Get Dual Citizenship or Second Citizenship and become a citizen of.....

Test for Citizenshp

2011-08-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

Individuals who wish to apply for citizenship under the second citizenship programme offered by the Government of Dominica are eager to know whether there is a test for citizenship or whether there is a citizenship exam.

Fortunately, no written test or exam exists. However, individuals must complete three main forms:

Application Form 12
Disclosure Form
Medical Questionnaire

Application Form 12 and the Disclosure Form are to be notorized and the Medical Questionnaire is to be completed by a registered medical doctor.

Additionally, there exist a test of character in the form of due diligence and an interview.

Citizenship Interview

All applicants are subjected to an interview in order to qualify for dual citizenship. The location of the citizenship interview is determined by the applicant. The interview for second citizenship is conducted in English, however, a translator is provided for non-English-speaking applicants at a fee.

The interviewing panel consists of 3 persons: one official from each of the following Ministries; Ministry of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Nationality Security and Ministry of Finance.

Interview questions for citizenship under Dominica's second citizenship programe fall within these categories:

Dominica ( social, political and economic life; geography and history)
Personal (personal information and eligiblity; purpose of dual citizenship;contribution to Dominica; allegiance)

All payments must be made before the interviews can take place. In cases where applicants fail the process a refund is made.

Caribbean Offshore Services Corp. (www.tryoffshore.com): WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN DECIDING ON DUAL CITIZENSHI...

2011-07-27T13:08:00.000-07:00

Caribbean Offshore Services Corp. (www.tryoffshore.com): WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN DECIDING ON DUAL CITIZENSHI...: "The decision to obtain a second nationality is an important one. Prospective applicants often seek some guidance to help ensure that they ar..."

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN DECIDING ON DUAL CITIZENSHIP

2011-07-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

The decision to obtain a second nationality is an important one. Prospective applicants often seek some guidance to help ensure that they are making the right decision. Below, I highlight a few of the main issues that should be considered when selecting choice of country for dual citizenship:

COST

The overall cost of the dual citizenship application may be a key determinant in obtaining a second passport. The various options (single or family), package deals, sourcing relevant personal documents, processing fees, stamps, travel related to interview, background check, passport application, shipping of documents etc. all generate costs which need to be factored in.

OFFEROR

The country issuing dual citizenship is another important factor when deciding on getting a second passport. The political and economic environment of the offering country must be considered as well as its reputation internationally.

ACCESSIBILTIY

People desire dual citizenship for various reasons including travel and business. Therefore, of paramount importance is the benefit to be derived (in terms of accessibility to others countries) from having such a passport.

AGENT

Most countries offer dual citizenship via an agent or agents. It is imperative to select one with experience and good repute. Government recommendation, suggestions from friends etc. are important sources to tap into.

REQUIREMENTS

The criteria for eligiblity for second citizenship vary from country to country. One must be satisfied or comfortable with the enquiries, demands or requests in regards to the application. This does not mean, however, that one should option for a country which does not perform due diligence or vice versa.

SPEED

When planning to spend a sizeable sum of money on becoming a citizen of your chosen country the speed in processing your application is crucial. Once your money has departed from your hands you would like to have that second passport immediately. Provided all requisite documents have been submitted on time, the process should not take more that three (3) months. So, please ensure that you sign and submit the necessary forms, accompanying documents etc.

This list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to add your suggestions to it.

http://www.tryoffshore.com/

Go ahead - Apply for Citizenship

2011-06-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

The process to acquire citizenship from the Commonwealth of Dominica is not unduly long. An application for dual citizenship begins with the securing of a promoter, agent or retainer and the appointment of an agency to perform due diligence investigations on the applicant's behalf. Completed application forms along with the relevant supporting documents and stipulated fees are submitted by the retainer to the Government Department responsible for processing the documents. The application is scrutinized.

Afterwards, the Government Department issues a comfort letter to the retainer. When that letter is received the stipulated economic investment is paid into the Citizenship account and notification of the deposit (indicating the name of the investor) is sent to the Manager of the Government Unit. An interview (conducted in English) then follows. There is flexibility with regards to the location for the interview. The successful application is forwarded to the Ministry of National Security, Immigration and Labour – the unit responsible for granting economic citizenship.

If the application is finally approved, the applicant signs the Oath of Allegiance before a Notary Public, Justice of Peace or Commissioner of Oaths and pays a registration fee. A certificate of Naturalization is forwarded to the agent or applicant. [It is only at this point that the economic investment paid by the applicant is drawn by the Government]. The applicant or agent then applies for a passport. Passport application is made to the Immigration Office, Police Headquarters. The entire process takes approximately eight (8) weeks.

Caribbean Offshore Services Corp. (www.tryoffshore.com): Second Citizenship - For Whom?

