Worldway Comprehensive Report: According to an earlier report by the Financial Times, Switzerland, the world's largest offshore financial center, has pledged to automatically hand over detailed information on foreign accounts to other countries. This marks the end of Switzerland's centuries-old tradition of protecting private bank account privacy, exposing $2.2 trillion in private assets. At least 44 other countries have signed the agreement alongside Switzerland, including other OECD countries, all G20 members such as China, as well as offshore financial centers like Singapore, the Cayman Islands, and Jersey. Antigua and Barbuda is set to become a preferred choice for offshore finance, fueling a surge in the country's investment immigration.
Under this agreement, signatory countries commit to passing new domestic laws as soon as possible to allow for the collection of information on all bank accounts, beneficial ownership of companies, and other legal structures, as well as tax-related information, and to exchange this information with other participating countries. It is reported that the new standards were developed by the OECD and supported by G20 nations. Sources indicate that prior to the signing of the "Global Standard for Automatic Exchange of Information," some offshore account holders in Switzerland had already transferred funds to a few offshore centers that resisted the new standards, such as Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Antigua and Barbuda is located in the northern part of the Leeward Islands in the West Indies, Caribbean, southeast of the United States. It is 1,200 kilometers from Miami, USA, approximately 150 kilometers from the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, and 100 kilometers from the world-renowned offshore financial center, the British Virgin Islands. Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the Commonwealth, one of the world's three major national groups. With 365 scenic beaches, it is a world-famous tourist destination, often referred to as the "back garden of North America."
For a long time, Antigua and Barbuda has been a world-renowned offshore financial center. Many international companies prefer to register and conduct financial activities in Antigua for one reason: it is not only an offshore financial center but also one of the few tax havens in the world. Furthermore, Antigua and Barbuda announced visa-free entry for Chinese citizens in November of this year, making it even more convenient for Chinese citizens to enter for vacations and financial activities. These factors will further increase the interest of Chinese investors in investment immigration to Antigua.
Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few countries in the world that allows for the legal acquisition of a passport through investment. It enacted the Citizenship by Investment Act in 2013, aiming to attract high-quality investors to bring significant investment to the country and develop its economy, with these investors subsequently gaining the opportunity to apply for citizenship. The country's passport holds high value, and the processing speed and cost-effectiveness are highly competitive, offering unparalleled appeal to the many wealthy individuals in China who are committed to the internationalization of their businesses and personal lives. Moreover, the country does not impose taxes on income, interest, gifts, property, or inheritance earned by citizens outside of the country.
Worldway immigration experts state that citizenship by investment in Antigua and Barbuda can be achieved through two methods: investing in real estate or the National Development Fund. To invest in real estate, the applicant must purchase property in a government-approved project valued at no less than $400,000; the property may be sold after five years. To invest in the National Development Fund, the applicant must make a donation of no less than $200,000 to the fund (this limited-time offer expires on April 30, 2015).
