See the faces behind the stories and explore data proving Cyprus sold passports to criminals and high-ranking officials. The process was, for us, like having them as partners. Investment Programme (The program has been abolished since 1 November 2020) Naturalization scheme based on years of residence (type M127) Application for Cyprus citizenship can be submitted by foreigners, who have completed a total of 7 years of legal residence in Cyprus (2555 days of staying in Cyprus) before the application date. As a former US citizen, I grew up with the notion that it was possible to fly just about anywhere in the world without worrying about visas. The programme has undergone various changes since … No other European golden visaprogram guarantees such assured results offering an EU second passpo… February 7, 2019 The Cypriot citizenship by investment scheme existed since 2007 investment and has come a long way after 10 years, the investment requirement cut to EUR 2 million, down by 92%. Following Tuesday’s announcement by the Cypriot government, Syllouris said he would abstain from duties from October 19 until government investigations had been completed. To give an idea of the process involved, here are the necessary steps: Step 1: Speak to us at CBI to ask any questions and begin the application process. MP Christakis Giovani, also one of the island’s most prominent real estate developers, told the undercover reporters he would ensure the deal was done. Some countries which offer the opportunity to obtain citizenship by investment are Portugal, Greece, Malta, Spain, St Kitts and Nevis, Cyprus, and Grenada. This was not a one-case accident, it seems structural. This investment can be made in construction, in a building, in a company, or in investment funds. Al Jazeera reveals how Cypriot officials discussed finding ways to provide citizenship to a convicted criminal. Possess a valid passport. Citizenship by Investment is an opportunity to become legal citizen of a country without losing your current citizenship. They also said their dealings with our undercover journalists were intended to gather information to support a report to the authorities without “tipping them off”. When we started the citizenship-by-investment process, we were overwhelmed with what we were about to do. With a Cyprus passport in your pocket, you are able to travel visa-free to over 170 nations - as a true European citizen! And I believe we have the experience,” Giovani said. Cyprus Citizenship by Investment is by far the best and fastest immigration program in the world as it offers a wide range of benefits from the high quality of life to the ability to live in any part of the EU zone (only for the passport program). Cyprus Citizenship by Investment program was established in 2002. Our questions weren’t answered well by the Cypriot embassy, but Bukh and Associates guided our steps along the path. Cyprus is a member of the World Trade Organization, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. 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Passport Legacy provides a range of custom solutions for migration and can help you attain a Cyprus citizenship from Dubai. Posing as Billy Lee and Angie, Al Jazeera’s reporters went undercover, pretending to represent a Chinese businessman interested in acquiring a Cypriot passport. Individuals and families are coming from America, China and elsewhere to begin enjoying life in Cyprus from metropolitan Paphos in the … Cyprus passport holders have the freedom to hold dual citizenship and travel visa-free to 171 nations. At any level – political, economic, social, everything – ok.”. It offers the quickest method of obtaining EU citizenship, taking just six to eight months for application approval. Under the scheme, anyone who could afford to invest at least $2.5m in the Cypriot economy, usually through real estate, was able to obtain a Cypriot passport. “It’s not easy. Do you have more info about golden passport sales or want to share another tip? “This needs a treaty violation procedure by the European Commission.”. But I can promise, we shall do the best. The move comes after an Al Jazeera investigation showed that politicians were willing to help criminals acquire passports. Said scheme is based on subsection (2) in section 111A of the Civil Registry Laws of 2002-2015. Those featured in the investigation, including Syllouris and Christakis, have all denied wrongdoing and referred to a report filed with Cyprus’s anti-money laundering unit. Furthermore, applicants are not required to reside in the country at all. Antigua and Barbuda Photo by Greg Gallaher on Unsplash. Passport from country of origin 2. With the financial commitment met and due diligence done, there is nothing left to do except experience new life in your dream home. The Cyprus Citizenship by Investment program offers the fastest and most assured route to gaining a European passport through investment in real estate. In addition, Cypriot Attorney General George Savvidis said an investigation into possible criminal offences would be launched. Path it now!! “If this film is not enough evidence for the need for a legal ban, then what is?”