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Posts Tagged ‘Second citizenship program’

Second Passports through Adoption or Marriage

November 4, 2009 Leave a comment

Second Passports through Adoption

An unusual route to some first-world passports
One somewhat unorthodox way of getting a second passport is through adoption. Despite what you might think, this is not an option only available to the very young.
adoptionIn some coutries, persons of any age can be legally adopted by a willing (and presumably economically rewarded) family. As there is apparently no age restriction on this procedure, it is possible to be adopted by a parent half your age.
Naturally, the process requires careful professional handling and observance of the law in the two jurisdictions, both the applicant’s and the adoptive parents’. The procedure is carried out with the full knowledge and assistance of the relevant authorities.
Second Passports through Marriage

For the sake of completness

For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that there are nations that will give instant citizenship and a passport upon marriage to a local citizen (in contrast to many that will just offer residency, with passport to follow in a few years’ time).
In any case, the author does not wish to advocate the use of marriage as a means of obtaining a second passport. Marriage was invented to serve a different purpose all together.
marriage

Second Passport through Ancestral or Ethic Connection

November 4, 2009 Leave a comment
Second Passports through Ancestral or Ethic Connection

Sometimes surprisingly easy and quick
grandparentsObtaining a passport on the basis of ancestry is a common route; having parents each with a different nationality will often enable a child to claim dual citizenship. This is common and widely understood.
However, what is worth noting here is that numerous countries have legislation which enables a second passport seeker to exploit a much farther ancestral connection than one that goes back just a generation or two. This is the case in countries as disparate as Latvia, Israel, Germany and Spain.
Some countries’ legislation takes the ancestral connection yet further. To give an example, those with indigenous Jewish connection may take up Israeli citizenship — this is not unusual. However, under certain circumstances, some can even become citizens of Germany or Spain — by taking advantage of legislation designed in response to the Holocaust and the Spanish Inquisition of the 15th century.
History throws up some fascinating opportunities if only you know where to look. There must be millions of people worldwide who could probably claim an instant second passport of one country or another on the basis of their origin alone — regardless of which country they call their own now.
It must be noted here that obtaining a second passport through ancestry is not in itself a route to lower taxation or other freedoms if your original nation still can hold claim over you.
For example, one Norman Dacey, author of “How To Avoid Probate”, chose to obtain Irish nationality on the basis that he could claim ancestry there.
Dacey duly moved to Ireland some years ago and declared himself an Irish citizen. The Internal Revenue Service of the United States however saw things differently and confiscated royalties even though Dacey had been outside of the USA and held an Irish passport. Formal renunciation of US citizenship at the US embassy quickly followed.

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Passports by Discretion and unpublished programs – Second passport

November 4, 2009 Leave a comment

 

Passports by Discretion and Unpublished Programs

Typically the best there is — if you can get it
We have available some very attractive citizenship program which make you eligible for passport, national ID and driving licence
Citizenship, passports and indeed honorary diplomatic appointments and diplomatic passports are often granted without the need for specific economic citizenship legislation. Many nations have provisions in their laws that allow the granting of citizenship by discretion or rather at the simple behest of a government ministry.
Even the United States and Great Britain routinely grant citizenship and passports to persons whom they believe may be of value and who will benefit the nation. The same is true of course for many other nations around the world. In these cases, each applicant is considered individually and not as part of any collective policy decision by a government. Knowing the right people to approach is of course vital.
This brings us to another class of second passport program that, in a way, is a combination of an economic citizenship scheme and the discretionary approach.
Such schemes seek to attract investors not through economic citizenship legislation as such, but rather via the discretionary approach described above. To qualify, an investment in a government-approved business is usually required. This, in turn, is considered to be of a sufficient “benefit for the nation” for the relevant government department to exercise its “discretion” and offer the investor an instant second passport.
These programs often contain confidentiality clauses and are made available to a handful of lawyers and other trusted specialists. Nations have increasingly chosen this approach at the advice of international tax lawyers who have noted that it is in the mutual interest of the applicants and the nations alike.

 

 

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Common Routes To Second Passports

November 4, 2009 Leave a comment
How do you go about getting a second passport then?
There are those lucky enough who can claim a second passport instantly and for free — such as children whose mother and father each has a different nationality.
Others, such as long-term residents of countries other than their native one, or those married to a foreign spouse, are often also entitled to a second passport. Whilst free, this is not a route that’s open to everyone for reasons of practicalities. Moreover, patience is needed: this can be a slow route, often filled with obstacles; it typically takes several years before a second passport is granted.
So is there a fast and hassle-free route to a second passport?

