Bulgarian Citizenship by Investment – much more than a Golden Visa

The huge difference between citizenship and residency. Something that is often being neglected.

Citizenship from all over the world have been marketing for decades citizenship for investment programs of tiny Caribbean countries (isles) and more recently, citizenship of Malta and Cyprus (EU citizenship). So far so good.

The business climate in recent year however has changed dramatically. Citizenship programs of the tiny oceanic islands lost its gloom after USA cancelled their visa-free regimes. At the same time, larger, landlocked countries have introduced even better citizenship opportunities. The Ukrainian fast-track citizenship through marriage program being the prime example.

The EU citizenship programs of Malta and Cyprus were at the same time hit hard too. The Bulgarian Citizenship by Investment program came into existence with much better conditions.

All this has led to…

The shift from citizenship to residency offerings and the attempt to hide the difference

The immigration and citizenship agents has since started to aggressively market RESIDENCE programs. The forerunners being the Portuguese Golden Visa (shiny names were made up), Swiss cantonal schemes, Uk residency options, etc. What most (virtually all) agents don’t like saying is that a residency program is a temporary solution. Citizenship is for life!

Residence permits only allow the foreigner to live temporarily in the country and eventually to travel in some other countries as a tourist (ie the Schengen). Citizenship (ie Bulgarian) is for life, goes down to your children and provide unlimited living rights EU-wide.

We urge you to read carefully the article at http://www.posolstvo.eu/faq/eu-citizenship-vs-residency.html in order to comprehend the real difference between citizenship and residency rights. Because it makes a whole of a difference.

Please be aware, residency rights can not even compare to full citizenship and passports. We have seen customers who have paid hundreds of thousands only to find out that their…. citizenship, actually residence…. expires in 6 months. Don’t fall in the same trap.