. In today’s world of chaos, people are looking for a spot without chaos where they can enjoy life, rebuild a life or start a new life. Countries offering Citizenship by Investment 1. The Commission is currently looking at compliance with EU law of the Cypriot scheme in view of possible infringement proceedings. Cyprus has been the world's juncture for generations - today is your turn. The interior and finance ministries said in a statement posted in Greek on Twitter that the citizenship through investment programme in its current form will be abolished from November 1. Thanks to Bukh and Associates we didn’t have any sleepless nights as we obtained our citizenship in Cyprus. Move follows Al Jazeera investigation that implicated Christakis Giovanis, who is also a major real estate developer. Watch and Download Full Movie Deadpool 2 (2018), Cyprus’ citizenship by investment program, Vuln!! On Monday, Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit released The Cyprus Papers Undercover, which showed the willingness of parliament speaker, Demetris Syllouris, and member of parliament, Christakis Giovanis (also known as Giovani in Cyprus), to aid and abet convicted criminals to obtain a passport through the Citizenship Investment Programme (CIP). The mystery businessman had been convicted for money laundering, which should have disqualified him as an applicant under Cyprus’ rules. However, time and again they were told that the sentence would not be a problem as long as enough money was invested – the implication being that the more their client invested above te $2.5m threshold, the easier he would find it to avoid restrictions. Furthermore, with Cyprus being an EU member state, it grants the right to live, work and study in all 28 EU countries and Switzerland. The move comes after an Al Jazeera investigation showed that politicians were willing to help criminals acquire passports. They handled the entire process and made it easier than we could have imagined. Overview One of only two CIP programmes in Europe with official EU approval, the Cyprus Investment Programme (citizenship by investment) is authorised by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Cyprus. Cyprus offers most up-to-date Citizenship by Investment program available today — anywhere. Another biggest threat is leaks, which happened recently with Cyprus, where name of investors were leaked to media and the list included high profile wealthy families. From the inception of the Cyprus CBI program in 2013 to 2019, there have been 4,000 people naturalized in Cyprus via CBI, … The idea of potentially giving up yo… Affluent individuals with a clean criminal conduct are given the opportunity to become Cypriot citizens and thus to hold a secondary Cypriot passport by contributing to the country’s economic and social development. “The proposal was based on the long-standing weaknesses but also on the abusive exploitation of the provisions of the programme,” Tuesday’s statement said. After The Cyprus Papers, Cyprus defended its programme. In 2013, the threshold was lowered to 3,000,000 Euros and in September 2016 to 2,000,000 Euros respectively. You’ll achieve a second passport right after the approval of your application along with your family. In 2018, the name of the program was changed to Cyprus Investment Programme. We had visited the island nation several times, but with Bukh and Associates working with us, we feel as though we truly have a home — and caring friends who continue to be there for us when we have questions. Cyprus has become the most popular citizenship scheme for HNW investors in Europe. Cyprus has announced it will abolish a controversial passport scheme following an investigation by Al Jazeera that revealed how high-ranking politicians were willing to issue passports to convicted criminals. To apply for this citizenship, you must invest 2,000,000 euros in the country. Weeks earlier, Al Jazeera released The Cyprus Papers, a cache of almost 1,400 documents showing Cyprus had granted passports to criminals convicted in their home countries and people wanted by Interpol in the previous years. The scheme is called “Cyprus Naturalization of Investors by Exception”. Purchasing investment of at least EUR 2,000,000 in a single residential property used as a permanent residence An investment of at least EUR 2,000,000 in multiple residential properties Where the residential units have been previously used for CIP, the minimum investment amount increases to EUR 2,500,000 Residential & Commercial Properties This will open the countless doors of better work, education and health facilities for you. Parliamentary speaker Demetris Syllouris went even further, saying: “You can tell him that he will have, without mentioning my name or anybody else’s, full support from Cyprus. First, the failure of their recently cancelled program was one of implementation. Cyprus citizenship investment options explained. “What has been published in the last few hours by the Al Jazeera news network is causing outrage, anger and concern among the people,” his statement read. The Cyprus Citizenship By Investment Programme grants access to visa-free travel to 173 countries including the EU, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Canada, amongst others. With the simplicity of Cyprus’ citizenship by investment program, thousands are seeing Cyprus, the island nation, as a solution to life’s