Pure Luck

---

Buying and selling of citizenship is today a global industry worth an estimated $25bn a year

you are born into it, you deserve it, and you can lose it. Increasingly, you can also you into investing your way.

"it" is the nationality of the respective country, and it is a Fluid term than ever before. 50 Years back, and it was not unusual for countries to dual citizenship, but it is now almost universal.

More Than half of the Nations of The World citizenship have now-by-investment programs. According to one expert, a Swiss lawyer, Christian Kalin, a global industry worth $25bn (£20bn) is now a year.

Mr. Kalin, who has the nickname of "Mr Pass", is The Chairman of Henley & Partners, one of The World 's largest players in this fast-growing market. His Global Business is helping wealthy individuals and their families to acquire residency or citizenship in other countries.

He says that our traditional conceptions of citizenship "out of date". "This is one of The Few things in The World that is tied to Blood Lines , or where they are born," he says. He argues that a change of thinking very much.

The government of The Pacific island state of Vanuatu , they sell a Pass for about $ 150,000

"It's super unfair," he says, explaining that where we are born, is by no means on Our Own abilities or talent, but "Pure Luck ". "What is wrong with respect to the citizenship as a membership," he adds. "And what's wrong with admitting, talented People who will help?"

There are those who support his argument. But for many, the idea of the passports, tied to the identity, are not in some way a product, the sit well.

We, the state followed a citizenship path to The Tiny Pacific island state of Vanuatu . Since the country introduced its new citizenship scheme four years ago, an explosion of interest has seen. The passes now provide the largest source of state revenue.

For many aspiring Vanuatu passport holders, the biggest attraction is the visa-free travel in the whole of Europe.

Most of the foreign recipients of Vanuatu passports never set foot in the country. Instead, you can apply for your citizenship in the overseas offices, such as the licensed Vanuatu citizenship broker, PRG Consulting, based in Hong Kong .

Hong Kong is one of The World 's largest citizenship marketplaces. In a cafe in the Hong Kong airport, we met the citizenship of agent MJ, a private business man who helps a growing number of on the Chinese mainland, obtain a second or even third Pass.

"no longer feel safe [in China]," he says of his customers. "You want to open up access to Europe, a Bank account, to buy real estate or businesses. "

MJ says that many wealthy Chinese use Vanuatu passport to Europe

the citizenship in a competitive global market, and for many small and island States, in particular in The Caribbean - The Price for a passport is around 150,000 dollars. The cost for a Vanuatu passport is said to be the same level.

How much does it cost to buy a passport?

A Vanuatu passport, MJ explains, is to organize "as fast" (you get in only 30 Days ), and that helps make it a popular choice. But Mr Kalin and others warn that Vanuatu has a reputation for corruption. As a result, Henley & Partners, and other not with the Vanuatu citizenship program.

However, this does not stop the interest from China. A few years ago in Hong Kong TV channels broadcast catchy TV commercials to promote Vanuatu citizenship, is aimed at the area of the steady stream of visitors from the mainland.

So how many Chinese customers are actually visiting Vanuatu , after receiving the citizenship? Maybe you will in 10 guesses MJ.

Port Vila the capital of Vanuatu , and a city of contrasts. The roads are often flooded and scarred holes with a punch. There is not a single traffic light, but traffic jams made worse by the growing number of shiny four-wheel drives.

It is a tax haven, and recently in the EU "black list" of countries about transparency and corruption.

the Land of The People known as Ni-Vanuatu were officially recognized as citizens of the country has reached in 1980, when the independence. It used to be an Anglo-French condominium called the New Hebrides, and the People are scattered over a chain of More Than 80 Islands.

Less than 40 Years ago, they were stateless. A fact that is not lost on the former Prime Minister , Barak Sope .

Former Prime Minister Barak Sope says that Vanuatu 's citizenship program is a "betrayal"

"I don't have a passport until 1980," he says, sitting in a hotel and casino on Port Vila 's main street. "I had to gave up the trip with a piece of paper of The British and French to me. It was humiliating. "

Mr Sope says it is a "betrayal" to sell for Vanuatu , citizenship, and points to The Flood of Chinese investment in the region. "The Chinese have so much more money than we do," he says, annoyed.

The Chinese investments criticized by locals as Mr Sope , who complain that Chinese companies keep all The Money , and only the use of Chinese workers.

Vanuatu 's all male government, one of only three countries in The World where women are excluded entirely from the policy, was not interested in speaking with us about your citizenship Schema. But we tracked down government appointed a citizenship agent, Bill Bani, who explains his view on the initiative.

Bill Bani says that the citizenship scheme is an important opportunity for Vanuatu to make money

"We have to see Vanuatu on a global scale," he says. "Other States not to sell passports to earn their living, we have a lot of natural resources. It brings a lot of money to Vanuatu . "

But for the mainly rural population in the policy is very controversial, since its inception in the year 2015.

Anne Pakoa, a community leader, shows us a typical village of corrugated iron huts. It is only 10 Minutes drive along a dirt road from the shops and restaurants of the capital, but The World feels far.

Anne says that the municipalities see The Money from the passport sales, despite promises that the scheme would allow the reconstruction of infrastructure and homes after the devastating cyclone Pam in 2015.

Anne Pakoa says that the rural villages have not seen any of The Money

"died by Our ancestors for our freedom. Now People are wearing the same green passport I have to wear? $150.000? Where is The Money ? I think, this has to stop," she says.

Susan, Another Woman from the same village, shows us a dirty well. "I want to offer that to the government, a running faucet, so that The Children can take a shower, and drink clean and safe water," she says.

world trade

More from the

With the demand from the Chinese market is booming, Dan McGarry, who runs The Local newspaper, says it will be hard to imagine a change in policy in the foreseeable future.

Passport sales now for More Than 30% of the country's revenue, according to Dan. "For a tiny country like ours, this is a great thing. But we must ask ourselves, is what we fought for? Is that right? It is right to sell our hard-won sovereignty to the highest bidder?"

It is A Question of fighting the many countries, not only in Vanuatu , with in an increasingly globalised world. But as Mr Kalin, Henley & Partners, says: "citizenship through investment, and investment, migration, programs are nothing More Than a mirror image of a world, where everything is more liquid, has become. "

Two radio documentaries that accompany this story on the BBC World Service and

citizenship, asia pacific, china, eu citizens, passports, vanuatu

Source of news: bbc.com