How do you go about getting a second passport then?
There are those lucky enough who can claim a second passport instantly and for free — such as children whose mother and father each has a different nationality.
Others, such as long-term residents of countries other than their native one, or those married to a foreign spouse, are often also entitled to a second passport. Whilst free, this is not a route that’s open to everyone for reasons of practicalities. Moreover, patience is needed: this can be a slow route, often filled with obstacles; it typically takes several years before a second passport is granted.
So is there a fast and hassle-free route to a second passport?

Second passports – No-Nonsense, Present-Day Perspective

November 3, 2009 Leave a comment

 

Get the Facts
Before Getting a Second Passport
As politicians at national and international level curtail our personal freedoms, more and more people are searching for a second passport to escape the clutches of the bureaucrat. Before you begin your search, arm yourself with the facts and reject the fiction.

Get the FactsBefore Getting a Second PassportAs politicians at national and international level curtail our personal freedoms, more and more people are searching for a second passport to escape the clutches of the bureaucrat. Before you begin your search, arm yourself with the facts and reject the fiction.

No-Nonsense, Present-Day Perspective

Ole Wallin outlines some of the benefits of owning a second passport.

 

Second Passports: Who Needs Them?

November 3, 2009 Leave a comment

 

In the classified advertisement section of many international publications and all over the Internet, you will find many organisations and individuals who advocate owning a second passport. It clearly has many advantages.
As with anything that is unusual, misunderstood and moreover a direct threat to big government authority, there are many misconceptions concerning second passports.
Contrary to the most widely held myth, it is not in itself illegal if the necessary procedures are handled correctly and professionally.
Neither are benefits of owning a second passport purely limited to a name change and for those in society who for whatever reason feel the need to disappear — although clearly it does offer a great advantage to this class of person.
The ownership of a second passport means freedom from whatever forms of oppression — fiscal or political — you may be subjected to.
As a privacy tool and as a means of reducing taxation liabilities and protecting assets, a second passport is of undeniable importance. To the politically and economically oppressed or those unlucky enough to live in pariah nations, a second passport is a lifeline.

In the classified advertisement section of many international publications and all over the Internet, you will find many organisations and individuals who advocate owning a second passport. It clearly has many advantages.As with anything that is unusual, misunderstood and moreover a direct threat to big government authority, there are many misconceptions concerning second passports.

Contrary to the most widely held myth, it is not in itself illegal if the necessary procedures are handled correctly and professionally.Neither are benefits of owning a second passport purely limited to a name change and for those in society who for whatever reason feel the need to disappear — although clearly it does offer a great advantage to this class of person.

The ownership of a second passport means freedom from whatever forms of oppression — fiscal or political — you may be subjected to.As a privacy tool and as a means of reducing taxation liabilities and protecting assets, a second passport is of undeniable importance. To the politically and economically oppressed or those unlucky enough to live in pariah nations, a second passport is a lifeline.

 

Second passport and citizenship program from Lithuania

November 3, 2009 Leave a comment
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe,Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland,and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad to the southwest. Lithuania is a member of NATO, the Council of Europe, and the European Union. Lithuania became a full member of the Schengen Agreement on 21 December 2007. Its population is 3.6 million. Its capital and the largest city is Vilnius. In 2009,Vilnius is the European Capital of Culture and Lithuania celebrates the millennium of its name.
lithuania_pol98For further information on the country please click the link: Lithuania
Benefits of the passport:

Enjoying visa free travel to many countries. No visa required (or issued upon arrival)
Easy employment in many countries.
Obtaining residency in many countries.
Full benefits of citizenship all over the world.
Signing contracts with western or European companies.
Opening saving or current accounts with international banks and applying for loans, credit, etc.
Required documents:

