BlackBelt

Hi all,

This is my first post here. I've been researching about the Caribbean countries for a while. Some offer permanent residency through investment, for example:

Bahamas: If you buy real estate of at least USD 500,000

Cayman: If you invest at least USD 1 million

St. Kittis: If you donate USD 350,000 to the government or buy a real estate appointed by the government and keep it for at least 5 years

etc.

I'd like to know if anyone here lives or has lived in the Caribbean using this route, to talk about the bureocracy, time it took, etc.

Thanks.

indyexpat

My experience of this route (in several countries including Grand Cayman) is to invest in a business and have a Caymanian (local) employee. The opportunities are wide open with their lack of red tape (Cayman). Examples - holiday rental (landlord has the legal rights to lock out the occupant if payment not made). Scooter rental (bought from China). Branded clothing (or copies, like golf shirts, mens fashions). No red tape on copies, lax import duties and no tax - all cash in your pocket. Importing to satisfy their shortages, lumber is one (they get all the 'junk' from Tampa). I've had fingers in these sorts of pies for years. Paying the government is a loss of return on capital invested and it works but makes poor financial sense. If you're not looking to run a business, others can do this for you. If interested drop me a message. All the best.

BlackBelt

Thanks for sharing your experience and ideas. As a matter of fact, me and my wife would be delighted to open business in other countries (we are self-made entrepreneurs). However, I got very confused in reading the requirements for opening and operating businesses in other countries. For instance, if you open a business and want to work on your own business, it seems that you need a work permit. (Some countries don't allow foreigners to be business owners.) Also, all information I read so far regarding work permits is targeted to people with regular jobs (and the mentality that comes with it), not to entrepreneurs. Maybe you could throw some light here for me?

Thanks!

Pistolpete2

St Kitts is the only one I am aware of and it is citizenship not residency and the terms are slightly different from the way you had outlined them to be:

http://stkitts-citizenship.com/?gcli...FQe87Qod_T9FaQ