2020 caught us all off-guard, derailing even our best-laid plans. Many people, even some of the experts, thought that covid-19 would be a short-term disruption to our lives. But here we are almost halfway through 2021, and the covid-19 pandemic is far from over.

Like in many situations, positives are coming out of this extremely challenging time. The biggest blessing has been having the time to refocus on what is most important to us – our families! We realise that nothing is more important than their physical and emotional well-being, and their long-term financial security.

While life is still very different from what we knew before, more information has become available, vaccination programmes are starting to gain momentum and we are becoming more comfortable with our new reality. We are ready to get back into the driver seat and regain control over our lives and start building a future once again.

The question is what do you want your family’s future to be? For all of us, it is very different.

For some, it is living an easier life, without compromising on the quality of healthcare, education or lifestyle, while having greater economic stability and access to broader markets. For these families, Malta is a fantastic option.

Malta is one of the few European countries where investors can become eligible for citizenship through their direct investment. The benefits of holding a European passport speak for themselves. Imagine being able to travel visa-free with your family to more than 184 destinations, have access to Malta’s world-class healthcare system and your children being educated in Malta or one of the other Schengen states. Think about how your business would thrive if you have the European and Asian markets almost on your doorstep? It is also worth noting, that Malta is truly a family-focused option, as they allow children under the age of 28, and parents over the age of 55 to be included in the application.

If the level of direct investment for citizenship is a bit beyond your reach, then perhaps the Permanent Residency Programme is the right option for your family. Along with offering many of the same benefits, such as being able to live in Malta and travel freely through the Schengen states, it offers a great deal of flexibility for those families that would like the security of European residency, while having the option of remaining in South Africa.

For more information about the requirements and benefits, please have a look at our website www.immigrationsouthafrica.com/malta/

If this is the kind of future that you want to create for your family, please get in touch. I would love to hear more about how you see the future and answer any questions that you may have about any of the options. You can contact me on +27 82 787 0592 or natalie@immigrationsouthafrica.com

More than ever, the world is looking for innovative entrepreneurs. Each country has adopted a different approach, so let’s take a closer look at some of the programmes that I believe are good options for South African entrepreneurs and investors. 

Canada 

A Canadian start-up visa is a direct route to securing permanent residency in Canada while offering entrepreneurs hands-on support through a formal incubation programme. 

If you have an innovative idea for your start-up venture, willing to complete the Global Startup Accelerator programme, and a 24- month formal incubation programme, then it may be the right option for you.

The cost of the Global Startup Accelerator programme, participation in the 24-month incubation programme and legal fees is CAD 230,000 

United Kingdom 

The UK has always been a destination of choice for South Africans. For entrepreneurs, depending on the maturity of business or business idea, there are now three visa options available. 

Sole Representative Visa. 

This is a great option for entrepreneurs that already have a well-established business in South Africa and wish to expand their business to the UK. The business in South Africa must continue to operate and only one representative from the business in South Africa would be able to relocate to the UK to establish the business. 

Innovator Visa

The innovator visa is aimed at experienced entrepreneurs that have a proven track record in the IT space and have the funds to launch their innovative business in the UK. The required investment is GBP 200,000*. Your business idea will need to be approved by the relevant professional body in the UK, before the submission of your visa application.

USA

The E2 Treaty Investor Visa allows investors to invest in a new or existing business in the USA.

The recommended investment is between USD 150,000 – USD 200,000. Investors and their family would be allowed to remain in the USA for as long as that business continues to operate. One of the great benefits of the E2 visa is that it offers the investor greater flexibility in terms of how much time they need to spend in the US.

BUT, and it’s a big BUT, as South Africans, we are not eligible to apply based on our South African passports. We first need to secure citizenship in Grenada that had a treaty agreement with the US. I know it sounds awfully difficult, but it is a lot easier than it sounds and the benefits of having alternative citizenship speak for themselves. The required investment for the Grenadian Citizenship by Investment Programme is USD220,000*

Portugal 

The Highly Qualified Activity Visa is a fantastic alternative option, to the Golden Visa as it offers the same residency benefits in Portugal, with great flexibility and without having a large chunk of capital tied up in a property. 

Unlike the UK, USA and Canada entrepreneur programmes, the Highly Qualified Activity visa for Portugal is suitable for active entrepreneurs and passive investors, as you can choose your level of involvement in the business. The entrepreneur or investor is not required to relocate to Portugal, it’s a good Plan B option. 

