This article, by LCR Capital Partners’ senior director for Europe, Ana Elisa Bezerra, spells out the differences between residency-by-investment programs (RBIs, or so-called Golden Visas) and citizenship-by-investment programs (CBIs). Although both offer access to educational and professional opportunities, excellent healthcare, and other benefits, they are not identical. RBIs typically require a smaller investment and offer a path to citizenship after the investor has lived there for a certain number of years. With RBIs, like the EB-5 visa program in the US, the investor must often meet certain requirements, like having their investment create a minimum number of jobs. The RBI path is usually first temporary residency, then permanent residency, and then, if the investor chooses, citizenship. In contrast, CBI programs put investors on a fast track to citizenship, often with a direct donation to the government. The investment is typically much higher, but the process to citizenship is also much faster and smoother. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Read the full article here.
