The Government of Saint Lucia will start issuing new electronic passports from July 25, 2022 which will replace the current machine readable passport, according to new government announcement. The passport fee has been set at EC$250 per passport for a period of five years. The approval for the amendment of passport fees came after Cabinet met on Monday, July 11.…
The Government of Cambodia has launched a new golden visa program to attract foreign investors. The Golden visa program known as “My 2nd Home” offers a direct and only path to cambodian passport after 5 years. With the launch of this visa program, Cambodia now competes with Thailand and Malaysia to attract more foreigners which wish to make the country…
The Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP) also known as ‘Golden visa’ was introduced in April 2012 to encourage inward investment and create business and employment opportunities in Ireland. The programme provides investors with the opportunity to invest in Ireland. Key to the programme is that the investments are beneficial for Ireland, generate or sustain employment and are generally in the public…
The Emirati passport (UAE) may be one of the powerful travel documents in the world. The Arton Capital Passport Index as of 2022, Emirati citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 85% of countries and territories, ranking the Emirati passport the first in the world in terms of travel freedom Do you know anything about passport history? The…
The Caribbean CBI Programs mandate ascertaining the applicant’s general good character and absence of a criminal record, and determining the source of funds are however more complex matters requiring more thorough investigations before being granted citizenship for investors and their family members. CBI units go through a number of vetting stages to determine the suitability of applicants. The Compliance Department…
As the coronavirus threatened to overwhelm health services before vaccines became available, wealthy individuals from developed democracies also looked for an escape route. A second passport became an ever-more-desirable commodity, for those who could afford it. While not a new phenomenon—several countries have adopted “golden citizenship” programs over the years—the onset of the pandemic generated renewed interest. The Covid pandemic,…
The Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services Regulations (S.L. 188.06) (the Regulations) allows for the granting of citizenship by a certificate of naturalisation to foreign individuals and their families who contribute to the economic development of Malta. Every application is subject to a stringent due diligence process, including thorough background checks. Community Malta Agency (the Agency) is the competent Maltese…
The Antigua and Barbuda Department of Immigration opened its new Residence Permit Programme, pursuant to the Immigration and Passport Act 2014. The new programme will replace the status of “Temporary Residence” which was previously issued under the Immigration and Passport Act, CAP 208. The Benefits gained from acquiring a Residence Permit includes an Applicant’s ability to live, work or study…
The Airport transit visas (ATV) for Schengen states has become a new requirement after Brexit and Covid pandemic and there are lot of confusions surrounding this. A transit visa may be required if you are traveling from an airport in a country located outside the Schengen Area and staying in the international zone of an airport for connections or changing…
The European Council has suspended the agreement between the EU and Vanuatu on the short-stay visa waiver effective from 4 May 2022. The suspension will apply to ONLY citizens of Vanuatu holding ordinary passports issued since 25 May 2015. Holders of these Vanuatu passports will now need a schengen visa to travel to the EU and Schengen area. The temporary…
