Residency and Citizenship Options for Afghan Nationals

Dr. Antoine Saliba Haig | 17 Nov 2020

RC Options for Afghan Nationals

With the recent political challenges in Afghanistan, a number of reputable Afghan nationals are seeking residency and citizenship in countries offering immigration by investment options. This is in fact reflected by the increasing number of Afghan nationals submitting applications for second residency or citizenship. A ‘Plan B’ through a residence or citizenship by investment programme has emerged as one of the most popular options to secure the safety and security of Afghans and their family members.  

Benefits  for Afghan Nationals with Obtaining Residency or Citizenship Programme

Afghan nationals obtaining a second residency or citizenship from another country will experience a number of benefits previously inaccessible to them including physical security, a safe environment for children, better education and healthcare, as well as expanded travel opportunities. Most of the countries offering a residence or citizenship by investment programmes, however, exclude Afghan nationals from applying based solely on their current nationality. In this publication, we will introduce all the immigration programmes allowing Afghan nationals to obtain a second residency or citizenship through investment. 
At the moment there are only five countries which are accepting citizenship applications submitted by Afghan nationals. In addition, Antigua & Barbuda may accept Afghan nationals only if such individuals were born in Afghanistan but migrated before the age of majority and/or have maintained permanent residence in any country for not less than ten years and who maintain no economic ties with Afghanistan. 

CITIZENSHIP PROGRAMMES

Turkey Citizenship by Investment

Probably the closest country to Afghanistan, Turkey has enacted a very successful citizenship route based on a real estate investment. The property can be either residential or commercial and must be of at least USD 250,000. Another investment option is to deposit at least USD 500,000 in a Turkish bank, although this second option is less popular than the real estate investment. In both cases, the investment can be either sold (in case of real estate) or withdrawn (in case of bank deposit), after 3 years. An applicant can add his/her spouse and children below 18 years old to their application. Turkey being part of the E1 and E2 visas treaty with the US, means that Turkish citizens can then apply to migrate to the US when applying for a trader or investor visa. 

St Lucia Citizenship by Investment

Situated in the Caribbean Sea, St Lucia offers a citizenship by investment programme based on three options: real estate investment of at least USD 300,000, or a minimum contribution to the National Economic Fund of at least USD 100,000, or an investment in government bonds of at least USD 250,000. St Lucia citizenship offers access to approximately 146 countries visa-free, including the Schengen Area and Hong-Kong. An applicant can add his/her spouse, dependent children under the age of 30 years old, and dependent parents over 55 years old. 

Grenada Citizenship by Investment

Referred to as the ‘’Spice Island’’ of the Caribbean, Grenada offers two options to get its citizenship: a real estate investment starting at USD 220,000, or a donation to the National Transformation Fund of at least USD 150,000. Like Turkey, Grenada is also an E2 treaty country offering its citizens the possibility to apply for an investor visa to migrate to the US. In addition, citizens of Grenada can access approximately 144 countries visa-free including the Schengen Area, Russia and China. An applicant can add his/her spouse, dependent children under the age of 30 years old, dependent parents and grandparents, and unmarried and childless siblings above 18 years old. 

Dominica Citizenship by Investment

The Commonwealth of Dominica, a very close island to the French Martinique and Guadeloupe, also offers a citizenship by investment programme based on two options: a real estate investment of at least USD 200,000 or a donation to the Economic Diversification Fund of at least USD 100,000. Dominica’s passport opens access to approximately 143 countries visa-free, including the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom and Hong-Kong. An applicant can add his/her spouse, dependent children under 30 years old, and dependent parents. 

Vanuatu Citizenship by Investment

The Republic of Vanuatu is a small island situated in the South Pacific Ocean, close to Australia and Fiji. It offers a citizenship programme referred to as Vanuatu Citizenship Development Support Programme, based on a donation of at least USD 130,000 to a local development fund in charge of infrastructural projects and which promotes economic growth. In addition, the applicant needs to prove that he/she is in possession of at least USD 250,000 in assets. Citizenship of Vanuatu offers access to approximately 130 countries visa-free, including the Schengen Area, Russia, and the United Kingdom. One applicant can add his/her spouse, dependent children under 25 years old and dependent parents over 50 years old. 

RESIDENCY PROGRAMMES

Malta Global Residence Programme

Malta does not allow Afghan nationals to apply under the Malta Permanent Residence Programme however it is possible for Afghan nationals to apply for a special tax status and then for residency under the Global Residence Programme (GRP). The GRP is mainly a tax residence programme which allows applicants to subsequently apply for a residence permit. To submit an application, the main applicant must pay an application fee of EUR 6,000, rent or purchase a property in Malta and pay a minimum annual tax of €15,000. The applicant shall also not spend more than 183 days per calendar year in any other jurisdiction. Once the special tax status is approved, the applicant can apply to obtain a residency card, offering him/her the possibility to reside in Malta, visit the Schengen Area visa-free for 90 days in every 180 days, and benefiting from a flat tax rate of 15% on remitted foreign income. Under this programme an applicant can add his/her spouse, dependent children, dependent parents and dependent siblings to an application. 

Greece Golden Visa

Greece offers a permanent residence programme through an investment of at least EUR 250,000 in either a commercial or residential property. The property can be situated anywhere in the country and can be rented out from the first day of purchase. An applicant can add his/her spouse, dependent children below 21 years old and parents of both the applicant and the spouse, irrespective of their financial status. 

Portugal Golden Visa

Portugal offers a 5-year temporary residency that may lead to either permanent residency or citizenship under certain conditions. There are various investment options to obtain temporary residency in Portugal, however the most common is through real estate investment. There are 4 options for real estate investment starting from EUR 280,000. There is a minimum requirement of presence amounting to 7 days per year and one can add his/her spouse, dependent parents and dependent children who are still enrolled in an educational institution. There are no ineligible nationalities for this programme and thus Afghan nationals can apply.  

Spain Golden Visa

Similar to Portugal, Spain offers a 5-year temporary residency that may lead to permanent residency. It is considered to be the most expensive residency programme in Europe with a minimum investment of EUR 500,000 in real estate. The applicant can add his/her spouse, dependent parents and dependent children below 18 years old. 

Cyprus Permanent Residency

Cyprus is the only EU country discussed in this publication, which is not part of the Schengen Area, meaning taking up residency in Cyprus offers the possibility to reside in it but not to travel visa-free in the Schengen Member States. The programme is based an investment of €300,000 in residential or commercial property. In addition to the main investment the applicant must provide evidence of a secured annual income of at least €30,000, increased by €5,000 for every dependent person (spouse and children) and by €8,000 for every dependent parent or parent-in-law. An applicant can add his/her spouse, dependent parents, and dependent children below 24 years old. 
The number of Afghan nationals pursuing second citizenship or residence is expected to increase both due to the political turmoil the country is passing through as well the fact that the Afghan passport only gives access to 26 countries without a visa, making it the lowest ranked passport in the world. 

Our team of residency and citizenship lawyers are able to assist prospective applicants in choosing the most suitable residence or citizenship programme. Our team is geared towards familiarising themselves with the needs of the applicant in order to help choose the best possible route that truly suits one’s personal any family needs.  
 


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