Latest / IMI Podcasts / This Week in IM - Jul 17: 🇲🇹 Replaces CIP with CBM, 🇮🇹 30 Tix Left for IMI Connect Rome, 🇸🇦 Ending Foreign RE Ownership Ban, ++

Transcript

This Week in IM - Jul 17: 🇲🇹 Replaces CIP with CBM, 🇮🇹 30 Tix Left for IMI Connect Rome, 🇸🇦 Ending Foreign RE Ownership Ban, ++ · IMI Podcasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: You're listening to IMI This Week.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Africa offers a growing but underappreciated portfolio of residency and citizenship by investment programs.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: Active programs in Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Egypt, Namibia, Mauritius, and Seychelles can offer fast timelines, accessible entry points, and unique pathways.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: While African passports often lack beneficial visa-free access, regional mobility through agreements like e-COWAS remains valuable.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Alatan Killich argues that most RCBI firms mistakenly rely on full service, high-commitment offerings that exclude clients who aren't ready to dive in.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: While referrals remain a strong source of leads, they are unpredictable.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Killik recommends building structured service tiers, which create a more predictable sales funnel, monetize early interactions, and earn trust over time.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Saudi Arabia will lift its ban on foreign property ownership beginning January 2026 in key cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, while Mecca and Medina will remain more regulated.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: IMI Pro Mahmoud El Waquil highlighted that the change may eliminate the premium residency requirement, making property more accessible to global investors.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: IMI Pro Anastasia Barna pointed out that the current system favors high-end buyer.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: The Associates Times questioned whether the Caribbean CIP's planned residency requirements might trigger objections from the OECD.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: However, IMI pros Jimmy Sexton and David Lesperance argue these fears are overstated.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: Adam Yukniewicz notes these changes could offer new tax planning strategies, especially for crypto investors, but warns of potential backlash from high-tax jurisdictions.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Hong Kong's New Capital Investment Entrance Scheme, NCIEs, has attracted$21 billion Hong Kong dollars in investments and over 1,500 applicants since relaunching in March 2024.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: With recent eligibility relaxations, the approval rate has surged.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: Officials expect inflows to top$50 billion Hong Kong dollars by the end of 2025.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: Meanwhile, regional competition with Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia is heating up.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Malta will replace its mean citizenship by investment policy with an expanded merit-based naturalization system in response to a European court ruling that deemed the former approach too transactional.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: The government announced that the new framework will eliminate predetermined payments and agent involvement, instead, emphasizing exceptional contributions in fields like philanthropy, technology, and job creation.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: The Museu do Caramulo in Portugal's interior has undergone a transformation thanks to 14.6 million euros in donations from 73 golden visa investors, with 6.8 million euros more pledged.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: Pedro Pais Cardoso, the museum's fundraising manager, explains how this influx of capital has accelerated plans to make Caramulo a cultural destination.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: Cardoso warns that canceling the program would cripple these plans, highlighting how integral the initiative has become to survival.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for joining us today on IMI Podcasts.
• 3:24
  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.