2011-05-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

Caribbean Offshore Services Corp. (www.tryoffshore.com): Second Citizenship - For Whom?: "It is a very mixed group of people who are interested in Dominica's second citizenship programme these days. Firstly, t..."

Caribbean Offshore Services Corp. (www.tryoffshore.com): The Future of the Caribbean

2011-05-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

Caribbean Offshore Services Corp. (www.tryoffshore.com): The Future of the Caribbean: " The Caribbean Islands conjure up, to most, a picture of sea, sand, sun, fun and frolic. To the Uk and US governments, the Caribbean island..."

Caribbean Offshore Services Corp. (www.tryoffshore.com): A case for dual citizenship or a second passport

2011-05-19T12:01:00.000-07:00

Caribbean Offshore Services Corp. (www.tryoffshore.com): A case for dual citizenship or a second passport: "We have all watched in horror at the events which unfolded in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and more recently the earthquake and resulting Tsunami i..."

Second Citizenship - For Whom?

2011-05-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

It is a very mixed group of people who are interested in Dominica's second citizenship programme these days.

Firstly, there are those applicants whose own national passport is worthless as a travel document. By this I mean they can visit very few countries without visas, and such visas are difficult to obtain with their national passport.

Secondly, there are others who, although not falling in the first category, desire, mainly for security reasons, to use a different passport to travel to certain countries.

Thirdly, there are some who are concerned about the long term stability of their own country and wish to hold Dominica Citizenship as a "fall back" position. This is the most surprising group because included in this group are applicants not only from countries which are generally recognized as unstable potentially unstable but also from the countries which one would never consider to be in that category. Applicants from these latter countries are becoming increasingly disillusioned and pessimistic with the state of affairs in their countries. They fear the worse and want to have another country they can call home if their fears were to happen.

Another group consists almost exclusively of wealthy business people who have resided and have done business in third countries which will, nevertheless, not grant them nationality status. These people cannot or do not wish to return to their country of origin and require a country to call their home.

Then, finally, there is the "miscellaneous" group - applicants who for very peculiar and all very legitimate reasons require a second nationality or passport. These applicants provide the most interesting stories.

Succession Planning - A different perspective

2011-04-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

Succession Planning is usually associated with the corporate world. Entrepreneurs and senior members of corporations make plans to secure a successor for their exit from these companies. Their exit may be due to retirement, illness or otherwise. Elaborate succession plans are drawn up to facilitate a smooth transition in order to ensure the continued maximization of the value of the business. Such plans are supposed to be attainable, realistic and measurable.

That is the corporate world! How many of us undertake succession planning in our personal life? We are absorb with bequeathing to our offsprings the wealth we have amassed throughout our life, but what values are we instilling in our children so that they, in turn, can pass on to the next generation? Of much concern in the corporate world is the comportment of generation Xers. Their lax attittude to work, their unbridled desire to have everything "now"...... Is this a result of the technological advancement or is it a consequence of parents' attempt to bestow on their children the material things they had been deprived off in their youth and, as a result, this current generation does not know anything about responsible and work to earn?

The muslim world is ensuring the survival of their religion and culture at any cost. In Europe, traditional churches have been closing their doors due to lack of attendance and the insufficient number of priests. In communities in France and the Caribbean, Catholic priest have been recruited from West Africa. In the UK, Churches are being turned into pubs. Throughout Europe and the US and the Caribbean divorce has been on the increase and the number of children born to single parents has never been higher.

So what then are the succession plans or guidelines regarding our spiritual wellbeing,work ethics, life, love, discipline we bequesthing to this generation to ensure the continuity of our genes, customs, religion, culture this planet?

Lessons from the Middle East uprising and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant

2011-03-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

As we watch events unfold in the Arab world, particularly in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, and as we helplessly wait and watch, dreading the potential catastrophic outcome of the spread of radiation from the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan if its container vessel casings pop, I realize that there are a few lessons to be learned from those situations.

1. Long term leadership is archaic
Democratic governments like drug traffickers know that change is the name of the game. Decisions must be quick and actions swift but never loosing sight of one's raison d'etre. There is something inherently wrong with one individual ruling a nation for twenty plus years. To most westerners living under a state of emergency for one year is incomprehensible much less for over ten years as was the case in some of these Arab states. Times have changed and continue to change. The changing times calls for a change in leadership providing new perspectives. Operating on concepts, ideologies and strategies of the 1920s, 40s, 50s or 60s is absolutely delusional.

2. Being proactive is best
Most books on management emphasis the importance of being proactive as opposed to being reactive. An effective leader needs to be a visionary, among other characteristics. Clearly, this has not been the case in the Arab world. Why would leaders of some of those Arab countries make reforms in the wake of events taking place in their neighboring countries? Why could these reforms not have taken place years or (decades) earlier?