Passport scan
Signature scan (On white background)
2 photos of you with different style. passport size photo with white background
Filling our data form (will be sent to you upon request)
Note:all the above documents should be scanned with high quality and resolution (500Kb) and sent through e-mail.
Note:we are able to send you 2 types of documents. Each has different advantages.
Type 1: national ID card and passport of Lithuania will be printed with your name and data and there is no record in the Lithuania government database. But the material is 100% genuine.
In this system because you travel with both your original passport and Lithuania passport and the data is same then you won’t face any problems and both passports match.
Type 2: national ID card and passport of Lithuania will be printed with a local person’s data matching your date of birth and with your photo. The material is 100% genuine and the record exist in the government database and can be checked anywhere.
In this system you can’t travel with both your original passport and Lithuania passport. You can only use your Lithuania passport.
This type of documents are well used between company managers and CEOs who have problem signing contracts with western or European companies, applying for company or personal loans from international banks, company registration and etc. with their current citizenship.
Note: for the customers who need stronger documents we have arranged to obtain a powerful Asian country’s residency in your new passport. We will also open a new bank account for you using your new passport. So you will be confident using your documents knowing that they have been approved by a third party government also.
Documents that you will receive:

pasas2008
Lithuania passport
Lithuania national ID card
Processing time:

We will need 45-60 days from you but our customers usually receive their documents in 30-45 days.
Processing fee:

The total fee for both types of documents is 12,000 Euro which is payable in 3 steps:
4,000 Euro starting fee;
4,000 Euro after receiving the scan of your documents;
4,000 euro after receiving you documents;
Here is the list of countries that is visa –free for Lithuania passport:
Europe

European Union: unlimited
Albania: 90 days
Andorra: 90 days
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 90 days
Croatia: 90 days
Faroe Islands: 90 days
Guernsey: 6 months
Iceland: unlimited access
Isle of Man: 6 months
Jersey: 6 months
Kosovo: 90 days
Liechtenstein: unlimited access
Macedonia: 90 days
Moldova: 90 days
Monaco: 90 days
Montenegro: 90 days
Norway: unlimited access
San Marino: 90 days
Serbia: 90 days
Switzerland: unlimited access
Ukraine: 90 days
Vatican City: 90 days
Africa
Cape Verde: Visa issued on arrival
Comoros: Visa issued upon arrival
Djibouti: Visa issued upon arrival
Egypt: 30 day visa issued upon arrival
Kenya: 3 month visa issued upon arrival
Madagascar: 90 day visa issued upon arrival
Mauritius: 6 months
Mayotte: 90 days
Morocco: 3 months
Mozambique: 30 day visa issued upon arrival
Réunion: unlimited access
Saint Helena: 90 days
Seychelles: 1 month
Swaziland: 1 month
Tanzania: visa issued upon arrival
Togo: 1month visa issued upon arrival
Uganda: 6 month visa issued upon arrival
Zambia: visa issued upon arrival
Americas
Anguilla: 3 months
Antigua and Barbuda: 3 months
Argentina: 3 months
Aruba: 3 months
Bahamas: 3 months
Barbados: 3 months
Belize: 1 month
Bermuda: 6 months
Bolivia: 30 days
Brazil: 90 days
Cayman Islands: 30 days
Canada: 6 months
Chile: 90 days
Colombia: 90 days
Costa Rica: 90 days
Dominica: 21 days
Dominican Republic: 30 day issued upon arrival
Ecuador: 90 days
El Salvador: 3 months
Falkland Islands: 3 months
French Guiana: unlimited access
Greenland: 90 days
Grenada: 3 months
Guadeloupe: unlimited access
Guatemala: 90 days
Haiti: 3 months
Honduras: 3 months
Jamaica: Visa issued on arrival
Martinique: unlimited access
Mexico: 180 days
Montserrat: 3 months
Netherlands Antilles: 3 months
Nicaragua: 90 days
Panama: 90 days
Paraguay: 90 days
Peru: 90 days
Puerto Rico: 90 days
Saint Barthélemy: unlimited access
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 3 months
Saint Lucia: 6 weeks
Saint Martin: unlimited access
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 90 days
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 1 month
Trinidad and Tobago: 30 days
Turks and Caicos Islands: 30 days
United States of America: 90 days
Uruguay: 3 months
U.S. Virgin Islands: 90 days
Venezuela: 3 months
British Virgin Islands: 30 days
Asia
Armenia: 120 day visa issued on arrival
Azerbaijan: 30 day visa issued upon arrival
Bangladesh: 90 day visa issued upon arrival
Brunei: 30 days
Cambodia: 30 day visa issued upon arrival
Republic of China  (Taiwan) 30 days
Georgia: 360 days
Hong Kong: 90 days
Indonesia: 30 day visa issued upon arrival
Israel: 3 months
Japan: 90 days
Jordan: 1 month visa issued upon arrival
Laos: 30 day visa issued upon arrival
Lebanon: 3 month visa issued upon arrival
Macau: 90 days
Malaysia: 3 months
Maldives: 30 days
Nepal: 60 day visa issued upon arrival
Oman: 1 month visa issued upon arrival
Philippines: 21 days
Singapore: 30 days
South Korea: 90 days
Sri Lanka: 30 days
Syria: 15 day visa issued on arrival
Tajikistan: 45 day visa issued upon arrival
Thailand: 15 day visa issued on arrival
Timor-Leste: 30 day visa issued upon arrival
Turkey: 1 month
Yemen: 3 month visa issued upon arrival
Oceania
Australia: 90 days
Cook Islands: 31 days
French Polynesia: 90 days
Guam: 90 days
Kiribati: 28 days
Northern Mariana Islands: 30 days
Marshall Islands: 30 day visa issued on arrival
Micronesia: 30 days
New Caledonia: 90 days
New Zealand: 3 months
Niue: 30 days
Norfolk Island: 30 days
Palau: 30 days
Samoa: 60 days
Tonga: 31 days
Tuvalu: 1 month
Vanuatu: 30 days
Wallis and Futuna: 90 days

