, including in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and the Middle East barely offer any options to same-sex partners who wish to apply jointly as registered couples via ...

The UAE government has announced that all foreign doctors and their families are now eligible to apply for the country's golden visa residency program.

A bill proposing a new visa category for migrant entrepreneurs, known as the Let Immigrants Kickstart Employment (LIKE) Act, was introduced in the U.S. Congress on Monday.

Mexico, a country of 128 million people, has been severely affected by the pandemic, and its economy has taken a hit. However, despite the COVID impact, the global investment im...

Thailand has taken key steps to ease up COVID-related visa restrictions on foreign travelers this month, including forwarding the deadline for short term visa extensions as well...

Countries around the world were forced to shut down their borders abruptly when the pandemic hit last year, but are now slowly but surely, taken steps to open their borders foll...

Canada will carry out a new lottery process on Sept. 20 this year to randomly select 30,000 immigrant applicants, including permanent residents for allowing them to sponsor thei...

New Zealand has begun implementing changes to its Essential Skills visa, offering applicants who earn less than the median wage up to two years stay in the country compared to t...

The UK has officially launched its much-awaited immigration route for international students that would pave the way for the country to retain highly qualified talent from aroun...

The UK is currently reviewing thousands of Tier 1 investor visas it granted to foreign investors before the 2015 reforms were made in its golden visa program, media reports.

Costa Rica has enacted a new law to make the Central American state more attractive for foreign investors, rentiers and pensioners, announcing tax exemptions and reduced investm...

The population of global high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) is continuing to grow globally despite the pandemic, according to a new report. This may in turn lead to a shot in the...

The pandemic has significantly diminished the power of passports from much sought-after destinations, like the U.S. and the U.K, whose real reach in terms of visa free access to...

As South Africa is battling another wave of the pandemic, the government has announced it will not process any new permanent residency permits until the start of 2022.

Foreign investors looking to get an EU passport while simultaneously enjoying the mandatory five-year-long residency period on sandy beaches can now seriously consider Curacao.

Oman has announced a new investment immigration program that will allow foreign investors to live in the gulf state for up to 10 years starting from this fall.

The UK has so far received more than 5.6 million applications from EU citizens living and working in the country under the post-Brexit EU Settlement Scheme, which is set to expi...

A U.S. District Court in California on June 22 ruled in favor of a regional center which had challenged a former acting Homeland Security secretary's authority to enforce an inc...

The EU Digital COVID Certificate has so far been rolled out in 17 European countries, giving a boost of confidence to travelers to Europe, which in turn may help boost the inves...

Citizenship-by-investment programs are helping build critical infrastructure around the world, including airports, hospitals and sustainable housing projects.

Kenya's ongoing 60-day drive to clear its huge citizenship application backlog is expected to benefit hundreds of foreign investors. The Kenyan Department of Immigration Service...

Turkish immigration attorney Arslan Tenha talks about the impact of the pandemic on the RCBI industry, the latest trends in the market, and the current state of Turkey's CBI pro...

El Salvador aims to create a new law to allow foreign investors to get permanent residency via Bitcoin investment after the country achieved a historic milestone by adopting the...

Canada has launched two new permanent residency streams for talented Hongkongers who are already present in the country. Stream A focuses on fresh graduates while Stream B is fo...

Foreign investors are set to get a new route to permanent residency in The Bahamas this July after a draft law to amend the country's immigration act was presented in the parlia...

Turkish immigration attorney Burçin Barlas talks about the RCBI industry in Turkey, his experience in the field, and the current position of cryptocurrency in the industry.

Malta has launched a new visa scheme to specifically cater to digital nomads. The Nomad Residence Permit allows them to stay for up to a year if they meet the criteria.

Panama has announced two new major visa policies, one is an initiative targeted at attracting digital nomads while the other changes the country's Friendly Nations visa.

Attorney Saeed Jaberi shares his insight into the recent developments in the RCBI industry both globally and in Germany, as he talks about his experience in the European immigra...

