CaribPR Wire

CARIBPR WIRE, Castries, Aug. 26, 2022: St Lucia took third place in this year’s instalment of the CBI Index – which ranked 13 countries with operational citizenship by investment programmes.

Seen as an industry voice and reliable source for those looking to vet CBI programmes around the world, the CBI Index is published annually by the Private Wealth Management magazine, a publication of the Financial Times, and in partnership with CS Global Partners.

This year, St Lucia was ranked alongside Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Cambodia, Dominica, Egypt, Grenada, Jordan, Malta, Montenegro, St Kitts and Nevis, Turkey, and Vanuatu.

The CBI Index ranked these jurisdictions across nine pillars including Freedom of Movement, Standard of Living, Minimum Investment Outlay, Mandatory Travel or Residence, Citizenship Timeline, Ease of Processing, Due Diligence, Family and Certainty of Product.

Having recently welcomed Mc Claude Emmanuel to the position of Chief Executive Officer of its CBI unit, St Lucia was recognised its affordable minimum investment outlay, reasonable mandatory travel or residence requirements and ease of application processing.

“This recognition means a lot to us. The CBI Index is a globally recognised report that has been assessing CBI programmes for the last six years and not only will investors gain insight into our programme but it also gives us an opportunity to improve aspects of our programme to increase our scores next year,” said notes Mc Claude Emmanuel, CEO of St Lucia’s CPI Unit.

Investors can become a citizen of St Lucia in as little as 90 days by investing only a minimum of US$100,000 through its National Economic Fund, and busy entrepreneurs are not required to stay in the country for prescribed periods of time.

There weren’t many significant changes in the minimum investment outlays since the 2021 CBI Index, this was reflected in no change in the order of the final scores.

There were also no changes from the 2021 CBI Index to scores under the Mandatory Travel or Residence Pillar – Caribbean nations continue to rank highly in this area.

The country scored 87% overall.

St Lucia scored 9 out of ten for Due Diligence, Citizenship Timeline, and Family.

A very important aspect of any CBI programme is its ability to vet applicants and ensure that only honest individuals who can account for how they make a living are accepted into the programmes.

“We are on an ongoing drive to continuously enhance the due diligence processes of our programme as we are very keen to protect its integrity and value,” noted Mc Claude Emmanuel.

With ongoing geopolitical tensions, special attention is now being given to jurisdictions that offer CBI programmes. The international community is concerned that these programmes may offer boltholes for suspect characters looking to evade the law.

International respect is vital for any CBI programme to thrive, and a layer of ongoing monitoring is becoming a key pillar of reputable CBI Units such as that of St Lucia. Caribbean nations are setting global best practices when it comes to advancements in due diligence processes.

The Citizenship Timeline Pillar looks at the average time taken for citizenship to be secured by the applicant. One of the key merits of CBI programmes is their ability to provide a rapid route to second citizenship; St Lucia was awarded top points for its short turnaround times, which takes three months for citizenship to be granted from the date the Authorised Agent is notified that the application has been accepted for processing.

The CBI Index recognises that the rise of increasingly complex family relationships is driving investors to seek programmes that allow for a more diverse range of family members to be included under a primary application.

As an additional layer of nuance to its scoring system, this year’s CBI Index also draws a distinction between family members who are allowed to apply with and obtain citizenship at the same time as the main applicant and those who can apply at a later stage and because of the main applicant has already received citizenship.

Multiple family member categories were considered, with points being awarded for adult children, parents, grandparents and even siblings. Additional merit was also given to programmes with provisions for family members of the main applicant’s spouse. Additionally, the degree of flexibility within each of these categories can differ radically from programme to programme.

St Lucia scored 8 out of 10 in the Certainty of Product pillar. This pillar encompasses a range of factors that measure a programme’s certainty across five different dimensions: longevity, popularity and renown, stability, reputation, and adaptability.

Longevity measures the age of a given programme while Popularity and renown evaluate the number of applications and naturalisations under each programme per year, as well as a programme’s eminence in the industry.

The reputation of a programme was determined by the amount of negative press or the number of scandals it has been linked to, affecting investors’ broader perceptions of the countries in which they invest. Just as important, however, is evidence that programme funds are being utilised for social good. Points were awarded for a jurisdiction’s transparent use of CBI funds, for example for the development of domestic healthcare, education, tourism and other infrastructure. One of the main ways that investors can become citizens of St Lucia is through its Economic Fund which Mc Claude Emmanuel has said will “benefit all St Lucians by investing in social interventions and assisting the country to be food secure as assistance will be given to local farmers.”

Lastly, adaptability reflects a programme’s ability to rapidly respond to, and sometimes even predict, the needs of applicants and the industry.

St Lucia continues to offer a popular programme with consistently high application volumes, stability with no caps on the number of applications or specific calls to end the programme, and adaptability both in respect of changes to keep the programme functioning during Covid-19 and its swift response to the Russian invasion.

