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EUROPE VISA PROGRAM | 欧洲签证项目
whose investments are made exclusively in Cyprus.
Combination of investments. The applicant may
proceed with a combination of any one of the above
options, provided that the total investment amounts to
at least 2 million euros.
Unlike the requirements imposed under the Maltese
program, there are no requirements for an applicant
to actually reside in Cyprus. There is a requirement
for the applicant to purchase a residential property.
However, if applicants have opted for option 1 (an
investment in real estate), they will not be required to
invest in an additional property.
Other than a permanent residence, which must be
maintained for life, the main applicant must hold
the investments under the citizenship by investment
program for a period of three years after the
citizenship has been granted.
UK INVESTMENT VISA PRESENTS THE
MOST EXPENSIVE AND LENGTHY OPTION
The UK residency by investment program is a relatively
complex one that provides an Investor Visa to high net
worth individuals, following which the recipients are
eligible to apply for permanent residency status after a
defined period of time has elapsed.
The minimum level of capital investment required is
2,286,510 euros, which may be invested in the form of
UK government bonds, share capital or loan capital in
active and trading UK-registered companies other than
those principally engaged in property investment.
This investment entitles the main applicant and
immediate family members the right to remain in the
UK for three years and four months with the possibility
of a further extension of two years, when an indefinite
leave to remain, or permanent residency, can be
acquired.
This route can be fast-tracked if higher levels of
investment are secured with an Initial Investment
of 5.7 million euros when you become eligible for
indefinite leave to remain after 3 years; or if an Initial
Investment of 11,4 million euros are made and then
you become eligible for an indefinite leave to remain
after 2 years.
Apart from the higher cost involved, and the relatively
lengthy interim period imposed before permanent
residency status can be acquired, the UK residency
option also differs from the Cypriot and Maltese
programs in particular in terms of the stringent
residency requirements imposed on applicants.
The UK system in fact requires that applicants will
spend no more than 180 days per year outside the UK
若申请人的初始投资达到570万欧元, 可在投资三年后
申请永久居民身份; 若初始投资1140万欧元, 可在两年后
申请永久居民身份。
除了较高的投资额, 英国投资移民项目中申请人在获得
永久居民身份前的等待时间也较长, 不同于塞浦路斯和
马耳他投资移民项目, 英国项目对申请人在英国国内的
停留时间同样有着严格要求。
实际上, 该项目要求申请人每年在国外停留的时间不得
超过180天方有资格申请永久居民身份。这个项目对于
那些打算永久性迁居英国的申请人是不错的选择, 但是
给那些出于经商要求或家庭团聚需要必须离境的申请人
带来了挑战。
若主申请人希望在英国满足五年居住需求后申请英国公
民身份, 则限制将更多, 申请人这五年中在英国国外的停
留时间总计不得超过450天, 且最后12个月内的境外停
留时间不得超过90天。
奥地利项目的“透明度”最低
奥地利被认为是欧盟范围内较为稳定的国家, 其高质量
的生活水平享誉全球。奥地利投资公民项目的审批流程
涉及内阁在内的各级政府的参与。
为了取得公民身份, 申请人必须为奥地利经济进行重大
投资。投资需以直接形式进行, 也就是说, 投资政府债券
等被动形式无法满足要求。
由于申请流程依申请人的不同情况而定, 该项目也被认
为是透明度最低的投资移民项目之一。虽然有的申请人
可能会认为该项目的投资开销和费用比较高, 且申请案
件的灵活性极大, 但除非进行一对一咨询, 申请人无法对
申请开销进行较为合理准确的估计。
相比马耳他和塞浦路斯等欧洲其他国家的申请流程, 该
申请等待时间更长。虽然这个项目在取得公民身份的流
程上缺乏透明性, 但由于其提供了丰富的免签旅行目的
地 (173个国家) 和极大的移居灵活性, 其依然是评分颇
高的投资移民项目。
以下表格对每个项目的主要特点进行了归纳总结：
若将所有因素考虑在内, 很容易理解为什么马耳他的投
资移民项目被评为全球最为先进和独特的项目。虽然合
规性和调查过程严格, 但该项目完全的透明性和获得公
民身份相对较短的等待时间使得其他国家的类似项目望
其项背。