How to Easily Obtain Instant Alternative Citizenship

November 2, 2009 Leave a comment

Unless you are the lucky one to become a citizen of another state by reasons of marriage, lineage or religious affiliation, the economic citizenship program is the easiest way to get an instant alternative citizenship. You don’t have to break the law nor be a millionaire to afford yourself getting a second passport and a lifestyle of “Rich and Famous” with the same level of freedom and security.

Economic Citizenship Program Requires Investments

Economic citizenship programs are the official government sponsored programs of instant citizenship. Some countries have adopted programs which allow the acquisition of citizenship in return for a direct contribution to the state as a means of development of the country. They are either seeking for a donation into their budgets or trying to attract significant foreign investments into the economy.

Why Would Somebody Need a Second Passport and citizenship program

November 1, 2009 Leave a comment

If you already surfed the web for the information about second passport you’d have probably found plenty of articles very informative and truthful but noticed that they are obviously trying to persuade or convince you that you need to get an alternative passport as fast as of yesterday. We believe if you are reading this article, no need to convince, you already belong to the group of people who would certainly benefit from having one. Speaking simply, there are two categories of reasons: personal (including political) and economic.

Second Passport Increases the Degree of Your Freedom

First of all passport is a traveling document. And if that document does not allow you to travel free, say you need to get all kind of visas, register here and there, report on your travels to your home country authorities and so on, why not to get another document to increase the degree of your freedom and latitude of movement.

The “Right” Second Passport Contributes to Your Personal Safety

When traveling in certain countries where your US or UK or whatever else current passport is very unpopular and may provoke local people to negative attitude towards you and even jeopardize your life, making you a target for terrorists, you might prefer to use an alternative identification document.

Get an Insurance Policy with Second Passport in Times of Strife

If your home country is politically unstable you cannot be even sure that your passport will not be canceled or renounced at any time by the new coming governments. What will insure you and your family against unforeseeable troubles of that kind?

Second Passport Can Extend Your Business Opportunities

Your current nationality may limit your investment or entrepreneur abilities. Some bank would not even open you a bank account if you hold a passport of a “blacklisted” country. Blacklisted by a particular bank that doesn’t want any troubles with, for example, US tax authorities.

Save Your Earnings Thanks to Alternative Citizenship

Not to mention taxation reasons. Many states would tax you with your worldwide income. At the same time some other states let you keep your hard-earned money with you if the source of income is not related to that particular country. Why not to take this opportunity and save some money that might be better used for the needs of your family.

Change Your Current Place of Residence to a Decent Country

You may want to emigrate to change your current place of residence by moving to some decent country because of the crime within your home country or just to avoid the requirement to serve in the army or by any other reason you may have, but your current citizenship is not the best “partner”. You don’t even need to become a citizen of a first world country to live in there, there’s plenty of small peaceful states that you can get a citizenship and a passport and then choose almost any country in the world for your next residence. You may even unexpectedly find out a paradise to live in the country of your new passport, which you never heard before you bought its citizenship. Besides that your new passport can give you more chances for successful application to immigration of the mentioned first world countries and get their citizenship later. This may be the case, for example, of citizens of the former USSR or some Asian countries. There’s also a category of people who is seeking for alternative citizenship to, vice versa, never live in this country since being a PT (permanent traveller) they follow the “theory of five flags” prescribing them to have their countries of citizenship, residency, source of income etc. as juridically different states. There’s plenty of other reasons you might have still not listed above though being the main cause for you to consider obtaining a second citizenship for you and your family. Every country has its citizenship program in place. But those programs financially available for middle-class people are coming and going and one day you may appear in a situation of no options at all. If you feel you might need it in future you better go for it now!

