Uzbek Govt. Submits Bill to Allow US$1 million Citizenship by Investment
Uzbekistan appears to be the latest country aiming to attract the growing diaspora of affluent and/or talented Russians.
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Asia-Pacific
EU Council Fully Suspends Vanuatu’s Visa-Waiver Agreement
The EU Council is extending the visa-waiver suspension to non-CBI citizens of Vanuatu, citing a “lack of progress” in addressing concerns.
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Thailand Elite Membership Passes 20,000 – Approvals of Chinese Nearly Tripled in 2022
The Chinese market recovery in 2022 is borne out by statistics from several programs. Thailand’s Elite visa is a primary beneficiary.
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Indonesia Introduces “Second Home” Program: 10-Year Visa for Those With Savings of US$129,000 or More
Indonesia joins the fray of Southeast Asian countries hoping to attract affluent, location-independent long term guests.
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Laos to Grant Honorary Citizenship to Those Who Invest and Donate US$1.5 million
As in Jordan, the high-ticket CIP is likely to serve more as an incidental bonus for already-existing investment than to attract new capital.
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Australia’s New Home Minister Hints She May Close Significant Investor Visa Program
“It is a visa program that I think isn’t adding value to the country,” said the Home Affairs Minister in a recent press conference.
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In Astonishing Claim, Malaysian Govt. Says Premium Visa Program Got 20,000 Applications on First Day
Industry insiders, however, are not buying the figure, calling it “misinformation” and a practical impossibility.
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Malaysia’s Surprise Introduction of “Premium Visa Program” for “Tycoons” Raises Eyebrows
While similar to MM2H in most respects, the new program is less restrictive and also considerably more expensive.
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Vanuatu CBI Revenue Falls 48.7% Short of Budget in First Half of 2022
Q2 was the lowest-grossing quarter in four years for citizenship by investment in Vanuatu. And it’s likely to get considerably worse.
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Australia Cuts New Intake for Business Innovation and Investor Program by 88%
Hoping to reduce 30-month processing times for business investor visas, Australia’s government is drastically restricting new applications.
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Thailand’s Low-Tax “Long Term Resident” Visa Opens Next Month: How Does it Compare to Elite Residence?
HNWIs under 50 will have to make a careful cost-benefit analysis when choosing between the Long Term Resident and Elite Residence visas.
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New Zealand Issues Sweeping Changes to Investor Visas: Minimums of NZ$5-15 Million
Minimum investment requirements and minimum stay requirements both increase as New Zealand aims for investors who play a more active role.
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Cambodia Launches $100,000 Golden Visa With 5-Year Path to Citizenship
Cambodia enters the Southeast Asian golden visa market: A $100,000 property investment and eligibility for citizenship in five years.
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New Zealand Investor Visa Revenue Back With a Post-Pandemic Vengeance in FY2022
2021-22 results brought the program’s performance from nadir to zenith within a year in which it raised NZ$1 billion from just 100 investors.
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South Korea Investor Visa Approvals Hit 16-Year High in 2021: Applications from India up 75%
The program’s applicant nationality profile is decidedly Western: Among the top 10 source countries are the US, Germany, France, and the UK.
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EU Tells Vanuatu to Get its CBI House in Order by February 2023 or See Visa-Waiver Suspension Extended
The visa-waiver suspension will last until at least February next year, at which point the EU will re-assess the country’s CBI programs.
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Sri Lanka Cabinet Approves Plans for $75,000 Golden Visa
Sri Lanka is sorely in need of foreign currency to pay for food and energy imports. Now, the government hopes a golden visa can bring cash.
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New Zealand Investor Visa Sees Strong Rebound in 2022: NZ$ Half Billion Raised in First Three Quarters of FY
After two years of falling approvals and investments, all arrows finally point in the right direction for New Zealand’s investor visas.
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Vanuatu Establishes Task Force in Hopes of Overturning EU Decision on Visa-Waiver Suspension
In a “Hail Mary” effort to ward off the suspension, Vanuatu is establishing a national task force to review and improve its CBI procedures.
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Vanuatu Citizenship Program Without Schengen-Access: What Happens Next?
“I do not see any way to please the EU other than stopping the whole program,” says St-Hilaire, while Harris thinks it’s not over yet.
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