The UK has unveiled plans to launch new visa routes for attracting global businesses and the crème de la crème of global talent by spring 2022 alongside already existing schemes...

The EU will soon become more attractive for highly skilled foreign workers after the EU Council and European Parliament agreed provisionally to provide better living and work co...

The European Parliament and the European Council have agreed on a provisional deal over the EU digital COVID-19 certificate, paving the way for its eventual implementation which...

Looking to get a visa to live in Australia? Investors will now need to pay an extra $1 million to do so under a revised migration scheme that seeks greater investment in local b...

Romania will soon officially launch a new visa program geared towards attracting remote workers from around the world who earn as low as 1,100 euros. A draft law to this effect ...

The world is only becoming smaller and will continue to. Global mobility is part of who we are, and individuals and families will continue to seek new places to relocate to as t...

The United States has decided to keep its start-up visa rule for foreigners, known as the International Entrepreneur parole program, after it was delayed and slated for the chop...

The New Zealand government has announced that an inquiry commission will review the country’s working-age immigration policy, including assessing the skilled migrant visa catego...

There has been a sharp increase in Hong Kong investors buying up properties in London ever since the UK announced a new British National Overseas (BNO) visa for Hong Kong reside...

The United Kingdom has announced a new visa route for young Indian professionals, thousands of whom The new visa route, known as the Young Professionals Scheme, is part of the ...

We have witnessed a slow time during the pandemic as many visa centres or facilities were closed and as a result, visa applications could not be submitted or processed. Having s...

Vanuatu has amended its citizenship law to give wealthy foreigners the option to invest in the republic’s real estate sector. Previously, the island nation provided just a donat...

Taiwan is planning to make its permanent residency rules for investors from Hong Kong stricter, according to Taiwanese reports quoting government officials.

We have recently witnessed a very significant increase of U.S. citizens wanting to immigrate to Portugal permanently with their families or opting to secure their residence perm...

Malta’s RCBI program has come under renewed scrutiny after leaked documents claim that the country has given out passports and citizenships to some wealthy foreign individuals d...

Russia is now just a step away from launching its own EU country-style Golden Visa scheme after a government committee gave its approval of a draft bill on permanent residency b...

The EU has plans to officially launch its highly anticipated vaccine certificate this June with aims to facilitate the movement of people within its borders during the peak summ...

Immigration attorney Esme Palas is a partner at one of the largest firms in Cyprus, Michael Kyprianou & Co. LLC. She assists investors who are seeking a better way of life and a...

The Canadian government has announced a new permanent residency pathway that will benefit tens of thousands of foreign workers already present in the country who are engaged in ...

Foreigners who wish to live and work in Thailand for the long term, either as digital nomads or retirees, may get a new and more relaxed visa option by the end of this year. The...

The world's most powerful passport is the Japanese one, followed by passports from two other Far East nations, Singapore, which is ranked second, and South Korea, according to a...

Indian Supreme Court's decision to ban foreign law firms from operating in the country has pushed foreign lawyers to pursue online meetings with their Indian clients, which has ...

The Malaysian government is expected to revive the suspended Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) program soon, perhaps in a matter of weeks, as the country looks to give a boost to i...

Cryptocurrency is nothing new but it may open doors to increased opportunities in the global migration industry. Some countries are looking to attract foreign crypto investors w...

Qatar has launched a new office in its newly developed Lusail City to facilitate foreign investors in buying real estate that would in turn pave the way for long term residency ...

On March 31st, the Province of Quebec announced that its popular Immigrant Investor Program (QIIP) could be on hold until April 1, 2023. The QIIP had been paused since November...

Christina Lim, an Australian migration agent associated with the law firm Regis Legal in Australia’s Gold Coast, shares her insights about the future of Australian migration pro...

The Quebec Immigrant Investor Program will remain suspended for two more years as part of government reforms to modernize the immigration system in the eastern Canadian province...

Panama is catching on to the post-pandemic trend of making it easier for people to file their residency or citizenship by investment applications remotely. If all goes to plan, ...

Malta’s new regulations for gaining residency by investment came into effect today and no new applications will be accepted under the previous program. According to the officia...

