2nd Citizenship

Second citizenship programs is an important topic because of the need that exists for people to access better life opportunities in education, employment and health that their own countries may not have. In the light of this and mass migration, many governments allow 2nd citizenship by Investment. Enabling people of foreign nationalities to reside and benefit from the rights and privileges that their countries offer in exchange for an investment in the country.

Second citizenship programs are however administered differently based on their objectives. For instance, some countries are not heavily populated and have a land mass that is relatively low in relation to the number of inhabitants. This may result in a lack of professionals and human capacity for skilled and unskilled labour, and may lead the government to promote a program for second citizenship of that country that would encourage foreign nationals to immigrate to and settle there.

Citizenship by Investment programs like this are usually very well structured and are administered in a way that requires immigrants to be classified according to their professional background. Such program for second citizenship would however have a residency requirement and thus demand that immigrants abide by the terms of their residency.

Other economic citizenship and second passport programs may operate differently even though a strict residency requirement is established. Some countries have a very high influx of immigrants because of their location and strong economic standing. Foreign nationals may enter as students, professionals or vacationers and eventually obtain work permits, and hence acquire residency rights.

Second citizenship may not have been intended for this in particular, but is eventually administered through a specific program for second citizenship in order to deal with the influx of migrants and the settlement of new residents. A citizenship program in this scenario would normally be based on residency, but in the case of children who are born to immigrants while residing there, second citizenship laws are further developed and are very clear on birth right matters, with regard to parentage and birth requirements for second citizenship.

Second citizenship programs like these also exist in the Caribbean because of the islands’ common law background. But in addition to this, in Dominica and St. Kitts, Dominica citizenship and St. Kitts citizenship can also be obtained through an investment program for Dominica citizenship and St. Kitts citizenship.

In St. Kitts, this is known as the St Kitts citizenship by investment Program and in Dominica as the Dominica Economic Citizenship Programme. Although the concept of both second citizenship programs for Dominica citizenship and St. Kitts citizenship is the same, the investment schemes and amounts required in Dominica and St. Kitts for second citizenship are different.

St. Kitts citizenship and Dominica citizenship in these programs do not have residency requirements and are based on an economic investment towards real estate or other important sector in the island. Programs for second passports like these have generally been known as citizenship by investment programs or economic citizenship programs and provide an alternative to other systems for second passport which have residency as a prerequisite.

However, it is not without challenges that such a system for second passport has been administered. A lot of discipline and prudence is required, and poor management has led to the cancellation of this type of citizenship program in nearly all of the countries in which it was available. Currently, only Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis continue to administer this program for second citizenship based on a well defined and highly regulated structure, which is the reason for the continued success and repute of Dominica citizenship and St. Kitts citizenship program.

Regulation is particular plays a vital role. It has been paramount to implement and enforce strict due diligence measures, as it is absolutely necessary to have thorough background information on anyone who applies for second citizenship under the citizenship program.

2nd Citizenship by Investment Programs have economic, social and political benefits that stem from the larger pool of professionals and human resources that countries are able to tap into. For millions of people around the world, a second passport simply represents a better life: more access to education, health care, better living standards, freer societies and technology.