New to 2020, the Family Pillar asks which citizenship by investment programmes offer the greatest opportunities for families that wish to stay together during the process.
The addition of the Family Pillar to the 2020 edition of the CBI Index reflects the fact that family eligibility is an increasingly significant consideration for prospective investors choosing citizenship by investment (CBI). While all CBI countries allow some dependants to be included in an application, how widely the definition of ‘dependant’ is construed depends on the country. The cost of the addition of dependants is also a factor to be considered and varies greatly from programme to programme.
Jurisdictional approaches to dependant additions
In respect to spouses, most CBI countries define ‘spouse’ by marriage. It is generally accepted that only one spouse may be included in an application. St Lucia, for example, specifies that, in the case of legal civil polygamy, ‘spouse’ means the first husband or wife.
Countries that permit the inclusion of adult children do so up to the ages of between 25 and 30 years. Of these countries, many require the demonstration of financial dependency or attendance at an institution of higher learning.
For instance, while Montenegro merely stipulates that an adult child must be “dependent on the applicant,” in Vanuatu, an adult child between the age of 18 to 25 years must be residing with, or dependent on, the applicant or their spouse and attending full-time education. Dominica betteris even more liberal than Montenegro, allowing adult children to simply show they are substantially supported by either the main applicant or the main applicant’s spouse.
Granularity also exists between regions. Whereas Cyprus permits the inclusion of parents of the investor (provided they hold a permanent, privately-owned residence in Cyprus), Malta allows the inclusion of both parents and grandparents, whether of the investor or the investor’s spouse. In Malta, parents and grandparents must be over the age of 55 years, “wholly maintained or supported by the main applicant”, and form part of the household of the main applicant.
In the Caribbean, neither Dominica nor Grenada impose age limitations on parents and grandparents (although age-related cost distinctions exist in Grenada), while St Lucia excludes grandparents altogether.
Dominica, Grenada, and St Lucia are the only CBI countries to allow siblings to form part of an application. Distinctions remain, however. Grenada, for example, requires siblings to be aged at least 18 years, while St Lucia only allows the inclusion of siblings below the age of 18 years. As a result, St Lucia requires the consent of the sibling’s parent or guardian. Dominica, on the other hand, includes siblings aged 25 years and under, but requires the consent of all persons with parental responsibility for siblings who are minors.
Securing a legacy: post-citizenship additions
Another trend in recent years has been to expand post-citizenship offerings, which give investors a ‘second chance’ to ensure no family member is left behind.
In Dominica, and St Kitts and Nevis, the remit of post-citizenship additions is particularly wide, with both countries allowing for the addition of children born prior to the grant of citizenship.
‘Children’ is defined more widely in Dominica, however, where persons aged 30 years or under may be included, while St Kitts and Nevis allows only the inclusion of minor children. Both countries also allow for post-citizenship spousal additions, as well as the addition of parents and grandparents.
Finally, most jurisdictions allow newborn children of economic citizens to be registered as citizens in their own right. This reflects the core notion that citizenship can be passed down to one’s descendants, and ensures that the benefits of citizenship are felt for generations.