Marco Mazzeschi is the founder of Mazzeschi S.R.L, one of the leading business immigration and citizenship law firm in Italy. He has more than 30 years of experience in corporat...

The Cyprus Permanent Residence Permit, which is granted to non-EU nationals investing in the Republic of Cyprus was amended on March 24. While the minimum investment amount of 3...

During the past two years, many experts were anticipating that Bulgaria would cancel its citizenship by investment program or would at least cripple its conditions. What happene...

The Australian Business and Investor visa program is changing from July 1. The current seven visa categories will be reduced to four, with the 188D Premium Investor visa, and bo...

North Macedonia is the latest country to invite international talent and investors to the nation through a new citizenship-by-investment program. Harvey Law Group, a Hong Kong-b...

Montenegro will stop its citizenship-by-investment program by the end of this year, according to an official government statement. The Montenegrin Cabinet has decided the CBI pr...

Lithuania has changed its employment and residency laws to make the country more appealing to highly educated and talented foreign workers. The republic on March 1 announced ame...

The pandemic has impacted the global RCBI industry in a positive way, according to Laszlo Kiss, a Vanuatu citizenship-by-investment agent. “It opened the eyes of many prospectiv...

There is an increased demand among the world's wealthiest individuals to obtain a second passport or legal residency beyond their home country, according to the newly released W...

The United Kingdom will begin accepting visa applications for its new graduate route from July 1, which enables international students to stay in the country for at least anothe...

Tiago Gali Macedo is the managing partner of Next Lawyers/Gali Macedo & Associados in Portugal. “As an immigration lawyer, I help people in all the stages regarding their reloca...

There has been a sharp rise in the interest among American investors to seek second passports and residency outside the U.S. during the pandemic. There was a 300% increase in Am...

China has launched a digital “vaccine passport” this week in the shape of an encrypted QR code on its WeChat app to promote travel and economic recovery, according to a Chinese ...

The Slovakian government has announced that it will amend its citizenship law to allow hundreds of thousands of its former citizens living abroad to regain their Slovakian citiz...

The U.K. has announced a new visa stream for highly-skilled migrants that will enable British financial businesses to hire employees without going through expensive and time con...

Canada has started accepting applications for its new visa stream providing a pathway to permanent residency to recent foreign graduates who want to build their own businesses a...

The government of Bermuda has announced a new pathway to permanent residency for high-net-worth individuals that will start next week. The initiative, called the Economic Invest...

The Portuguese government has made changes to its "Golden Visa" investment immigration program. However, the changes will not take effect until Jan. 1, 2022, allowing investors ...

Malta’s new residency-by-investment program is set to be presented before the country’s parliament within weeks. Once passed, the program would make the Mediterranean island mor...

The U.K. has begun accepting applications for the new British National Overseas (BNO) visa, which paves the path for Hong Kong residents to earn British citizenship. The U.K. go...

Cyprus will not replace its suspended citizenship by investment program, according to Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades. The announcement laid to rest rumors that the country...

The United Arab Emirates has amended its citizenship law to attract capital and intellectuals to the Gulf country.

The Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz) has taken effect in Germany. It aims to prepare its economy for the future. The mission of the act is to bring skille...

The Antigua and Barbuda government is considering granting citizenship to stateless applicants born in Brunei, Kuwait, Dubai and Saudi Arabia, according to the Office of The Pri...

The Alberta government in Canada is underway creating a specialized Startup Visa Stream with fast-track processing for qualified graduates of top U.S. universities who commit to...

After leaving the EU, UK is now in a transition period until Dec. 31 with some rules and regulations to be extended until July of 2021. The UK government has followed the Migrat...

The Moldova parliament has extended the moratorium of accepting new applications for its CBI program until Sept. 1 this year. The temporary hold of the program is to give the go...

Turkey continues to see a steady increase of CBI applications with more than 5,000 foreign investors who have been granted citizenship following the country’s relaxed CBI legisl...