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Exit Tax for US Expatriates – Second passport and citizenship program

November 1, 2009 Leave a comment

If you have taken the far-reaching and irrevocable decision of giving up your US citizenship to permanently disconnect from your US tax obligation, you still have to settle your exit with the IRS. On June 17, 2008 the new law came into force that made it relatively easier comparing to the previously existing regulations. Though now, if you are wealthy enough, giving up your US citizenship proves to be a rather expensive step.

Covered Expatriates and Exit Tax Threshold

The law applies to US citizens who expatriate, as well as long-term US permanent residents who give up their green cards, which they have held for 8 of the last 15 years. Both categories are subject to immediate “exit tax” on unrealized gains on all their assets in the US and worldwide, including grantor trusts, as well as on any future gifts or bequests to US citizens and residents, if any.

You qualify for the covered expatriate and the related exit tax, if you meet any of the following criteria:

  • you have a net worth of US$ 2 million or more;
  • you have an average net U.S. income tax liability of greater than US$ 139,000 for the five year period prior to expatriation; or
  • you fail to certify that you have complied with all U.S. federal tax obligations for the preceding five years.

The exceptions are dual nationals from birth, who have not lived in the US for more than 10 years from the last 15, and persons younger than 18½ who have not lived in the US for more than 10 years.

Mark-to-market Tax on Unrealized Gains

The exit tax is being applied to the net unrealized gains on the covered expatriate assets estimated on the “mark-to-market” basis, as if the assets were sold on their fair market value on the day preceding the expatriation. The first US$ 600,000 gains are exempt from the tax. Any gain over US$ 600,000 is subject to US income tax.

The tax payment is due within 90 days after giving up your US citizenship. Expatriation is considered effective for tax purposes even if you fail to file the Expatriation Information Statement (form 8854).

The exceptions from the main rule are certain deferred compensation items, specified tax deferred accounts, and non-grantor trusts.

Specified tax deferred account is subject to immediate inclusion in the expatriate’s income subject to exit tax. This provision covers among all certain individual retirement plans, tuition programs, Coverdell education savings accounts, and health savings account, Archer MSA. No further tax, such as early distribution tax, is to be applied to these items thereafter.

30% Withholding Tax

Deferred compensation items, depending on their nature, are either subject to 30% withholding tax at the moment of payment, or to be included in the personal income of the expatriate subject to exit tax. Those items, that are subject to 30% withholding tax by being a distribution to covered expatriates, are also most likely to be taxed again at the 30% rate as payments to non-resident aliens. Such treatment may cut certain pension plans and retirement accounts by up to 51% net tax.

Withholding tax rate is not subject to reduction under any of the existing tax treaties between the US and other countries.

Distributions of non-grantor trusts are treated the same way with certain exceptions.

Future Gifts and Bequests

If being a covered expatriate you make a gift or bequest to a US citizen or resident in the amount exceeding US$ 12,000 in any calendar year, the recipient, including in case it is a US trust, is to withhold the tax at the highest marginal estate or gift tax rate existing on the moment of the gift or bequest, with no regular allowances for the same taxes granted to US persons. Though, any tax already paid to a foreign country in regards with the covered gift or bequest is allowed for credit in the US.

The covered gift or bequest is exempted from the tax, if the recipient is a US spouse or a qualified charity.

This provision is effective for your lifetime.

Furthermore, if you were not a covered expatriate at the moment of exit, but you qualify as such following the same criteria at the moment of making gift or bequest, the latter fall into the category of covered.

Procedure to Relinquish the US Citizenship or Residence

Basically, you need to undertake the following:

  1. Get a second citizenship in another country.
  2. Leave the US.
  3. Appear before the US Consul in that country to renounce your US citizenship.
  4. File the form 8854, Expatriation Information Statement.
  5. Pay the due exit tax.

As a covered expatriate, you will be able to visit and even stay for certain time in the United States, and the mere fact of being an expatriate does not make you a US tax resident. You still can become taxable in the US under the normal US tax rules.

Best Time to Exit

Interestingly, but entry into force of the new rules concurred with development of the global financial crisis. The real property and other assets values are really depressed right now. The lower is the fair market price, the smaller unrealized gains it’s bringing, the easier it is to fit into the US$ 600,000 threshold.

If you have thought it well, you better do it now.

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