Like Canada, entrepreneurs or investors are required to participate in a formal incubation programme. In Portugal, the incubation programme is run in partnership with the Research and Development facilities at the various universities around Portugal, and a very experienced incubation team, to give your business idea, the best chance of success. At the end of the 3-year incubation programme, it will be up to you whether you wish to leave it within the incubation framework or establish operations. Either way, you will be able to retain your residency in Portugal. 

The cost of the 3-year incubation programme is EUR 175,000 

 Please get in touch with Natalie William-Ashman for more information about these entrepreneur-based emigration options 

021 001 2109

natalie@immigrationsouthafrica.com 

30 September 2020

All 18 land ports of entry will be opened with effect from 1 October 2020. The other 35 land ports of entry remain closed.

The Department of Home Affairs is extending the validity period of legally issued visas which expired during the lockdown period to 31 January 2021.

Holders of such visas are permitted to remain in the country under the conditions of their visas until 31 January 2021. Those wishing to be repatriated to their countries within this period can depart without being declared undesirable persons.

The Department is also resuming services for applications for identity cards or documents and for all types of passports.

Visa services, including submission of applications through VFS Global, will also resume in the following categories:

• Visitor’s visas;
• study visa;
• treaty visa;
• business visa;
• crew visa;
• medical treatment visa;
• relative’s visa;
• general work visa;
• critical skills work visa;
• intra-company transfer work visa;
• retired person visa;
• corporate visa;
• exchange visa;
• waiver of prescribed requirement, as contemplated in section 31(2)(c); and
• appeals or reviews contemplated in section 8 of the Immigration Act.

Some of these services will also be available through our Missions abroad.

Any person from a country listed as having a high COVID-19 infection and transmission rate, who wish to undertake a business travel into South Africa, maywith effect from 01 October 2020, in writing, apply to the Minister of Home Affairs and demonstrate reasons for their request to enter the Republic for business purposes during the period of the national state of disaster.

Such applications must be directed to email Covid19BusinessTravel@dha.gov.za and supported by:

1. a copy of passport and/or temporary residence visa;
2. ​proof of business activities to be undertaken in the Republic;  
3. proof of travel itinerary; and
4. proof of address or accommodation in the Republic.

We need to remind our people that the fact that we are at level 1 lockdown, does not mean that the Covid-19 pandemic is over. We still have to take precautions, and some of them, might be very hard decisions to make. But this will be done in such a way that it strikes a balance between saving lives and livelihoods.

In this regard, the opening of international travel will follow a Risk Adjusted Approach. Earlier today, a list of high risk countries was read at a Press Conference. Unfortunately this list was not exhaustive, and might also have included some countries by mistake. We are hereby releasing the whole updated list, and we heartily apologize for any confusion and any inconvenience caused by the earlier release:

• Albania ​​​
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Austria
• Bahrain
• Belgium
• Bolivia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brazil ​​​ ​​​​
• Chile
• ​​​Columbia
• Costa Rica
• Croatia 
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Ecuador
• France​​​
• Georgia ​
• Greece
• Guatemala ​
• Guyana​​​
• Honduras
• Hungary
• Iceland
• India
• Iran
• ​​​Iraq
• Ireland
• Israel
• Jamaica
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Luxemburg ​​
• Maldives
• Malta
• Mexico
• Moldova
• Montenegro ​​​
• Nepal ​​
• Netherlands 
• North Macedonia
• Oman
• Palestine
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru ​​​
• Portugal
• Puerto Rico
• Qatar
• Romania
• Russia
• Slovakia
• Suriname
• Switzerland
• Ukraine
• ​​​United Emirates
• United Kingdom              ​
• USA
• Venezuela​

We need to emphasize once more that people who are not allowed from these high risk countries are leisure travellers only. Other categories of people from these countries, are allowed under special conditions, as appears in the Regulations and Directions.

The above list will be reviewed every fortnight.

Source: www.dha.gov.za

Introduction

There is a wealth of information available on the internet about second citizenship programs – generated by local agents, marketing agents and developers. Investors typically do not make a personal visit to their island of future citizenship, relying instead on desktop due diligence.