The Bulgarian citizenship by investment (CBI) program is currently one of three EU programs, alongside those of Malta and Cyprus that enables qualifying candidates to obtain fas...

Moldova’s government has proposed to extend the moratorium on its CBI program until 2021. A draft law for the future of the program is expected to be considered by the parliamen...

UAE property developers are urging the UAE government to reduce the investment limit for its 10-year residence visas to stimulate the economy and real estate market. Developers ...

UK’s government has today released the initial details about its new points-based immigration system, which first phase takes effect in January of 2021.

UK’s cabinet today agreed to new post-Brexit immigration rules that will make it easier for highly-skilled people to move to UK next year through a points-based system. The new ...

The Portuguese Parliament has approved an authorization to amend the Golden Visa Program legislation. This amendment constitutes in fact an opportunity both for Portugal and for...

Malta is looking into launching a new CBI program later this year, according to Malta’s Parliamentary secretary for citizenship and communities Alex Muscat.

Australia’s Department of Home Affairs has today agreed to update and broaden the conditions for holders of Subclass 417 and 462 Working Holiday Maker visas to allow them to hel...

The Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body Moneyval today released a report where it urged Cyprus to increase its process to prevent money laundering from criminal proce...

Uglobal is donating to help fight the spread of the coronavirus. We are joining forces with the American Lending Center and Sunstone Management by donating to help distribute ne...

The New Zealand government, which today announced it is temporarily restricting entry for all foreign nationals traveling from or via mainland China, have announced updates to i...

A missing clause in Cyprus' citizenship-by-investment law has temporarily stalled the process of revoking passports from the 26 people whose applications were deemed flawed afte...

IMF is encouraging St Kitts and Nevis to "cautiously piloting a digital currency" as part of its adopted Virtual Assets Bill. The move will pave the way for easier transfer of f...

Portugal’s parliament has approved a measure in their budget that limits the issuance of golden visas for real estate investments in Lisbon and Porto as well as along the popula...

After more than three years of fierce negotiations in Brussels and political debate in the United Kingdom, Brexit has now become a reality. Without a doubt, it will redefine how...

St. Kitts and Nevis plans to increase its due diligence process this year by making biometric checks mandatory for each CBI applicant.

Antigua and Barbuda is the latest country to close its borders for Chinese travelers today in response to the coronavirus.

The Republic of Estonia, which is known for its innovative E-residency program, has announced plans to launch a digital nomad visa.

As Brexit is happening today, UK has said it will let the 3.5 million EU citizens already living in the UK stay as long as they register with the EU settlement scheme.

In response to the coronavirus, Vanuatu’s Immigration and Passport Services has announced it is banning its officers from traveling to all Asian countries to deliver passports. ...

Portugal is underway launching a new measure to encourage investment, technology and innovation under the National Entrepreneurship Strategy.

Ireland, which has seen a sharp increase in the number of citizenship applications because of Brexit, has updated its naturalization application forms online. Applications submi...

Singapore is making changes to its Global Investor Program by offering permanent residency to next-gen business owners, founders of fast-growing companies and family office exec...

In light of Brexit, UK is launching a fast-track Global Talent visa program on Feb. 20 to attract top scientists, researchers and mathematicians to the country.

Brandon in Manitoba is the most recent community to open applications in Canada’s Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program this week. It joins the areas of Sault Ste. Marie,...

Iranian nationals are no longer eligible for the E-1 and E-2 visas to live in the U.S. while engaging in international trade or investing into a U.S. business.

Canada has issued 3,400 invitations to apply for permanent residence to the highest-ranking foreign applicants in its second Express Entry draw this year on Jan. 22.

Ireland’s Immigrant Investor Program has announced that it will only accept applications between Feb. 17-21, April 20-24, June 22-26, Aug. 31- Sept. 4, and Oct. 26-30 in 2020.

The Portuguese government is taking the first steps towards implementing an “E-residency” program to attract foreign entrepreneurs.

Boasting some of the fastest internet speeds in the world and a capital often called the Paris of the North, Latvia has much to offer. The Baltic country is located in northern ...