Latest / IMI Podcasts / This Week in IM - Mar 12: 🇦🇷 Group Chosen for CBI Contract, 🤔 Best Citizenship by Region, 🇻🇺 Ban of Russians Reversed, ++

Transcript

This Week in IM - Mar 12: 🇦🇷 Group Chosen for CBI Contract, 🤔 Best Citizenship by Region, 🇻🇺 Ban of Russians Reversed, ++ · IMI Podcasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: You're listening to IMI This Week.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Argentina's evaluation report on its citizenship by investment master agent contract is out, and four of six bidders were declared inadmissible.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: The remaining consortium of four firms, including two IMI official partner companies, now stands as the front runner, but the contract still needs final approval before Argentina's program can move forward.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: From passport diversification and tax residency planning to asset protection and location independent income, these 28 rules cover the practical mechanics of building a life across borders.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: The list reads less like theory and more like an operational checklist for anyone serious about geographic freedom.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: Spain killed its golden visa in April 2025, but three residency routes remain open for those willing to look beyond the investment track.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Each pathway comes with different timelines, costs, and trade-offs that reshape the math for anyone still targeting Spain.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: New IMI pro Arda Sardag argues that innovation in this field is not about shortcuts, but about understanding the framework better than others.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: His approach to the industry bridges the gap between client psychology and regulatory complexity in ways few practitioners openly discuss.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: Seven citizenships topped their respective world regions in 2026, but the strongest passport on paper is not always the smartest pick.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: The rankings weigh factors beyond visa-free travel that most comparisons ignore.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: Twenty countries offer zero or near zero taxes on crypto capital gains, but the legal mechanisms behind each vary widely from outright exemptions to classification loopholes.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: In this guide, we cover what each jurisdiction actually offers, what conditions apply, and how to establish residency there.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: An American retiree in France can legally owe zero French income tax on her 401k distributions and US source dividends under a provision most people overlook.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: The treaty carves out specific exemptions that, when layered correctly, eliminate the French tax burden entirely on certain US retirement income.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: IMI Pro Charlie Maggie weighs in.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: A memo from Vanuatu's Citizenship Commission adds Russia and Sudan to the restricted nationalities list for its citizenship by investment programme.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: A source, however, suggests the directive may reflect internal miscommunication rather than a formal policy decision, leaving agents to guess whether the ban will stick.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Vanuatu's Citizenship Commission chairman says the March 9th memo restricting Russian and Sudanese applicants was released in error, and both nationalities remain eligible.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_00: The reversal came just two days after the original memo, but the speed of the walkback only deepens questions about who authorized the restriction and why.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: Prime Minister Pierre says St.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: Lucia has no intention of stopping the CIP, while Deputy Prime Minister Hilaire rejects any connection between the UK visa waiver suspension and the citizenship programme.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: The government's dual front defence raises a question the industry is already asking: how and who will the US, UK, and EU powers go after next?
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: Learn more about IMI's newest official partner company, GSC International, and how the Boutique Global Law Firm's two decades of corporate practice inform its approach to RCBI.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for joining us today on IMI Podcasts.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: Subscribe for free to the IMI daily newsletter for breaking news and updates from the investment migration industry, and consider upgrading your membership to IMI Pro to get access to our exclusive professional community, industry events, data, and members only content.