A lot of people are dreaming about moving to another country and starting a new life there. There are various reasons for that. For example, western countries are very popular because of the better living standard, improved education, healthcare, and higher salaries. On the other hand, there are countries that are providing better conditions for starting a business. Also, you might want to move to another country to enjoy in better climate, or you met your partner there and decided to move and get married.
Getting a new citizenship is not a simple process. The requirements are different from country to country. Also, the rules for getting the passport are not the same. For example, there are places where you can get the full citizenship only after spending a certain time while living there.
On the other hand, there might be some strict rules where you will have to work all the time, get married, or even pay for the citizenship. The last option is very popular in some countries since it is simple and fast. You can read more about this solution at https://imperiallegal.com/citizenship-by-investment
We are aware that someone interested in getting a new passport would like to meet all terms in shortest possible way. However, that is not always the case since there are various rules that you will need to follow. We are going to analyze more about this topic in the following article.
It Depends on the Rules
There is huge difference when it comes to the waiting time and many other terms from country to country. The most common terms are related to having relatives in that country, having an ancestor who is from that country, getting married with someone who is already a citizen, getting it through some special terms, or by the investment program.
Getting a citizenship by your ancestors is quite common in Europe, which is not a surprise considering the frequency of borders were changing throughout the history. Therefore, if you had some relative in Romania or Poland, these countries will give you full citizenship. The same is for Hungary, Bulgaria, and some other countries.
When it comes to Spain, you can get your passport if at least one of your parents is already a citizen. Still, there are some rules to know about that can be more or less difficult. For example, the officials in Hungary will demand for the applicant to learn the language, while that is not the case with Bulgaria.
Another popular option is the naturalization. That means that you will have to spend a certain time while living and working in some country to get to the point to request for the full citizenship. That time can be quite different from place to place. For example, you can stay and work in Argentina only for two years and get the passport, while it will take around 5 in the US.
The time is much longer for Germany, where you will have to stay for 8 years before you are able to apply for the citizenship. The longest time required is in Switzerland, which is 10 years. However, there are ways to make this time much shorter. One of the best options is to get married there. If your partner is already a full citizen, you can expect to get your passport right after getting married.
Why Is Citizenship By Investment So Popular?
The main reason why so many people are interested in this option is because you can complete the whole process and get your passport much faster when compared to other procedures. Also, there are many countries that are offering this solution, but also many other benefits like lower taxes and fees for businesses, exotic climate, decent quality of life, improved connection with other countries, and more.
Some of the most popular countries that are offering this solution are Malta and St. Kitts and Nevis. The only problem with Malta is that you will have to spend over $1 million for this option, while it is much more affordable in St. Kitts and Nevis, along with some other Caribbean countries.
Therefore, it is not a surprise that they are the most popular options at the moment. Applying for a passport of St. Kitts will require up to 6 months of waiting time. You can make it even faster by preparing all required papers on time and paying the required sum. Also, the great thing is that you can choose between sponsoring the officials with $150k, or investing in some property that must be worth at least $200k.
The second option is much more popular because you can even earn from it after some time. For instance, you can rent rooms or resell it for a higher price. However, you will have to wait for sale for at least five years. The great thing about this country is that you will be free to travel to over 150 other countries. Also, it is part of the Commonwealth, which means that your kids will have a chance to sign to some of the best universities in the UK, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.
Some other Caribbean countries are also popular, and the terms are quite similar. These places are Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Dominica, and Vanuatu. The fastest option is Vanuatu where you can spend only $130k, and wait only around a month for the approval. However, the problem can be that they are more limited when it comes to visa-free traveling.
Last Words
As you can see, there are some important details that can affect the time of getting a second passport. It also depends on your preferences and reasons why you want to move to another place. Therefore, if you want to improve your career by finding a good job in the US or Germany, it might take years before you become a full citizen. On the other side, you can choose simple solution by investing in some property or sponsoring the government to quickly get your second passport.
Nicola Holder 
Rhydian Choi