Ten of the world’s most popular investor immigration schemes
By International Adviser, 17 Nov 15
With investor immigration programs rapidly rising in popularity around the world, the Global Investor Immigration Council publishes its latest report giving an overview of a number of investor visa schemes.
Singapore has offered routes to permanent residency for investors since 1979.
These programmes were offered through Singapore’s Economic Development Board and were specifically targeted at proven investors who could boost Singapore’s economy.
In 2004, Singapore launched the Financial Investor Scheme (FIS). Unlike previous schemes, the FIS allowed investments in financial assets such as bank deposits, capital market products and collective investment schemes.
While the option to invest passively made the new programme more appealing, the requirements for the scheme were higher than existing programs at the time.
Investors were required to have a net worth of S$20m (around $12m at the time) and invest S$5m ($3m at the time). The scheme was later modified to allow S$2m of the S$5m to be invested in selected real estate options.
In 2010, the minimum total investment was doubled to S$10m (£4.6m, €6.6m, $7m).
Singapore’s monetary authority ended the FIS scheme in 2012, amid concerns of the impact of the influx of wealthy immigrants on asset prices and the property market.
Stricter requirements
Permanent residence in Singapore remains available under the Global Investor Programme, which has much stricter requirements for the investor’s background.
Applicants must have a successful entrepreneurial background and must own at least 30% of a company with revenues exceeding S$50m ($37.5m, £24.7m, €35.3m) on average over the previous three years.
Applicants must invest S$2.5m in Singapore. This can either be in forming a new business or expanding an existing one, or in an approved fund that invests in Singapore-based companies.
Singapore has not released statistics on the uptake of its investor immigration programmes. The current scheme’s strict criteria may make it an unattractive options for many.
However, for those wishing to relocate or form a family base in Singapore, particularly those from less stable Southeast Asian countries, it may remain a serious option for prospective immigrant investors.
Tags: Visa
