Moldovan citizenship through investment

Moldovan citizenship through investment

At the end of 2017, Moldova developed and enacted a law on granting citizenship through investments. The implemented reforms are estimated by many reputable sources to compete adequately with the well-known programs of the Caribbean and other countries pursuing this policy of attracting foreign investment. But what specific benefits does the Moldova program provide?
Advantages of obtaining Moldovan citizenship through investment
This investment program provides foreign citizens with the following benefits:
• Low cost of participation. According to this indicator, Moldova is a much more profitable option than many other countries in the world (for example, Cyprus, etc.). The price of this question is almost identical to the cost of participation in investment programs for obtaining citizenship of such states as Vanuatu and the states located in the Caribbean.
• Gaining access to a visa-free Schengen. Thanks to Moldova’s membership in the European Union, the Moldovan passport allows its holder to move freely throughout the EU and the Schengen zone. The exceptions are Ireland, the UK, the CIS countries, a list of Asian and African states.
• Fast clearance. The current law of Moldova indicates that the maximum period for consideration and adoption of a decision on granting citizenship to a foreign investor should be no more than 1 month (from the day the applicant submitted to the relevant authorities a package of required documents). According to this indicator, Moldova is among the top leaders of the EU countries.
• Prospective conditions for doing business, and preferential taxation. On the territory of the country there are special zones with low taxes (corporate and income). Moldova also concluded an agreement on the absence of double taxation with a number of countries (the exact number of which is 47 states).
• Location of the country. Due to the fact that Moldova is located on the eastern border of the European Union, local entrepreneurs have access to both the EU markets and access to the markets of the post-Soviet countries.
Investment Options for Citizenship
Currently, the current legislation of Moldova provides foreign investors with the right to invest in the following sectors.
• The property. To obtain citizenship through investment, the applicant is obliged to purchase one (or more) objects. The minimum investment is 250 thousand euros. A mandatory requirement is the continuous possession of the acquired property for a period of up to 5 years. Upon expiration of the aforementioned period, the owner receives the right to sell his property.
• Acquisition of government securities. These bonds are specially issued for the needs of the citizenship investment scheme. The minimum investment is 250 thousand euros. An investor is required to keep securities for at least 5 years. After the end of this period, bonds can be realized without the risk of losing a Moldovan passport.
• Contribute 100 thousand euros to the State Investment Fund. Mandatory conditions – the payment is made entirely. The applicant can invest in both the national currency of Moldova and in others (US dollars, Swiss francs, euros). The deposit is non-refundable.
The given amount of investment is relevant in the case of applying for citizenship only by the investor. If dependent family members are included in the application, the applicant must pay 30% of the investment contribution free of charge.
Violation of the above conditions after obtaining citizenship is punishable by a fine, the amount of which is equivalent to an unrealized contribution.

Requirements for applicants

To gain access to participate in the program, the applicant must fulfill the following requirements:
• Show evidence of the legality of the origin of investment capital.
• Prove a lack of criminal record, as well as other problems with the law of the country of its original citizenship. Also, the investor must be “clean” before Interpol.
• Prove the absence of your name in the lists of Moldovan sanctions.
• Prove the absence of refusals to visit countries with which Moldova has entered a visa-free regime.
These requirements also apply to all members of the applicant’s family, whose names are included in the application.