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in the United States and Canada, for example. To get
citizenship and a passport from Cyprus or Malta, that can
be accomplished in under a year with their citizenship-by-
investment programs.
BENEFITS OF GOLDEN VISAS
While each countr y has its own requirements and
benefits, most Golden Visa programs recognize dual
citizenship. The investor will receive legal residency,
which comes with many of its own benefits beyond a
pathway to EU citizenship. There are even countries
throughout the world that grant visa-free access to
permanent residents of the EU, even if the resident’s
original passpor t doesn’t give them that access. In
general, having a Schengen resident permit will allow
visa-free access to more countries than are available on
the holder’s original passport. Schengen permits also
give more legitimacy when applying for visas in countries
that still require the traveler obtain one.
Golden Visa programs have favorable family rules for
dependents and other family members. Dependents can
often include the investor’s parents and unmarried children up
to 25 years old. Some programs have fast-track procedures,
allowing residency in the EU within a few months and
permanent residency or citizenship after that. Most programs
do not require a minimum net worth to apply.
Lastly, some of the programs actually have a shor t
minimum stay required in the country. For example,
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