Tag Archives: International Living

U.S., China mutually extend visas to 10 years to boost trade, tourism

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“Under the deal, which the United States will put into effect on Nov. 12, both countries would extend the terms of multiple entry short-term tourist and business visas to 10 years from one year, the White House said in an accompanying statement. Student visas would be extended to five years from one year.  The extension matches what is currently allowed for citizens of nations with close relations with the U.S., such as European countries and Brazil.  A senior U.S. official said the visa agreement would allow the United States to tap into the fast-growing market of Chinese tourists traveling abroad.  It will also make it easier for Chinese businesses and investors to get involved in U.S. projects.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/10/us-china-usa-visas-idUSKCN0IU0Q020141110

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Almost Half of Wealthy Chinese Want to Leave, Study Shows

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“Nearly half of wealthy Chinese are planning to move to another country within the next five years, according to a new Barclays survey.  The survey, which questioned more than 2,000 high net-worth individuals with more than $1.5 million in total net worth, found that 47% of Chinese respondents said they want to move, compared with a global average of 29%.  Singaporeans were the second-most eager to flee home, with 23% planning to relocate in five years, followed by 20% for the U.K. and 16% for Hong Kong. Indian and American rich are the least likely to move, with only 5% and 6% of respondents saying they would relocate.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/09/15/almost-half-of-wealthy-chinese-want-to-leave/

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Hiding dual citizenship now a criminal offense in Russia

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“According to new legislation, any Russian citizen who acquires another nationality must inform their local migration office within 60 days of receiving dual citizenship. President of the Constitutional Committee of the Federation Council Andrei Klishas proposed that Russians holding dual citizenship should be required by law to inform the authorities of their second citizenship and punished for hiding it.  If Russians are discovered to have intentionally concealed a second citizenship, they may have to pay a fine of 200,000 rubles ($5,530) or be obliged to perform 400 hours of community service. Moreover, Russians also have to inform the authorities about any children’s second citizenship.”

http://rbth.com/society/2014/08/12/hiding_dual_citizenship_now_a_criminal_offense_in_russia_38929.html

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Tax Exiles Flee America

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“Traditionally the entrepreneurial and productive wanted to come to America. Many still do. But the choice is no longer so clear-cut. Some lawyers admit that they counsel foreign businessmen to consider carefully before seeking American citizenship. It might not be worth the cost and trouble. International tax attorney Andrew Mitchel said, ‘My advice to, say, a small-businessman abroad would be to think twice about acquiring U.S. citizenship.’ In his view the benefits might not be worth the hassle: ‘Many of these people do not realize what that means for their businesses until they start dealing with the IRS.’ Washington’s behavior appears to be having an impact on possible new citizens.”

http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/tax-exiles-flee-america

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Doug Casey on His Favorite Place in the World

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“Having been to over 170 countries, Doug is by far the most well-traveled person whom I know. But it’s not just a contest of how many countries a person has been to. Doug’s unique and historically informed point of view is what really sets him apart.  Doug, of course, has thought long and hard about his favorite place in the world. He concluded that for him it’s Argentina, the location of La Estancia de Cafayate, Doug’s sporting and lifestyle estate in beautiful Salta Province.  Which naturally gives rise to the question, ‘Why, of all places in the world Doug could have built his vision of a freedom-lover’s paradise, did he and his partners choose a remote pueblo in Argentina?'”

http://www.internationalman.com/articles/doug-casey-on-his-favorite-place-in-the-world

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Easy permanent residence with Panama Friendly Nations visa

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“Last year, the Panamanian government introduced its ‘Friendly Nations visa’, a permanent residence scheme for citizens of select ‘friendly’ countries.  Since its introduction, the government has added a total of 47 countries.  Qualifying for this visa is remarkably easy. Yes, there is still government paperwork and I’m told it could take up to nine months to process.  However, the barrier to entry is unbelievably low. You simply need to deposit $5,000 in a Panamanian bank account (plus $2,000 for each additional dependent, if applicable) and demonstrate some tie of ‘economic activity’ to Panama in the form of starting or buying a business, owning real estate, or even getting a job.”

http://nomadcapitalist.com/2013/02/07/panama-residence-program-means-you-have-no-excuses-anymore/

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The Easiest Country to Get Citizenship In

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“The answer to ‘Which country is the easiest to get citizenship in?’ is not necessarily a simple one and will depend on individual factors. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.  Generally speaking for most people, though, the easiest, fastest, and least costly path to obtaining a citizenship in another country and a second passport is through a citizenship-by-ancestry program. Each country that has such a program has its own eligibility requirements and procedures.  Of course, you have to be lucky enough to have verifiable heritage in the select countries that offer such programs.  In fact, Italy’s citizenship-by-ancestry program is how I attained my second passport.”

http://www.internationalman.com/articles/the-easiest-country-to-get-citizenship-in

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Bill Bonner on the Alex Jones Show (2014/08/07)

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BillBonner

“On today’s show, Jones welcomes author and economist Bill Bonner to speak about his latest book Hormegeddon, a work describing what happens when you have too much of a good thing in a public-policy context.”

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U.S. Hikes Fee To Renounce Citizenship By 422%, to $2,350

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“Now, the State Department interim rule just raised the fee for renunciation of U.S. citizenship to $2,350 from $450. Critics note that it’s more than twenty times the average level in other high-income countries. The State Department says it’s about demand on their services and all the extra workload they have to process people who are on their way out.  Apparently, dual citizens in Canada trying to shed their U.S. citizenship have created a backlog at the U.S. consulate in Toronto that stretches into the third week of January 2015. A decision to expatriate should never be taken lightly. Taxes or not, it can be a big step. And around the world, more people are talking about taking it.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2014/08/28/u-s-hikes-fee-to-renounce-citizenship-by-422/

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U.S. traveler finds feds kept a 76-page file on him, including credit cards

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“The 76 new pages of data, covering 2005 through 2013, show that CBP retains massive amounts of data on us when we travel internationally. My own PNRs include not just every mailing address, e-mail, and phone number I’ve ever used; some of them also contain:  The IP address that I used to buy the ticket; My credit card number (in full); The language I used; Notes on my phone calls to airlines, even for something as minor as a seat change.  The breadth of long-term data retention illustrates yet another way that the federal government enforces its post-September 11 ‘collect it all’ mentality.”

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/07/ars-editor-learns-feds-have-his-old-ip-addresses-full-credit-card-numbers/

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