How can obtaining a CBI passport backfire
- Thread starter krispy
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I do not doubt that you managed to arrange a one-off citizenship, but after the Novi Sad accident with 19 dead people the Serbian Parliament put the citizenship applications on hold. They might also fall and who knows when the next government would take it up. Your clients most probably overpaid, as in the last 2 years the going rate was EUR 250k, not depending which Ministry handled the checks and approvals
I can confirm that I've heard first hand rom multiple reputable agents that Serbia does have a functional citizenship by merit program, with around 400k being the price. However, I also heard a rumor that getting that as a 2nd passport will get you put onto a "list." That should be because it attracted so many Russians and shady individuals. So in that sense only, it's not much better than the Carib options.
Serbia publishes the names of citizenship by merit recipients in the official state gazette. So leftist journalists screen the gazette for names from time to time.
Honestly, the Caribbean CBI programs are still some of the best options out there.
I don’t think these programs are getting weaker anytime soon. If anything, they're being fine-tuned to meet evolving international standards while still preserving their core appeal: fast timelines, visa-free access, and no global taxation. Governments like Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, and Dominica are very aware of global pressures, but they've proven remarkably resilient and adaptive.
It’s also important to understand that these are democratic countries with real, functioning political systems. Visit the islands yourself and you’ll see it firsthand , election posters everywhere, political debates on the radio, and real civic engagement. These aren’t “shovable” microstates or passport mills, they’re sovereign nations with active democratic︀ processes and long-standing institutions, often with stronger rule of law than people expect.
To your︁ concerns, yes, theoretically, if someone is on a sanctions list or connected to high-risk activity,︂ having any second citizenship from a CBI country could flag extra scrutiny during KYC or︃ AML checks. But that has more to do with you personally than the passport itself.︄ The vast majority of Caribbean passport holders never face issues, especially if you're using it︅ transparently and aren’t juggling multiple shady jurisdictions.
That said, Antigua and Barbuda in particular is︆ not just a great passport, it’s actually a great place to live or have a︇ second home. It’s beautiful, politically stable, and very open to digital nomads, investors, and businesspeople.︈ You can even register an Antigua and Barbuda IBC (International Business Company) there, which gives︉ you a tax-free corporate base alongside your second citizenship, very few countries offer that combo.︊
If you’re building a setup that values mobility, the Caribbean programs fit naturally into that︋ structure, not as a loophole, but as a lifestyle framework that just works.
I don’t think these programs are getting weaker anytime soon. If anything, they're being fine-tuned to meet evolving international standards while still preserving their core appeal: fast timelines, visa-free access, and no global taxation. Governments like Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, and Dominica are very aware of global pressures, but they've proven remarkably resilient and adaptive.
It’s also important to understand that these are democratic countries with real, functioning political systems. Visit the islands yourself and you’ll see it firsthand , election posters everywhere, political debates on the radio, and real civic engagement. These aren’t “shovable” microstates or passport mills, they’re sovereign nations with active democratic︀ processes and long-standing institutions, often with stronger rule of law than people expect.
To your︁ concerns, yes, theoretically, if someone is on a sanctions list or connected to high-risk activity,︂ having any second citizenship from a CBI country could flag extra scrutiny during KYC or︃ AML checks. But that has more to do with you personally than the passport itself.︄ The vast majority of Caribbean passport holders never face issues, especially if you're using it︅ transparently and aren’t juggling multiple shady jurisdictions.
That said, Antigua and Barbuda in particular is︆ not just a great passport, it’s actually a great place to live or have a︇ second home. It’s beautiful, politically stable, and very open to digital nomads, investors, and businesspeople.︈ You can even register an Antigua and Barbuda IBC (International Business Company) there, which gives︉ you a tax-free corporate base alongside your second citizenship, very few countries offer that combo.︊
If you’re building a setup that values mobility, the Caribbean programs fit naturally into that︋ structure, not as a loophole, but as a lifestyle framework that just works.
Owning a CBI passport can raise red flags︂ in KYC/AML systems, especially from jurisdictions like Dominica or St. Kitts.
It won’t typically affect︃ visa approvals if you always use your EU passport, but visibility in global databases can︄ trigger scrutiny.
Are you looking for mobility, asset protection, or true relocation potential, and have︅ you considered how you’ll handle banking visibility?
It won’t typically affect︃ visa approvals if you always use your EU passport, but visibility in global databases can︄ trigger scrutiny.
Are you looking for mobility, asset protection, or true relocation potential, and have︅ you considered how you’ll handle banking visibility?
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