Second Passport : What do you think about Antigua-and-Barbuda Citizenship?

[ththugues4]

Hi there

I come from a French-speaking African country, I am not a politician, just an entrepreneur, my country's passport is very weak, very complicated to be able to travel in endless visa procedures, bank account very complicated to do purchases in ASia with bnaciare accounts which for XAF currency.

I am looking for a second reputable passport for me and my family, 100% legal, not very expensive and which will not take 6 to 9 maximum to be available.

my objectives with this second passport are:

- Offers me a wide choice of countries to travel to
- can allow me to open a solid and reputable bank account
- no requirement to live in this country for more than 30 days in a year

After researching the citizenship by investment program of Antigua-and-Barbuda, I find it interesting.

What do you think of Antigua and Barbuda's citizenship by investment program? Or do you have any other program to recommend.

Do you know of reliable and legitimate firms by very very expensive who can manage the procedure of obtaining a second passport for me and my family?

Thank you for taking your time to read and doubly thank you for taking to leave a response.

 

[Martin Everson]

ththugues4 said:
my objectives with this second passport are:

- Offers me a wide choice of countries to travel to
- can allow me to open a solid and reputable bank account
- no requirement to live in this country for more than 30 days in a year
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It's not gonna allow you to open at a reputable bank. Your residency in that case will be more important than your passport. A guy with a Antigua passport living in i.e CAR won't get any advantage from the passport unless he lives in a more acceptable country for the banks. However if you use an Antigua address you may have a better chance today. But this may not be case in future.

ththugues4 said:
What do you think of Antigua and Barbuda's citizenship by investment program? Or do you have any other program to recommend.
Click to expand...

It's ok if you are after a better passport than what you have. Price is cheaper than St Kitts and Nevis program which is an alternate. Keep in mind these CBI passports are coming under attack by EU and US. With US moving to decline visas for holders and EU pressuring Caribbean to end these programs also.

ththugues4 said:
Do you know of reliable and legitimate firms by very very expensive who can manage the procedure of obtaining a second passport for me and my family?
Click to expand...

You should only use one of the licensed agents listed on their website. Contact some of them and ask their total price and check their response time and answers to your questions. It is best to use a law firm listed and pay the little extra and know it will be done properly in the end.

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Please note my posts should not be taken as financial or tax advice. Please seek professional advice in that respect.

 

[ththugues4]

Thank you for your detailed response and the time taken to respond to me.

Martin Everson said:
It's not gonna allow you to open at a reputable bank. Your residency in that case will be more important than your passport. A guy with a Antigua passport living in i.e CAR won't get any advantage from the passport unless he lives in a more acceptable country for the banks. However if you use an Antigua address you may have a better chance today. But this may not be case in future.
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My priority goal is ease of travel will an Antigua or St Kitts and Nevis passport solve this problem for me?

Martin Everson said:
It's ok if you are after a better passport than what you have. Price is cheaper than St Kitts and Nevis program which is an alternate. Keep in mind these CBI passports are coming under attack by EU and US. With US moving to decline visas for holders and EU pressuring Caribbean to end these programs also.
Click to expand...

Apart from the notion of costs in the equation of choosing between the citizenship program by investing in Antigua and Saint Kitts and Nevis, which one is your choice and what are your reasons.

Martin Everson said:
You should only use one of the licensed agents listed on their website. Contact some of them and ask their total price and check their response time and answers to your questions. It is best to use a law firm listed and pay the little extra and know it will be done properly in the end.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the Saint Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Program web link.

 

[Allisgood]

I think you are wasting your money.

EU has already restricted the visa free entry for all Vanuatu citizenship by investment passport holders. Switzerland has recently followed.

Expect the same thing to happen for the five Caribbean citizenship by investment passport holders in the next 1-2 years.

 

[Golden Fleece]

From Sovereign Man:

 

[Sols]

Given your country of origin, a Caribbean passport makes sense. The crackdown on these passports is not severe enough to make the passports any worse than many African passports. Passport discrimination is very real.

