Time flies, and 2020 has arrived before we knew it. Looking back at 2019, many major events occurred both domestically and internationally, and the immigration industry was no exception, with significant changes in immigration policies across various countries. The recently released "Top Ten Immigration Events of 2019" has attracted widespread attention from media and industry professionals both at home and abroad, and was quickly reprinted and reported by numerous media outlets. Among them, the Cyprus Investment Programme, highly sought after by high-net-worth individuals, saw its policy threshold raised and background checks tightened, making it one of the "Top Ten Immigration Events of 2019" and a subject of great attention.
In 2019, the high-value Cyprus Investment Programme saw its policies continuously tightened, becoming a major focus in the immigration sector. On May 15, 2019, the new legislation for the Cyprus Investment Programme came into effect, adding a €150,000 donation requirement on top of the original minimum €2 million real estate investment. If an investor purchases a property that has already been used for a Cyprus Investment Programme application, the minimum real estate investment amount increases from €2 million to €2.5 million. At the same time, the Cypriot government strengthened background checks on applicants, requiring all applicants to submit a declaration stating whether they have previously applied for citizenship in any EU member state. The implementation of this series of policies means that the investment cost for the Cyprus EU passport, favored by high-net-worth individuals, has increased, and background checks have become more stringent.
The Cyprus Investment Programme has always attracted the attention of global investors due to its advantages, such as the ability to quickly apply for an EU passport. As a member of the European Union, once you obtain a Cypriot passport, you can not only travel visa-free to more than 160 countries and regions, but also freely move, work, reside, and study in any of the 27 EU member states (including Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Finland, etc.), the 3 member states of the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), and Switzerland—a total of 31 European countries. Furthermore, you can enjoy the generous benefits afforded to EU citizens in EU countries! The Cyprus passport is more than just an EU passport; holders can also achieve a pathway to relocate to the UK under certain conditions, making its value self-evident.
As is well known, in recent years, the threshold for the Cyprus Investment Programme has been raised year after year. It has not only limited the number of applications but also increased donation costs and strengthened background checks on applicants. No one can predict whether policies will tighten further in the future. Therefore, interested investors, when facing the ever-changing landscape of the immigration industry, should act as early as possible before immigration policies tighten completely. Cherish the opportunity and do not sigh with regret for missing out on a better application window.
Investment immigration is a long-term and complex matter, and choosing a professional immigration agency is crucial. As one of the Top 500 Asian Brands, WorldWay Group, as one of the earliest immigration agencies to promote the Cyprus Investment Programme in China, introduced the program to China as early as 2011, embarking on a wonderful journey of European investment immigration. In 2014, it successfully hosted the "Paphos Night" event in Beijing and Shanghai, which was an investment and cultural exchange event themed around a European city in China.
For the Cyprus Investment Programme, choose WorldWay to make your immigration journey easier. For details, please consult: 400-138-2929.