As cross-border mobility grows, understanding tax and immigration rules has become essential for compliant and strategic wealth planning. The Sovereign Group has been assisting international clients to plan, implement and manage their global residence and mobility since 1987.
Our international network of offices, experienced local teams and professional service partners ensure we are well placed to assist high-net-worth clients with the identification, development and implementation of the most suitable overall strategies for their needs.
The expertise within the Group also encompasses the comprehensive private client and corporate services to provide integrated international legal, tax and fiduciary solutions for individuals, families and businesses.
Benefits for governments, individuals and companies
In a world of geopolitical uncertainty, restrictions on travel and the movement of assets, internationally mobile individuals, their families and businesses have developed a genuine need for liberating, flexible solutions.
This need has not gone unnoticed. Many governments around the worldwide wish to attract wealthy, self-sufficient and entrepreneurial individuals, who will enrich their economies by:
- Introducing people with proven business success, skills and valuable networks.
- Bringing much-needed foreign investment without increasing public debt.
- Generating increased local employment and other associated economic benefits.
Residency Programmes
The Sovereign Group advises clients on a wide range of residency programmes, catering for most regions, personal requirements and budgets. Qualifying applicants will generally receive a local residence permit together with the following additional benefits:
- Right to reside, settle and stay indefinitely in their chosen country of residence.
- Option to include spouse and qualifying dependents.
- Greater freedom of movement within cooperating countries.
- No language requirements.
- Access to high quality educational institutions and medical facilities.
- Access to multiple personal and corporate tax benefits.
- Eligibility to apply for citizenship by naturalisation in the future.
Types of Residency Programme
Government-approved residency programmes enable foreign nationals to gain full residency rights in a new country in return for establishing a local business, making a capital investment, and/or injecting capital into the economy. These programmes can be categorised as follows:
- Business Start-Up and Investment Programmes – provide residence permits to applicants who establish a new business or invest in an existing business, creating local economic activity and employment opportunities in their chosen country. In some cases, establishing a local company will also provide residency and work permits for a company’s directors, middle management, key personnel and specialists, as well as their families.
- Residency by Investment (RBI) Programmes – often referred to as ‘Golden Visas’, RBI programmes provide residency in exchange for a wide range of investment or donation options. Often with low minimal annual stay requirements, RBI programmes are ideal for those seeking an alternative residence as an insurance against potential political, economic and social instability in their home country.
- Financially Independent, Retirement or Passive Income Programmes – these programmes typically provide residence permits to applicants who can demonstrate that they enjoy a sufficient regular income from passive sources rather than employment or have personal wealth above a specified amount. These generally require you make the chosen country your primary place of residence and your place of tax residence.
- Non-domiciled (‘non-dom’) Residency Programmes – these programmes allow individuals to live in a country while paying taxes only on their local income and exempting foreign income that is not brought into the country. Some programmes also provide residency status whilst, if need be, others can be established in conjunction with the residency programmes listed above.
New or Alternate Citizenship
Obtaining a new or alternate citizenship provides applicants and their qualifying dependants with numerous benefits, including:
- New citizenship that can be passed down to future generations.
- Improved governmental protections, including security and legal rights.
- The right to reside, settle, work and stay indefinitely in your chosen country.
- Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to up to 186 countries.
- Greater freedom of movement, for travel, residence and/or work.
- Access to excellent education and healthcare systems.
- The option to maintain dual citizenship.
- Multiple personal and corporate tax incentives and concessions.
Types of Citizenship Programmes and Legislation
The Sovereign Group offers a range of citizenship solutions that can be categorised as follows:
- Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programmes, which can provide qualifying applicants citizenship in three to 18 months, in exchange for a wide range of investment and/or donation options.
- Citizenship by Merit Legislation, which provides a discretionary pathway to nationality for individuals who can demonstrate exceptional achievements, talents or services, rather than just investment or long-term residence. Typically, these programmes reward outstanding merit in fields such as science, business, sports or the arts that have potential to bring significant value to the nation.
- Citizenship through Naturalisation, which is the legal process by which a non-citizen may qualify to acquire citizenship of that country after a certain period of time holding legal residency status. The rules of naturalisation vary from country to country but typically include a promise to obey and uphold that country’s laws and include additional requirements, such as having proved a significant commitment to and connection to the country, an adequate knowledge of the national language and culture.
Programme Comparison Charts
The Sovereign Group and our partners provide advice and assistance with more 60 programmes across more than 30 counties in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.
For further information regarding some of the more popular Residency Programmes offered within the Sovereign Group, please refer to our comparison tools and tables at the following link: Sovereign Group Residency and Citizenship Programme Comparison Charts
International Mobility, Private Client and Corporate Services
Sovereign will work closely with applicants during each stage of the planning and implementation process. When combined and managed correctly, the following Sovereign Group services enable individuals and families to develop and implement a comprehensive, flexible and tax efficient strategies:
- International residency, tax residency and citizenship planning.
- International corporate establishment and management.
- Personal and corporate banking.
- Tax planning.
- Trusts and foundations.
- Estate and succession planning.
- International retirement plans.
- Wealth management.
- International life and medical insurances.
- Yacht and Aircraft registration and management services.
Our strategies are developed and implemented in accordance with each client’s specific needs. Comprehensive quotations will be provided throughout the planning process.
Contact Us
For further information or to discuss how you, your family and/or business could benefit through the creation and implementation of an international mobility, private client and corporate service strategy, please contact Ceri Pratley below.
