Original, fact-checked analysis on second passports, golden visas, retirement visas and citizenship by descent.
The visual companion to Episode 1 of the Abroadbase podcast: thirty-six slides of thresholds, tax rates and residence rules for Hong Kong and Singapore, each one traced to the government department that publishes it — and three places where the official guidance says nothing at all.
Published 2026-09-24
Every citizenship-by-investment programme on the market in 2026, with the 2026 figures corrected and a tax analysis attached to each — from São Tomé at USD 90,000 to Austria at EUR 3–10 million. Covers Turkey's new twenty-year foreign-income exemption, Malta's abolition after the CJEU ruling, US travel restrictions on two Caribbean states, and the EU's request that all five Caribbean programmes phase out by 2028. The argument throughout: citizenship almost never changes where you pay tax — residency does.
Published 2026-08-28
A federal court struck down the 75-country visa bar, the Supreme Court reaffirmed birthright citizenship, DHS put a four-year cap on student visas, and immigrant visa interviews were paused worldwide. Traced back to the statutes, rules and rulings themselves: the legal standard for who may immigrate has barely moved — the discretion, the delay and the cost of a paperwork mistake have.
Published 2026-08-28 · United States
Retirement visas don't all ask for the same thing. Some want a monthly pension, some a bank deposit, some invested capital — which makes a single ranking misleading. Here are 18 programs grouped by requirement type, with the real 2026 figures.
Published 2026-08-02
Germany's public universities charge little or no tuition, and a degree there opens a clear, well-trodden path: an 18-month job search, a fast-track EU Blue Card, permanent residence in about two years, and citizenship in five. Here's how the pieces fit.
Published 2026-07-22 · Germany
Qatar quietly opened a ~US$200,000 property route to residency — well under the UAE Golden Visa's ~US$545,000 entry, in a zero-income-tax Gulf state with title and residency reportedly issued in days. Here's how the two stack up, and where the catch is.
Published 2026-07-16 · Qatar
Speed matters when you're planning a second passport or residency. Here are the programs with the shortest documented processing times in 2026, ranked honestly — with the trade-offs laid out clearly.
Published 2026-07-01
From $30,000 in Nicaragua to $432,000 in Greece, golden visa costs vary enormously. Here are the eight cheapest investor residency programs open in 2026, with honest analysis of the trade-offs for each.
Published 2026-07-01
Many countries restrict dual citizenship, so for their nationals the right move is often a residency visa — not a second citizenship. Here are eight well-regarded programs across four continents, ranked by minimum investment, that let you hold a foreign residence permit while keeping your current passport intact.
Published 2026-07-01
Greece's real-estate Golden Visa now runs €400,000 in most regions and €800,000 in prime zones. The old €250,000 tier survives only for niche conversion and heritage projects.
Published 2026-06-24 · Greece
Lebanon's draft golden visa has cleared committee but not Parliament, and asks for half a million dollars to settle in a frozen economy. We explain who it affects and why open Caribbean citizenship routes remain the safer comparison.
Published 2026-06-24 · St Lucia
A California union floated cutting its proposed wealth tax from 5% to 2%, and Governor Newsom refused. Here's how the mobility debate connects to the US Gold Card — now live at $1M, which makes the state-tax question immediate.
Published 2026-06-24 · United States
Lebanon is proposing an investment residence program with tax perks for $1 million investors. Here's who it fits, the real risks, and the cheaper, faster alternatives.
Published 2026-06-24 · St Lucia
Greece approved a 2026–2035 housing strategy that would refocus its Golden Visa on long-term rentals. Here's who it affects, and why the FIP retirement visa may be the steadier route.
Published 2026-06-24 · Greece
China does not recognise dual citizenship. But that doesn't mean a second passport is off the table — it just changes which route you should take and what you must be prepared to give up.
Brussels is preparing new limits on tourist visas for Russian citizens after a failed drone attack at Leipzig airport. Here's who it affects — and why a work-based route like Germany's Opportunity Card is a more durable plan than a short-stay visa.
· Germany
China's State Council has issued updated regulations on how people enter and leave the country. Here is what the rule covers and who should pay attention.
· China
Thai police arrested 24 undocumented workers at a Chinese-run data centre site in Rayong. Here's how a legal long-stay route like the Destination Thailand Visa differs from working without status.
· Thailand
Portugal's president has signed a new Foreigners and Asylum Law, days after the Constitutional Court cleared it. Here's how the changes touch the Portugal Golden Visa — and the realistic alternatives.
· Portugal