Citizenship by Investment

[Anonymous]

Looking at , Portugal, and Costa Rica but open to recommendations for countries requiring 300k or less. Has anyone done this and willing to share your experience (e.g. things you wish you knew before moving ?).

[Anonymous]

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1238704.page

[Anonymous]

First, you generally do not get citizenship. You get residency status. In some countries, you can then work. In others, the investment visa only gives you the right to live and invest. Do your homework.

Second, have you ever been an ex-pat before? If not, it isn't the bed of romantic roses people seem to believe it is. You are operating in a different language and in a different cultural system. It can be challenging. So if you get frustrated here dealing with things, as an ex-pat you can multiply your frustration 10-fold.

Do you speak Spanish or Portuguese? Do you have any foreign language facility? If you don't, are you expecting to just find a community of ex-pats? Not speaking the language isn't insurmountable, but it is a major impediment.

[Anonymous]

Google can tell you what you want to know, including the very limited number of countries which provide a path to the purchase of citizenship. Most, if not now all, of those are fairly obscure small, poor countries where you probably would not want to live unless you had some prior ties to them. Their passports might have some value if you want to travel to countries without using a U.S. passport, but the value of becoming a resident citizen may be dubious.

[Anonymous]

My neighbors did this and say it’s great. But I see them a lot. At home in the DMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Google can tell you what you want to know, including the very limited number of countries which provide a path to the purchase of citizenship. Most, if not now all, of those are fairly obscure small, poor countries where you probably would not want to live unless you had some prior ties to them. Their passports might have some value if you want to travel to countries without using a U.S. passport, but the value of becoming a resident citizen may be dubious.

All of this is just total garbage. It simply reflects that obvious bias that only certain countries merit consideration and the person who wrote this would only consider Paris, Geneva or London as a possible alternative.

Do yourself a favor, OP, and do just a basic Google search.

[Anonymous]

Healthcare. Medicare useless there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First, you generally do not get citizenship. You get residency status. In some countries, you can then work. In others, the investment visa only gives you the right to live and invest. Do your homework.

Second, have you ever been an ex-pat before? If not, it isn't the bed of romantic roses people seem to believe it is. You are operating in a different language and in a different cultural system. It can be challenging. So if you get frustrated here dealing with things, as an ex-pat you can multiply your frustration 10-fold.

Do you speak Spanish or Portuguese? Do you have any foreign language facility? If you don't, are you expecting to just find a community of ex-pats? Not speaking the language isn't insurmountable, but it is a major impediment.

This.

Do a little research.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First, you generally do not get citizenship. You get residency status. In some countries, you can then work. In others, the investment visa only gives you the right to live and invest. Do your homework.

Second, have you ever been an ex-pat before? If not, it isn't the bed of romantic roses people seem to believe it is. You are operating in a different language and in a different cultural system. It can be challenging. So if you get frustrated here dealing with things, as an ex-pat you can multiply your frustration 10-fold.

Do you speak Spanish or Portuguese? Do you have any foreign language facility? If you don't, are you expecting to just find a community of ex-pats? Not speaking the language isn't insurmountable, but it is a major impediment.

This.

Do a little research.

Don’t you think that’s what she is doing by posting here?

[Anonymous]

Are there such things as EMigration attorneys and can anyone recommend one? No particularly helpful ties, but have savings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First, you generally do not get citizenship. You get residency status. In some countries, you can then work. In others, the investment visa only gives you the right to live and invest. Do your homework.

Second, have you ever been an ex-pat before? If not, it isn't the bed of romantic roses people seem to believe it is. You are operating in a different language and in a different cultural system. It can be challenging. So if you get frustrated here dealing with things, as an ex-pat you can multiply your frustration 10-fold.

Do you speak Spanish or Portuguese? Do you have any foreign language facility? If you don't, are you expecting to just find a community of ex-pats? Not speaking the language isn't insurmountable, but it is a major impediment.

This.

Do a little research.

Don’t you think that’s what she is doing by posting here?

If you think that posting here is sufficient to qualify as "research", then I suspect that your future will be full of surprises.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are there such things as EMigration attorneys and can anyone recommend one? No particularly helpful ties, but have savings.

Just Google Countries with Golden Visas. Multiple companies that assist in getting you through the process will pop up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First, you generally do not get citizenship. You get residency status. In some countries, you can then work. In others, the investment visa only gives you the right to live and invest. Do your homework.

Second, have you ever been an ex-pat before? If not, it isn't the bed of romantic roses people seem to believe it is. You are operating in a different language and in a different cultural system. It can be challenging. So if you get frustrated here dealing with things, as an ex-pat you can multiply your frustration 10-fold.

Do you speak Spanish or Portuguese? Do you have any foreign language facility? If you don't, are you expecting to just find a community of ex-pats? Not speaking the language isn't insurmountable, but it is a major impediment.

this is very good insight, though I also understand why certain folks feel pressure to have an escape valve due to particular reasons.

There is a fairly large US expat community around Lisbon. College classmate relocated there. They needed a project after the loss of one of their children. They bought an apartment, flipped it into a bigger apartment, then flipped that one into a house remodel after they decided to stay put. Friend is very facile with languages, but Portuguese has been more of a challenge than she expected. That said, their plan is to be there for at least ten years, possibly longer if necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First, you generally do not get citizenship. You get residency status. In some countries, you can then work. In others, the investment visa only gives you the right to live and invest. Do your homework.

Second, have you ever been an ex-pat before? If not, it isn't the bed of romantic roses people seem to believe it is. You are operating in a different language and in a different cultural system. It can be challenging. So if you get frustrated here dealing with things, as an ex-pat you can multiply your frustration 10-fold.

Do you speak Spanish or Portuguese? Do you have any foreign language facility? If you don't, are you expecting to just find a community of ex-pats? Not speaking the language isn't insurmountable, but it is a major impediment.

This.

Do a little research.

Don’t you think that’s what she is doing by posting here?

If you think that posting here is sufficient to qualify as "research", then I suspect that your future will be full of surprises.

Come on, I suspect that will not be the only "research."

I periodically post here with questions that some folks immediately assume that is the total sum of my investigation on a topic. Generally you can tell when someone is trolling. Very much appreciate when folks share insights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First, you generally do not get citizenship. You get residency status. In some countries, you can then work. In others, the investment visa only gives you the right to live and invest. Do your homework.

Second, have you ever been an ex-pat before? If not, it isn't the bed of romantic roses people seem to believe it is. You are operating in a different language and in a different cultural system. It can be challenging. So if you get frustrated here dealing with things, as an ex-pat you can multiply your frustration 10-fold.

Do you speak Spanish or Portuguese? Do you have any foreign language facility? If you don't, are you expecting to just find a community of ex-pats? Not speaking the language isn't insurmountable, but it is a major impediment.

this is very good insight, though I also understand why certain folks feel pressure to have an escape valve due to particular reasons.

There is a fairly large US expat community around Lisbon. College classmate relocated there. They needed a project after the loss of one of their children. They bought an apartment, flipped it into a bigger apartment, then flipped that one into a house remodel after they decided to stay put. Friend is very facile with languages, but Portuguese has been more of a challenge than she expected. That said, their plan is to be there for at least ten years, possibly longer if necessary.

^^

I'm quite fond of Costa Rica, but cannot imagine living there for more than a few months at a time. Have a couple different HS classmates who do - their money goes further than what it would to live in comparable warm spots in the States.