The Antiguan program is one of the more popular and works quite well. However, it's worth looking at both the Dominica and Saint Kitts programs as well, if you haven't already. Grenada also has one which is attractive if you have plans to move to the US one day. Grenadian passports lets you access E-2 visas. But keep an eye on the US' attitudes to citizenship by investment programs.

Consider Malta as well, if within budget. The costs are higher but it's an EU passport and has even more travel options. The EU wants to stop it but Malta is so far standing firm.

As for service providers, as @Martin Everson said, stick with local service provides authorised by the local government. They are usually listed on official government websites. Do not go with anyone else, unless it is a large, reputable firm that simply outsources this part of the process to a locally licensed service provider.

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This is the probably the answer to your question.

 

[bizman]

Sols said:
They are usually listed on official government websites.
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where do you find these official lists, I have never seen them before?

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The reason to fail while you try to setup your business offshore....the guide that helped me setup my offshore company.

Wiseman sayings - May the gifts of three wise men fill your home with prosperity.

 

[ththugues4]

bizman said:
where do you find these official lists, I have never seen them before?
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for the investment program of st kitts I found this link Authorised Agents | Government of St. Kitts & Nevis - Citizenship By Investment Program which lists the agents embellished or blacklisted

 

[Martin Everson]

ththugues4 said:
My priority goal is ease of travel will an Antigua or St Kitts and Nevis passport solve this problem for me?
Click to expand...

Depends on which country you are traveling to. Won't help much with US and EU it is in pending on what the outcome will be in future.

ththugues4 said:
Apart from the notion of costs in the equation of choosing between the citizenship program by investing in Antigua and Saint Kitts and Nevis, which one is your choice and what are your reasons.
Click to expand...

St Kitts and Nevis is my choice. I know people who have obtained this passport. Plus I know a law firms who I have used before who also offer it as second Citizenship of choice. A good place to look for good information on CBI before doing anything is BLS's Youtube channel. Watch the videos and familiarize yourself with each program. They cover other CBI programs and have content specifically aimed at Africans which is important for you.

Some of their videos are below. You may have already seen them however.




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Please note my posts should not be taken as financial or tax advice. Please seek professional advice in that respect.

 

[ththugues4]

Martin Everson said:
Depends on which country you are traveling to. Won't help much with US and EU it is in pending on what the outcome will be in future.
Click to expand...

Why wouldn't that help for the EU? while it is said that this passport allowed to go to EU countries.

Martin Everson said:
St Kitts and Nevis is my choice. I know people who have obtained this passport. Plus I know a law firms who I have used before who also offer it as second Citizenship of choice. A good place to look for good information on CBI before doing anything is BLS's Youtube channel. Watch the videos and familiarize yourself with each program. They cover other CBI programs and have content specifically aimed at Africans which is important for you.
Click to expand...

after also reflection St Kitts and Nevis is my choice too, your law firm do you have a link that I can consult their website?

Martin Everson said:
Some of their videos are below. You may have already seen them however.
Click to expand...

thank you for the videos and the youtube channel,

 

[Martin Everson]

ththugues4 said:
Why wouldn't that help for the EU? while it is said that this passport allowed to go to EU countries.
Click to expand...

A lot will depends on outcome of EU's attack on these CBI programs. Read article below. Pressure will be put on visa free travel from these CBI programs. In worst case they could become pointless if visa free travel is taken away.

https://www.caribbeannationalweekly...-and-us-on-citizenship-by-investment-program/

--- quote start

"Last month, the Antigua and Barbuda government said it had stepped up its efforts to stave off efforts by the EU to derail the CBI, with Prime Minister Gaston Browne indicating that he has sent a letter to the EU on the issue."

--- quote end

ththugues4 said:
after also reflection St Kitts and Nevis is my choice too, your law firm do you have a link that I can consult their website?
Click to expand...

You can look at the links below.

https://www.cclex.com/antigua-and-barbuda-citizenship
https://www.cclex.com/st-kitts-nevis-citizenship-by-investment

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Please note my posts should not be taken as financial or tax advice. Please seek professional advice in that respect.

