There are many methods of being able to obtain a second passport but a growing number of countries around the world have introduced citizenship-by-investment programs.
For anyone who doesn’t qualify for a second passport by way of ancestry, marriage, or religion, these programs provide an alternative route. By making an investment in the country, you are fast-tracked on the path to citizenship. Instead of waiting years to qualify for a second passport through ordinary naturalization, you can have one in a matter of months.
Many are receiving emails and being contacted about the possibility of obtaining citizenship which often includes cash payments. Although the method of details of some of these scam offers may differ there are things you can look for to know it is not legit.
When looking at options for obtaining a second passport, there are four red flags I look out for to determine how legitimate the offer is:
- No proof of legal basis. The country offering the passport is never mentioned. That’s hardly reassuring. And I’m not told what law authorizes the issuance of citizenship and a passport…only that the passport comes from a “government source.” This begs the question: what are they trying to hide?
- Too cheap. It’s a safe bet that any offer of a second passport that is less expensive than the least-expensive legal citizenship-by-investment program offered by the Commonwealth of Dominica is likely not legitimate. The cost for a single applicant in Dominica is $75,000.
- Too easy or too fast. No country will give an applicant citizenship and a passport without a detailed application process. This includes completing official application forms and a comprehensive background check. Two to three months is actually a reasonable processing time for these types of second passports. But if it sounds too easy or too quick, it’s probably not legal.
- Issued in another name. In this age of full disclosure, no country is going to issue you a passport in a fake name. You may be allowed to change your name and have the new name published on your passport, but your old name will be noted as well. If all you need to do is pay some cash to get your name changed, you’re most likely dealing with a passport scam.
If you’re in the market for a second passport, stick with bona fide citizenship-by-investment programs. The ones I like most are those in effect in the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, and Antigua and Barbuda.