challenges. While it admitted mistakes in recent years, it said tightening laws and checking applicants’ backgrounds were sufficient to stopping criminals getting passports. Cyprus abolishes citizenship through investment programme. It is the only direct citizenship program in Europe offering such a simple way of obtaining dual citizenship without residency requirements, with an investment minimum of €2,200,000. They foresaw every question we had and answered each one professionally and promptly. If we had to go through this again, we wouldn’t move without Bukh and Associates as our guides.. “What is so shocking about these pictures is how natural it seems. These investments must be made in the 3 years leading up to when you apply. An investment of €2.0 million in real estate is required, plus a donation of €100,000 to the Governments Research and Development fund and €100,000 to the Land Development Organisation. Holds a valid Schengen Visa 4. Minimum Investment: USD 100,000 Time Frame: 3-6 months Official Government Website: cip.gov.ag Travel Perks: Visa-Free to 151 countries. Marriage certificate 6. Cyprus Citizenship By Investment Cost. Second, the Cypriot program was enormously valuable by providing much needed foreign investment for the economy. Being the most prestigious Citizenship By Investment program in Europe, Cyprus provides lots of reasons for you to join. This program gives them an opportunity to procure Cyprus citizenship with an investment of 2,150,000 €. Cyprus’ Citizenship by Investment Program was established in 2016 in an effort to attract direct foreign investment from high net-worth individuals. Many people feel that the number of countries a passport allows you to visit defines the quality of that passport. Ever lay awake at night wondering what you’ve done? The country’s financial services are reputable and have full FAFT (Financial Action Taskforce) compliance. It is quick and guaranteed and is available to investors who have sufficient funds to invest €2.0 million into real estate, plus a donation of €75,000 to the Governments Research and Development fund and €75,000 to the Land Development Organisation. However, in an internal audit released late September, the country’s audit office found several weaknesses in the scheme. Criminal record certificate 5. After Monday’s revelations, the European Commission said in a statement it had watched the revelations in disbelief. The Cyprus Citizenship by Investment Program is just such a situation. Best Way To Get Cyprus Citizenship By Investment In 2016, the Cyprus Council of Ministers approved the amendments to the Scheme for Naturalizations of Investors in Cyprus by Exception. One of the main ways to apply for citizenship in Cyprus is to invest in the country. 2. Cyprus’s Citizenship by Investment Program There is no denying that the program is aimed at high-net-worth and ultra-high net worth individuals. If you name and citizenship information is exposed, this cause a lot of problems for you and your family such as receiving threats, investigations by authorities. These sentiments were echoed by several others, including a lawyer who said that it would even be possible to change the name on the passport, effectively changing the identity of the applicant. CV for main applicant, plus any adult dependents 3. “The Commission has frequently raised its serious concerns about investor citizenship schemes, also directly with the Cypriot authorities. Citizenship by Investment Cyprus Cyprus offers the quickest, most assured route to citizenship of a European country through the Cypriot citizenship by investment programme. To further facilitate the growth of the economy and invite more foreign nationals to take up the citizenship of Cyprus, the government of Cyprus started its citizenship by investment scheme from 2011. Birth certificate 4. I went under cover to expose high-ranking Cypriot politicians willing to help a convicted criminal get a passport. Α.1 Investment in real estate, land development, and infrastructure projects. Offered in accordance to subsection (2) of section 111A of the Civil Registry Laws 2002-2019, the Cyprus Investment Program is one of the fastest to lead to residence and citizenship in Europe.To qualify for citizenship, applicants must fulfill one of the investment options below and hold it for five years in addition to meeting the following criteria: 1. As perhaps the only person who covers the second citizenship scene to have actually been through three CBI processes personally (St. Lucia, Dominica – which I aborted, and Comoros), I’m uniquely qualified to speak on this subject. What are the requirements for citizenship by investment? Our largest panic was “how will we manage the paperwork?” Bukh and Associates eased our fears and wiped our panic away. It is usually required that you do not hold a criminal record and that your funds are acquired from a legal source. Think of citizenship by investment as your shortcut to a second passport. Before 2013, the minimum investment requirements was 10,000,000 Euros. The Cyprus Investment Programme can be obtained within just 6 months. “President [Ursula] von der Leyen was clear when saying that European values are not for sale,” the Commission said. 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