Back when I was a kid in the 80’s, the idea of having a second (or third) passport was for the rich and famous, something that Robin Leach included in his “champagne wishes and caviar dreams.” (If you understand that reference, you”re probably pulling out the Geritol every morning.)
But more recently, it has become more of an option for everyday folks like you and me. Whether you get your second passport through Citizenship by Descent, whereby some countries allow you to document recent heritage, or through a Golden Visa/CBI style program, it’s possible for us plebes to get a second passport.
However, if you stay up on the news in these circles, you may have noticed a trend: Portugal recently did away with its Golden Visa program. Some of the Caribbean islands have tightened their restrictions. Even Turkiye increased its minimum required investment in 2022 (from $250K to $400K — ah, if only we’d had more liquid assets at the time).
Why is this happening? No one has made an official statement, but a big international crisis (looking at you, Putin) has shaken things up quite a bit, creating massive population shifts.
Am I telling you to throw in the towel if this is a dream? NO! Absolutely not. But I do believe that these programs will continue to adjust in the coming years, and probably not in our favor.
What I am telling you is that if you’d like to invest in a CBI or Golden Visa program, and you have the means to do so, consider acting now rather than later. Because you never know how much longer your dream will be an option.