This is fine as far as it goes, but the glossy brochures and slick videos don’t always tell the whole story. Range Developments’ assertion is simple: our luxury hotel projects are best of class, and built to a quality way above the industry standard. Don’t just take our word for it, read some of the many comments on TripAdvisor.

For the 99 per cent of investors who select their citizenship by investment real estate project without a site visit, here are some key pertinent points that an investor should take into consideration.

Developer’s track record

Range Developments is the only hotel developer involved in this sector that has delivered on its promises. It has completed two luxury hotels and started construction on a third in Grenada at the beginning of this year.

No other developer in the industry has come close to this achievement. Range builds to the highest standards and only works with the world’s leading hospitality brands. For example, Six Senses was named the World’s Leading Hotel Brand for the past three years by Travel & Leisure.

Range Developments has a construction division that boasts a wealth of development experience. This division is led by my business partner, Mr. Kamal Shehada, Managing Director & Member of the Board. With more than four decades of construction experience under his belt, Kamal has now relocated to the Caribbean. He has assembled one of the most qualified construction teams in the region.  Prior to launching any of our projects to the market, Range ensures that they are executable, with all technical due diligence carried out.

Our first project – Park Hyatt St. Kitts has received multiple awards and has been widely recognized in the international media. CNN has singled it out as “the Best Hotel in the Caribbean” with Forbes naming it “a grand Caribbean debut”.  It was also included in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2018 Hot List.

Our second project – Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski, Dominica – opened its doors to guests in October 2019 and has already been listed among “The hottest new hotel openings of fall 2019” by Condé Nast Traveler and named by Forbes as “The most anticipated new Caribbean hotels for 2019 and beyond”.

Unfortunately, a number of our competitor’s Caribbean hotel projects are severely delayed. Certain projects which were originally scheduled to complete in early 2019 are still pouring structural concrete with no serious MEP work evident in the public areas from their own website.  Delays are a cause of concern and require further investigation.

Product Design and Feasibility

Our products are designed for the long term and built to last. We only use the highest quality materials and ensure all international standards are complied with regards to earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters.

Moreover, all three of our projects are well suited to attract the luxury traveler in the post Covid era.  Taking our Six Senses Grenada for example, it is spread out over 28 acres, comprises 100 rooms, with over 30 swimming pools and benefits from only a 20 per cent built up ratio.  Please click here to access a piece prepared by our world-renowned architect, Simeon Halstead, highlighting the key design features of the Six Senses Grenada.

These design features will permit the Six Senses to obtain a market leading room rate and attract the luxury travelers who have the highest disposable incomes. The design also considers the traveler’s desire for social distancing in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. In a world where social distancing is more desirable, the Six Senses is perfectly designed. How properties with hundreds of rooms congested into a few acres will cope remains to be seen.  

Price Points

The Government stipulates the minimum investment thresholds that an investor must investor to be eligible for citizenship. However, the Government does not stipulate what an individual receives in return.  

When this is assessed on a cost per key basis, certain projects in the Caribbean are selling hotel keys at a price of over USD2.5m and investors only benefit from a portion of accommodation revenue.  All the other resort income and the balance of the accommodation revenue belongs to the developer.  

The valuation per key at which we invite investors to participate in our Six Senses development is c. 40 per cent of this figure. Investors are acquiring interests in a real estate investment trust which owns the resort and benefit from distribution from all types of revenue (F&B, Spa, Rooms etc) that the resort generates.

Despite spurious claims from competitors to the contrary, investors in our trust structure, can resell their investment to other individuals after 5 years who may also use the investment as a basis to apply for citizenship. The original investor maintains his citizenship in perpetuity.

Inadvertent Public Disclosure of Citizenship

To the best of our knowledge there are no projects in Grenada qualified for Citizenship at the US$220,000 price point where you can acquire a solely owned deeded property in your own name.  As such whether you are investing in our real estate trust structure or purchasing a portion of a title deed, the commercial effect is the same.  It is an investment. It does not permit you to use the real estate all year round, exclude others, or created a mortgage over the full unit.    

The key advantage of investing through our trust structure, is the register of investors is not a publicly available document.  We are unique in this regard.

An investment in a deeded property (whether whole or granular), will be recorded in Grenada Land Registry. Given the projects approved for citizenship are widely advertised, it easy to ascertain the list of individuals who have obtained Grenadian citizenship by a simple on-line search of the Land Register.   This may create challenges for individuals whose original citizenship prohibits second citizenship.  Indeed, further complications could arise in the future given you inadvertently partner in a particular title deed with individuals unknown to yourself.

