Global Mobility During Global Conflicts

Global conflicts cause disruptions due to geopolitical disputes or armed conflicts between nations. Conflicts can seriously impact global mobility of people residing in the impacted areas, i.e. a good recent example is war between Ukraine and Russia, resulting in limited mobility for people due to closed airspace.

There could be other reasons that can impact travel freedom like health crisis, change in immigration policies, security threats, economic sanctions or it could be discrimination or identity-based restrictions. In such a scenario, a good second passport emerges as a Plan B to ensure you have access to travel freedom.

The Growing Threat to Global Mobility

The first quarter of the 21st century was full of global conflicts, pandemic, border escalations and even full-scale war. In the modern era of the interconnected world, being able to travel internationally is no more a privilege. International travel has become a must have for people to safeguard their interests.

From entrepreneurs attending business meetings to patients in need of medical treatment, global mobility helps everyone. In recent times, global mobility is under strict radar due to rising geopolitical tensions between countries, public health crises, and changing immigration policies.

Conflicts such as the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia have resulted in closed airspaces, suspended visa agreements, and limited access to essential services for those in the affected regions. Further, there are disputes among countries, like recent clashes between Pakistan and India, and power struggles in African countries, which have led to closed airspace and thus impacted one’s ability to travel freely.

Travel disruptions can have particularly severe consequences for:

• Entrepreneurs and Investors: Businesspersons, executives, entrepreneurs and investors have to attend meetings, explore new markets for expansion, and manage global operations. Mobility restrictions are a serious threat to slow growth and thus lost opportunities.
• People with Health Needs: Medical treatment is the right of every person but some healthcare facilities are available in specific countries only. Travel restrictions are life threatening which can be ruled out via global mobility.
• Media, Sports, and Cultural Professionals: Journalists, athletes, and entertainers have to travel occasionally due to their professional commitments. Again, limited mobility due to any reason is a barrier to success.
• Families and Students: For those seeking education abroad or reuniting with family members across borders, limited mobility can lead to emotional and financial stress.

How to Achieve Global Mobility

Getting a second passport is a good Plan B to achieve global mobility, however what path you choose decides the timeframe of when and how you can get travel freedom. A powerful passport with enhanced mobility opens doors to the majority of the countries. There are many ways to achieve global mobility. Let’s discuss the most common ways leading to visa free travel:

•       Citizenship by Marrying Citizen of a Country Holding Powerful Passport
•       Citizenship by Investment
•       Residency by Investment
•       Skilled Immigration

Enhancing Global Mobility Through Dual Citizenship by Marriage

Marrying a citizen of a country holding a strong passport is the cheapest way to global mobility. Many countries facilitate the naturalization processes for foreign spouses to make them eligible for citizenship. Countries like Canada, the United States, and Portugal are famous for clear legal frameworks for spousal immigration, often with a path to permanent residency followed by citizenship within a few years.

Citizenship by Investment Program

Citizenship by investment programs are a quick, efficient and reliable pathway to enhance global mobility. CBI programs are for high-net-worth individuals who either donate or invest in a country to get the naturalization certificate and become its citizen. Countries offering dual citizenship benefit from foreign direct investment while investors get a second passport that they can use for visa free traveling.

Benefits of Citizenship by Investment Programs

1.     Dual citizenship
2.     Visa free travel to over 150 countries
3.     No mandatory stay requirements with the exception to Antigua and Barbuda
4.     Consular protection of two countries
5.     Business investment in international markets
6.     Exposure to multicultural community

Citizenship by Investment Countries

Residency by Investment Programs

Residency by investment programs offer opportunities to invest in European economies and get Schengen visa free travel. European countries offer residency to investors with certain conditions, i.e. minimum investment amount, residency tenure and possibility of citizenship. RBI programs are also known as Golden Visa programs.

Benefits of Residency by Investment Programs

1.     Schengen visa free travel
2.     Citizenship qualification and to own a powerful passport
3.     High ROI
4.     Easy stay requirements
5.     Some countries offer tax incentives

Residency by Investment Countries

Conclusion

Global mobility is handy especially when the world is more polarized. Entrepreneurs with business expansion plans can pursue their strategy by enhancing their travel freedom to the majority of the world. Citizenship by investment programs offer visa free travel access to around 150 countries including Schengen states, the UK, UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, China, Russia and others. On the other hand, RBI investors benefit from immediate access to Schengen visa free access, business expansion to the European market and qualification for EU citizenship.

NewsDipper.co.uk