 

[ththugues4]

Martin Everson said:
You can look at the links below.
Click to expand...

thanks

 

[lacomaco]

ththugues4 said:
thanks
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If you have money I would choose Malta or Montenegro (which is expected to join the EU in 5 years). More expensive but freedom of movement within the EU cannot be taken away like the citizenships of the Caribbean. I have been in the residency/citizenship business since 1997 and we offer participation in all programs, so we are not tied to any of them and can give independent advice. PM if you are interested

 

[Allisgood]

lacomaco said:
If you have money I would choose Malta or Montenegro (which is expected to join the EU in 5 years).
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Montenegro real estate for citizenship is way overpriced isn't it ? I mean it's similar to the Caribbean investment options if not worse.

Also doing a quick check and EU negotiations with Montenegro have only closed 3 (!) chapters out of 35 chapters. So they still need to negotiate 32 chapters before any accession can happen. Looking at other past candidates you are looking at more like 10+ years. 5 years is really really really unlikely.

 

[lacomaco]

Allisgood said:
Montenegro real estate for citizenship is way overpriced isn't it ? I mean it's similar to the Caribbean investment options if not worse.

Also doing a quick check and EU negotiations with Montenegro have only closed 3 (!) chapters out of 35 chapters. So they still need to negotiate 32 chapters before any accession can happen. Looking at other past candidates you are looking at more like 10+ years. 5 years is really really really unlikely.
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I stand by my opinion: "If you have money I would choose Malta or Montenegro (which is expected to join the EU in 5 years)." Also, the PM of Montenegro said in May that In Montenegro's case, 11 of the 35 Chapters are, for all practical purposes closed.

You could always list lots of reasons why something is not good, that is fairly easy... What would you suggest to the OP? BTW the most important fact of how much money he wants to allocate to this project is missing to give proper advice

 

[jafo]

ththugues4 said:
Hi there

I come from a French-speaking African country, I am not a politician, just an entrepreneur, my country's passport is very weak, very complicated to be able to travel in endless visa procedures, bank account very complicated to do purchases in ASia with bnaciare accounts which for XAF currency.

I am looking for a second reputable passport for me and my family, 100% legal, not very expensive and which will not take 6 to 9 maximum to be available.

my objectives with this second passport are:

- Offers me a wide choice of countries to travel to
- can allow me to open a solid and reputable bank account
- no requirement to live in this country for more than 30 days in a year

After researching the citizenship by investment program of Antigua-and-Barbuda, I find it interesting.

What do you think of Antigua and Barbuda's citizenship by investment program? Or do you have any other program to recommend.

Do you know of reliable and legitimate firms by very very expensive who can manage the procedure of obtaining a second passport for me and my family?

Thank you for taking your time to read and doubly thank you for taking to leave a response.
Click to expand...

Have you been able to sort this out?

 

[meze99]

The funny paradox here is that a person needs a bank account, but banks in many countries don't allow payments for citizenship (probably banks in your home country also won't be able to execute this kind of payment).
If you are a legitimate African business owner and not some corrupted government official you will be able to open bank account in Mauritius. Other option is Interactive Brokers in US. Their KYC will be less strict than when you apply for Citizenship by Investment (unless you choose Vanuatu, they allow everybody and are blacklisted by the EU). Usually business owners have no problems with EU visas.
If you want to move to Caribbean just buy a temporary residence permit in the Bahamas. A good laywer can help with it for a few thousand dollars. Same thing with EU - start a business/apply to university, get a residence permit and open your bank account there.

 

[jafo]

meze99 said:
The funny paradox here is that a person needs a bank account, but banks in many countries don't allow payments for citizenship (probably banks in your home country also won't be able to execute this kind of payment).
Click to expand...

He can always pay into an escrow account of a lawyer that will keep his personal matter, by law, personal interest, and self-preservation, confidential.

 

[krispy]

Given US and EU crackdown on Caribbean passports, do you also think it's not a good passport to have as a plan b?

 

[Martin Everson]

krispy said:
Given US and EU crackdown on Caribbean passports, do you also think it's not a good passport to have as a plan b?
Click to expand...

Any non-western passport is good to have in case of a serious issue in west. Being able to flee to South America, Africa or Asia is not something most people can fathom every needing to do but starting over is a reality some might have to do in the future.

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Please note my posts should not be taken as financial or tax advice. Please seek professional advice in that respect.