Taxes

The tax situation on the resale of a deeded title (whole or granular) needs careful analysis.  This transfer could trigger the payment of transfer taxes and each development is considered separately in this regard.  

A resale of a unit in Range’s real estate trust structure does not attract transfer taxes.  

Conclusion

Our track record speaks for itself. Our hotels are built to the highest standards and once complete, professionally run by the world’s leading management brands.

We have good relations with the people of the islands where we build. Community integration is important for us, which is why we run extensive corporate and social responsibility programs.

Article originally published on: https://www.rangedevelopments.com/article/range-developments-has-the-competitive-edge-in-the-caribbean

We genuinely believe in a spirit of dialogue, especially on matters that are as close to our hearts as citizenship.

This is a subject that is related to our very identity; our very own place in a very diverse world. This is precisely why we have pricked our ears and paid special attention to the criticism that the old programme received and availed ourselves to the constructive opinions of all those who provided them. We acted in a rational manner, because citizenship is a matter that deserves to be treated without any divisive blinkers. There is no political hue that should be attributed to it.

Many of you have asked: are we selling our national identity? We will not hesitate in our reply: national identity can never be sold. We are providing the opportunity for a number of exceptionally talented people to invest in our islands. We will do all this by completing the existing Individual Investor Programme, closing the Malta Individual Investor Programme Agency, reforming all residence regulations, and establishing a new agency that will be responsible for the administration and the running of all paths leading to Maltese citizenship and revise the related legal framework. It must be said that there are many countries who offer similar opportunities, with far less stringent attention and due diligence processes.

Some have asked whether it is in our best interest to stop processes related to citizenship altogether, in view of criticism from European fora surrounding the subject. In reality, the attribution of nationality is an exclusive competence of individual EU Member States. It is in our national interest to protect our sovereignty, a principle that is also enshrined in EU law.

Under the new regulations, an applicant must be a resident in Malta for three years before applying for citizenship. Or exceptionally through a higher investment in Malta, this can be done after one year of residence. Previous experience shows us that a number of applicants opened various businesses in Malta. To date, over 70 companies have been opened by successful applicants. I want even more. In this context, I have asked the Chamber of Commerce for their helping hand in this regard.

Interested residents who want to apply for citizenship will be required to apply for an eligibility assessment before applying for citizenship. At this stage, they will be subject to thorough due diligence. The new agency will be implementing the toughest criteria for due diligence and background verification reporting around the world. It will cooperate more with local and foreign investigative and law enforcement authorities, the MFSA, FIAU, and tax authorities.

An independent regulator, appointed in consultation with the Opposition, will scrutinise the application process executed by the Agency and all resultant decisions. Agents, with authority to assist applicants, will be limited to a set of professions familiar with the laws related to preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The names of all individuals who attain Maltese citizenship will continue to be published.

Why are we going through all this process? Largely because these new regulations will generate revenue for the Maltese islands in times and areas of economic need.

Although this is a new initiative separate from the IIP, the benefits of Malta’s policy for attracting international investment are noticeable across the country especially through multi-million euro investments; including €50 million in social housing projects with 500 new social housing units at 22 different sites, the €10 million project for the upgrading of 8 health centers and 54 clinics, a €950,000 investment in Mater Dei Hospital’s Cardiology Department to upgrade its two catheterisation suites and €5 million to Puttinu Cares for the construction of new apartments for cancer patients and their families in London. The previous programme has helped build Malta’s ‘war chest’ which is being used in these times of global pandemic.

The new regulations will be made available to 1,500 families. In reality, the EU welcomes 700,000 new citizens every year. In other words they make up 0.1% of the total new EU citizenry per year. And these persons are highly vetted, unlike the majority, who undergo a far more lenient screening process or none at all.

It is with an attitude of dialogue that we are willing to communicate on a national and international level, both with stakeholders and with those who take a genuine interest in matters that concern their own country.

We remain eager to communicate about this subject in a detailed manner, so that we can engage in healthy discussions. We count on informed opinions and we are confident that consensus can be found on a subject that matters so much to the citizens of Malta and Gozo.

Article originally published at: https://iip.gov.mt/2020/07/13/new-residency-regulations-to-benefit-us-all/