3. Keep the masses happy
Whether we perceive the masses to be daft, stupid or clueless about their constitutional rights or the lack thereof it is imperative to keep the masses happy. Distributing the nation's wealth only among the leaders' cronies, supporters and military while the rest of the population lives in dire poverty is a recipe for social unrest.

4.The world is more connect than ever before
As we continue to destroy our world through our inconsiderate actions we get an insight into how connected we all are. Radioactivity linked to the crippled nuclear power plant in Japan is alleged to have been discovered in the UK. Although the Japanese government has tried to assure everyone of the low health risk associated with the radiation leaks and the safety of food in and around Japan, Japanese remain suspicious.

The Future of the Caribbean

2011-03-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

The Caribbean Islands conjure up, to most, a picture of sea, sand, sun, fun and frolic. To the Uk and US governments, the Caribbean islands seem like constantly buzzing mosquitoes they keep trying to swap but somehow allow miss. Over the past two centuries the Caribbean Islands seems to have narrowly survived but what of the future of the islands in these changing economic times?

The Independent Train departed the islands in the early 1980's. Any island that missed the independence bandwagon may have lost a great bargain or have they? Mismanagement of public finance in the Turks and Caicos Islands, an overseas British territory, forced the British Government to retake control of the islands. The British Government has also layout milestones which must be attained before elections can take place in those islands and their subsequent return to the people of Turks and Caicos. In other British Overseas Territories such as The British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Montserrat, Premiers and Chief Ministers are scrambling to avert a repeat of the Turks and Caicos situation.

What then of those independent islands? Since their attainment of independence the islands have faced a myriad of challenges including, but not limited to, social, economic and political. Governments of these islands have struggled over the years with improving the economy of the islands. Most of the islands have diversified from mono-cultural agrarian societies (dependent on sugar cane and banana exports) to ones in which the main sector is tourism or more recently offshore financial sector, notably the establishment of trust companies.

The governments of the islands have looked on helplessly year after year as the tourism sector in the Caribbean takes whippings from various forms of natural disasters. With resources in increasingly shorter supply, countries such as Cuba opening up (nudged by the change in leadership and relaxation of travel restrictions by the US) and holiday seekers drawn to cheaper vacation spots closer home one questions the viability of the islands' tourism sector.

Equally vulnerable is the dwindling agricultural sector in the Caribbean. Over the years diversification and urban expansion have resulted in lesser agricultural land available for profitable farming and the inevitable increases in food imports throughout the Caribbean. Professor Dr. Leonard O'garro laments that small scale farming has left the islands unable to compete internationally because of the constraints on high volume output.

On the social front, the UK and the US having been deporting hundreds of criminals back to the Caribbean. In most cases, the criminals had left the Caribbean as toddlers and have no immediate family residing in the islands. Moreover, the criminals had been convicted and served time in the various US and UK penitentiaries for crimes the like of which are unheard of in the Caribbean. Caribbean Governments lack the infrastructure, the human resources and the wherewithal to deal with such criminals. Needless to say, the nature of crimes in the islands is changing. gang violence, gunning down of victims, sophisticated arm robbery, increase drug trafficking, witnesses' fear of giving evidence are rife in the Caribbean today.

Information that the British warship which has been patrolling Caribbean waters for decades (curbing drug trafficking in the region) is to be discontinued is not welcome news. However, as the current economic crisis forces nations worldwide to re-examine their policies and strategies with an aim to improving efficiencies and cutting cost one wonders how will the Caribbean islands continue to survive!

A case for dual citizenship or a second passport

2011-03-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

We have all watched in horror at the events which unfolded in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and more recently the earthquake and resulting Tsunami in Japan. The rising water levels produced by the Tsunami have been noted as far as the Caribbean. One begins to wonder, perhaps for the first time, about the prophetic nature of the movie 2012 directed by Roland Emmerich and starring John Cusack, Amanda Peet and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Faced with these social, economic and political challenges currently experienced worldwide and compounded by natural disasters, nationals within the affected areas (and those outside) are reconsidering their citizenship. Likewise, countries are revisiting their legislation on immigration and citizenship in an effort to stem the brain drain taking place in their countries or to improve economic development. In a number of instances, obtaining a second citizenship requires renouncing the citizenship of their original country in the case of South Africa. Although China does not allow dual nationality, there is some flexibility with India . The Constitution of India does not allow dual citizenship but it grants OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) to Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) who possess citizenship other that of Pakistan and Bangladesh and whose nationalities allow dual citizenship.

In the Caribbean, the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica offers dual citizenship or dual nationality through its Economic Citizenship Program which involves a cash investment, due diligence and an interview. No residency is required, however, application for dual citizenship must be done through a government agent. An official agent for its dual nationality program is Caribbean Offshore Services Corp.. For the Arab World , dual citizenship is also available.