“CBI Must Adapt or Be Shut Out”: Investment Migration People in the News This Week

Investment migration people in the news this week included:

• Alena Lesina of Astons 
• Kashif Ansari of Juwai IQI
• Stuart Nash of Nash Kelly Global
• Sam Bayat of Bayat Legal Services
• Henley & Partners
• Rayad Kamal Ayub of Rayad Group Immigration Services
• Anna Semenyuk of Immigrant Invest
• Patricia Casaburi of Global Citizen Solutions
• Chitra Stern of Martinhal
• Liberty Legal
• Anthony Liew of MM2H Consultants Association
• Ron Klasko of Klasko Immigration Law Partners
• Rosanna Berardi of Berardi Law

The Telegraph – Middle classes flee Britain for the Med after Reeves tax raids

Alena Lesina, a citizenship, residence permit, and real estate investment expert for Astons said the firm had seen “a clear uptick in interest from UK nationals exploring residency-by-investment programmes over the past year”.

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“These schemes are no longer the preserve of ultra-high net worth individuals alone. We’re increasingly advising middle class families, remote-working professionals, and even retirees who are re-evaluating their lifestyle priorities post-pandemic.

South China Morning Post – New Zealand golden visa lures potential luxury property buyers from Hong Kong, mainland China

“Almost any number of new high-net-worth individuals buying homes in New Zealand will have a significant impact on the country’s relatively small land and luxury home markets,” said Kashif Ansari, founder and group CEO of real estate broker Juwai IQI. “They will be buying houses in premium suburbs and land for large estates.”

Fox News –  America’s elite lead boom of ‘golden’ visa applications to vacation destination

Former New Zealand Minister for Economic Development Stuart Nash, co-founder of Nash Kelly Global, told Fox News Digital the visas are getting more popular.

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“There’s a lot of global uncertainty at the moment,” he said.

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“There are many Americans wanting to settle in New Zealand, as we’re seen as this oasis at the bottom of the world,” he added.

Khaleej Times – Thousands of UAE residents who bought second passport face uncertainty

“It’s a perfect storm, and many passport holders didn’t see it coming,” says Sam Bayat, founder of Dubai-based Bayat Legal Services and a pioneer in international investment migration in the region. “People invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into citizenship programmes, believing it was their ticket to global freedom. Now, they’re facing sudden restrictions that could render those passports practically useless.”

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The crisis is particularly acute for Indian nationals in the UAE. India does not allow dual citizenship, so many who opted for a second nationality had to relinquish their Indian passports. Henley & Partners’ 2024 Private Wealth Migration Report notes that 4,300 wealthy Indians gave up their citizenship in 2023, with many choosing Caribbean or other CBI programmes while living in the Gulf.

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“For families who sold property or dipped into savings to secure their second passports, this is more than a policy change — it’s a personal crisis,” said Bayat. “They may feel betrayed, especially those who renounced their nationalities.”

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Many countries are pledging reforms, but Bayat argues that cosmetic changes won’t suffice. “A phased, credibility-first model is the only path forward. Without structural reform, CBI risks being viewed as a security threat rather than a legitimate development tool.”

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“We are navigating a significant transformation in the citizenship-by-investment landscape,” says Rayad Kamal Ayub, managing director of Rayad Group Immigration Services. “The shift away from off-the-shelf passport purchases indicates a move toward more sustainable and legitimate pathways.”

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Bayat is clear: The idea of investment migration isn’t under attack, only the way it has been misused. “Citizenship is a sovereign right, but it carries responsibilities for both the issuing state and the individual,” he says. “The US and EU message is loud and clear – adapt or be shut out.”

The Jerusalem Post – Why HNWIs choose Greece’s golden visa in 2024: Security and freedom of movement lead the reasons

In this expert interview, Anna Semenyuk, Citizenship by Investment Programs Advisor at Immigrant Invest, shares insights into who applies for the Golden Visa, how the numbers are changing, and why Greece remains one of the most attractive destinations for residency by investment.

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“The policy shift in 2023 was designed to cool the urban housing market,” Anna Semenyuk explains. “It raised the minimum real estate investment to €400,000 and €800,000 in key zones.”

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“In 2023 alone, over 5,700 new residence permits were issued,” Anna Semenyuk notes. “The approval rate remains very high, provided applicants meet the Due Diligence requirements.”

The Standard – Golden Visas: the four European countries where you can still get citizenship by buying property

“Golden Visa programmes remain accessible across several EU countries with property investment thresholds that cater to a range of budgets rather than just millionaires,” says Patricia Casaburi, CEO of Global Citizen Solutions.

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“We’re seeing strong interest from UK clients who want to maintain their European connections and investment portfolios post-Brexit.”

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Demand remains strong for a home in Lisbon says Chitra Stern, co-founder and CEO of Martinhal, who have developed five hospitality and residency properties in Portugal: the latest launched this week at Martinhal Residences Praia da Luz.

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Consultants Henley & Partners put the number of countries worldwide offering a GV programme at over 100 while only 11 offer a CBI programme.

Expresso – Major changes to nationality law are unconstitutional: Jorge Miranda’s opinion destroys Government proposals

The opinion, commissioned by the law firm Liberty Legal, which specializes in immigration and citizenship, will be submitted to parliamentary groups and to the President of the Republic. It also analyzes the rule that changes how the residency period in Portugal is counted for nationality applications. The government not only doubled the required residency period from five to ten years but also stated that the clock starts not from the application for legalization—as before—but from the moment a residence permit is granted, which can take years.

Free Malaysia Today – Apologise for ‘ridiculous’ MM2H claim, PAS leader told

The MM2H Consultants Association has called for a PAS leader to apologise for claiming that the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme could lead to visa holders eventually becoming citizens and voting in Malaysia.

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Its president, Anthony Liew, said the programme’s policy clearly states that MM2H passes cannot be converted.

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“That was a ridiculous statement,” he told FMT.

The Washington Post – Trump’s $5 million ‘gold card’ visa might never happen

Philadelphia-based immigration attorney Ron Klasko said he has had some clients from Canada and Europe express interest in the visa, but he has told them there is little use in even signing up for the waiting list until the path becomes clearer.

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“Why would I want to do that before I know if it’s a law, what the law says, what the requirements are, what information the form is going to ask me for, what documents I have to produce, what the terms and conditions are,” Klasko said.

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Buffalo-based immigration attorney Rosanna Berardi said she was among the tens of thousands who have signed up on the website to learn more. However, she was dubious that any more would come from signing up after the administration has not provided clarity on the plan for creating a new visa category. She added that the White House has also not specified whether this would be a new visa category or replace an existing visa for foreign investors who create jobs.

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“This administration keeps forgetting that the executive branch doesn’t make the law,” Berardi said.