Latest / IMI Podcasts / This Week in IM - Feb 20: 🇵🇦 Sets Records, 🇲🇹 CBI Sales Decline Upon EU’s Threats, 🇺🇸 EB-5 Risks Examined, ++

Transcript

This Week in IM - Feb 20: 🇵🇦 Sets Records, 🇲🇹 CBI Sales Decline Upon EU’s Threats, 🇺🇸 EB-5 Risks Examined, ++ · IMI Podcasts

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: You're listening to IMI this week.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: Stephen Barnes, founder of Hong Kong Visa Centre, balances time between homes in Hong Kong, Australia, and Bulgaria, while pursuing AI-driven immigration solutions.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: His company created Visa Gisa.ai and recently designed Sierra Leone's Go for Gold residency program.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: When a sovereign nation invited me to design an immigration program, it was the equivalent of winning a Nobel Prize in our industry.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Kuwait has revoked 21,000 citizenships since August 2024.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Cyprus faces delays in its golden passport trial while battling a 16-year citizenship application backlog.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: France implements stricter language requirements for residence permits, while Canada grapples with legislation which affects citizenship rights for children born abroad.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: The EB5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 strengthened investor protections and oversight for the U.S.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: Immigrant Investor Program, notes Christina Tobacco.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Although recent changes create more predictable investment sustainment periods and enhanced regional center regulations with mandatory audits, Tobacco examines the reformed program's trade-offs.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: Although the program has raised€1.8 billion since 2014, Malta's citizenship by investment program faces uncertainty amid European Commission legal challenges and scrutiny.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: MEIN saw applications drop to 177 in 2022, with revenues falling to€110 million from 2016's peak.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: A belatedly released statistical report reveals the European Commission's threats against Malta materially harmed its CBI revenue.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Panama's investor visa programs showed strong momentum in 2024, with friendly nations visa approvals increasing 52% to 3,228 applications, the independent means visa approvals increasing to a record 1,917 applications, and investor visa categories maintaining approval rates above 95%.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: Real estate and qualified investor visas saw the largest growth, with applications doubling in some categories.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: Citizenship by investment units must enhance due diligence for Syrian applicants amid concerns about identity fraud and questionable wealth sources, argues Fabienne de Blois.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: She notes that due diligence of Syrians, with their wealth and urgent need for new passports, should extend to potential transfer of sanctioned funds through other jurisdictions.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for joining us today on IMI Podcasts.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: Subscribe for free to the IMI daily newsletter for breaking news and updates from the investment migration industry.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: And consider upgrading your membership to IMI Pro to get access to our exclusive professional community, industry events, data, and members only content.