St Lucia, along with Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis scored seven out of 10 in the Freedom of Movement pillar. St Lucia has access to 15 of the 20 key business hubs assessed in the 2022 CBI Index.

Lastly, St Lucia scored six out of 10 for its decent freedom, GDP growth and GNI scores.

Download the full CBI Index here, to get further insights into the CBI industry and a full evaluation of the CBI programmes of the 12 other jurisdictions in the rankings.

CARIBPR WIRE, Roseau, Aug. 23, 2022: The Commonwealth of Dominica came out tops in the annual CBI Index, a rating system designed to measure the performance and appeal of global citizenship by investment (CBI) programmes across a diverse range of indicators.

The CBI Index is intended as a practical tool to compare CBI programmes as a whole and specific aspects of each programme. These aspects are reflected by the CBI Index’s nine pillars which Freedom of Movement, Standard of Living, Minimum Investment Outlay, Mandatory Travel or Residence, Citizenship Timeline, Ease of Processing, Due Diligence, Family and Certainty of Product.

Number one for six consecutive years, Dominica beat 11 other nations with active citizenship by investment programmes and scored full marks in the areas of Minimum Outlay, Mandatory travel or residence, Ease of Processing, Due Diligence, Family and Certainty of Product.

These nations include Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Cambodia, Egypt, Grenada, Jordan, Malta, Montenegro, St Lucia, Turkey and Vanuatu.

“For the last 29 years we have ensured that our CBI programme really meets the needs of an ever-changing global investor. We’re proud to yet again be ranked as one of the best CBI offering in the world and look to increase our scores across all nine pillars next year,” commented Dominica’s Prime Minister, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit.

Dominica continues to be on a concerted drive to offer investors – through its Economic Diversification Fund and government-approve real estate options – a reliable safe haven amidst the constant global upheavals. Accompanied by a robust due diligence process, Dominica uses a multi-layered process in partnership with third-party due diligence firms from the USA and the UK, investors can be confident that they are buying a product that will enhance their portfolio.

Dominica’s scoring in the nine pillars:

Freedom of Movement: Dominica scored seven out of 10 as the country offers visa-free and visa-on-arrival access to 14 countries across the world, including the globe’s most sought-after business hubs.

Freedom of movement within and between countries is paramount to global investors seeking second citizenship and this year, the Index placed emphasis on the total number of countries and territories that can be visited without applying for a visa.

Standard of Living: Dominica scored five in this area due to its low average expected years of schooling, but it must be noted that the country has the highest life expectancy at 78.2 and a perfect freedom score when compared to Egypt, Jordan, St Kitts and Nevis and Vanuatu – who also shared the same score.

Minimum Investment Outlay: Dominica received a perfect score of 10 here as the minimum investment outlay for their CBI programme is only US$100,000 per applicant, one of the lowest citizenship investment outlays in the industry.

Mandatory Travel or Residence: As last year, Dominica kept its score of 10 out of 10 as the country does not require mandatory travel or residence in the country for processing its citizenship application.

Citizenship Timeline: Dominica scored a nine in the citizenship timeline pillar. The pillar accesses the duration to get the application processed.

Ease of Processing: The citizenship by investment unit of Dominica continues to make the application process straightforward and more robust, helping the country secure a score full marks in this area.

Due Diligence: Dominica is recognized for its stringent and comprehensive due diligence checks on applicants seeking second citizenship and once again retained the score of 10 for due diligence processing. The country requires the provision of either fingerprints or a biometric passport and has robust external due diligence procedures that are undertaken by internationally renowned third-party due diligence firms.

Family: As Dominica allows main applicants to add additional dependents under a single application, once again making it easy to bring in additional family members, the country scored 10 under this pillar.

Certainty of Product: Dominica, along with St Kitts and Nevis, attained a perfect score for Certainty of Product Pillar thanks to the programme’s longevity, popularity, renown, stability, and adaptability. The CBI Index also lauded Dominica for its transparent two-track investment routes.

Regarded as an industry voice and reputable benchmark for CBI programmes across the globe, this year’s CBI Index offers readers a glimpse of the possibility that could in the CBI industry should all relevant parties cooperate.

The current turmoil has certainly brought a negative spotlight to the investment migration industry and overlooked the fundamentals of CBI – offering honest, hardworking families and entrepreneurs to explore and participate in meaningful global opportunities, especially where they have been let down by their own home countries.

Findings in the CBI Index state that in 2023, it is predicted over 125,000 millionaires will look to relocate to more secure and attractive destinations around the world and this trend is expected to continue and increase to 2030. Political fragmentation, instability, social polarisation are some of the reasons why investors look for second citizenship options.

It is for this reason that countries like the Commonwealth of Dominica are a popular investment choice, offering political and economic stability, a currency pegged against the US-dollar and, even more appealing is an eco-conscious government working its way to be carbon-neutral and sustainable.

“People who invest in our programme can be 100% sure that they are also investing in a country that cares about the planet and one that is taking tangible, measurable steps to protect the planet,” continues Prime Minister Skerrit.

The CBI Index is the world’s most definitive guide on citizenship by investment and is published today by PWM Magazine, a publication from the Financial Times in collaboration with CS Global Partners.

Download and read the full report here.

CariibPR Wire, London, Aug. 22, 2022: The world’s most definitive guide on citizenship by investment, the CBI Index, was published today by PWM Magazine, a publication from the Financial Times in collaboration with CS Global Partners and offers readers a view of an industry in metamorphosis.

Released amid a year that has, again, been marked by heightened uncertainty, increased security risk, political instability and intensifying calls to act on the global warming threat, the CBI Index comes at a time when most individuals are reassessing the base they call home and are looking for more stable environments that not only offer security but business, health and education opportunities for generations to come.

Despite a tumultuous global environment and an investment industry harrowed by scrutiny from the EU and USA, this year’s CBI Index hints at opportunity amidst the chaos – opportunity for the CBI industry to evolve and perhaps be the answer to those who look to it to harness the world’s offerings.

Often thought of as a Plan B, the CBI Index infers that in a post-pandemic reset, there has been a shift in trust away from government as individuals obtain second, or multiple citizenships, and take control of their destinies. The new global citizen will look to invest in ‘Plan A’ and a more positive future for people and planet.

While the CBI Index is a rating system designed to measure the performance and appeal of global citizenship by investment (CBI) programmes across a diverse range of indicators, it is also a voice for the industry and a forward-looking manual that offers readers a glimpse of what the industry could be provided that industry players come together and shape its regulatory environment to benefit not only host countries, but citizens around the world who have realised that home need not be their place of birth, but where opportunities lie.

This Index is intended as a practical tool, both for those who wish to compare CBI programmes as a whole and for those who wish to compare specific aspects of each programme.

Its purpose is to provide a rigorous and systematic mechanism for appraising programmes, to facilitate the decision-making process for individuals considering them, and to bring value to the CBI industry.

The CBI Index assesses all countries with operational CBI programmes, which, in 2022, include Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Cambodia, Dominica, Egypt, Grenada, Jordan, Malta, Montenegro, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Turkey and Vanuatu.

The CBI Index rates CBI programmes according to these nine pillars: Freedom of Movement, Standard of Living, Minimum Investment Outlay, Mandatory Travel or Residence, Citizenship Timeline, Ease of Processing, Due Diligence, Family and Certainty of Product.

Freedom of Movement measures the relative strength of each country’s citizenship based on three equally weighted factors: the number of destinations to which a country’s passport allows travel without restriction, the number of prime business hubs to which it provides access, and the degree to which a given citizenship provides settlement rights in other nations.

The Standard of Living pillar is a measure of the quality of life offered by the 13 CBI jurisdictions under assessment and this pillar is vital to those who yearn to relocate and secure a prosperous and fulfilling lifestyle. Similarly, it is key to those wanting to take advantage of local business opportunities or needing to transfer and safeguard their assets.

The Minimum Investment Outlay pillar measures one of the most practical and foremost considerations of CBI – how much capital is required for the investor to become an eligible applicant for the programme of their choosing. The cost of applying for CBI increases with the number of dependants — or qualifying family members — included in an application. In some jurisdictions this increase is proportional, while in others the cost only increases following the inclusion of multiple dependants.

Mandatory Travel or Residence examines the travel or residence conditions imposed on applicants both before and after the granting of citizenship.

The Citizenship Timeline pillar looks at the average time taken for citizenship to be secured by the applicant.

The Ease of Processing pillar measures the end-to-end complexity of the CBI application process. In some jurisdictions, the application process can be a labour-intensive and painstaking task that is time-consuming for the applicant; in others, it is streamlined, and the applicant receives clear directives on how to proceed. The overall effortlessness of the application process is a particularly important component, and the promise of a smooth, hassle-free process can generate readiness to engage with a programme.

The Due Diligence pillar focuses on each nation’s commitment to ensuring that their programme remains transparent and effective at evaluating potential candidates for citizenship. It is therefore a measure of each programme’s integrity.

The Family pillar measures the extent to which investors can obtain citizenship for their immediate and extended family. The CBI Index recognises that the rise of increasingly complex family relationships is driving investors to seek programmes that allow for a more diverse range of family members to be included under a primary application.

Lastly, Certainty of Product encompasses a range of factors that measure a programme’s certainty across five different dimensions: longevity, popularity and renown, stability, reputation and adaptability. Additionally, it assesses a programme’s responsiveness to major global events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine that have had a significant impact on global mobility and due diligence requirements.

As the CBI industry undergoes its own challenges and metamorphosis, the CBI Index gives worldly investors a reliable analysis of reputable programmes that will enable them to choose second citizenship in destinations that will fulfil their needs.

Download the full report here to see which of the thirteen countries took top spot and gain further insight into the CBI industry.