Sovereign Citizenship: Important Considerations

So the day has come, you are in the right financial situation, hear about International Living your entire life, as well as explored vast regions of the planet and been debating on the Expat move for over a decade. Added to the tropical dream factor of your vision, the issues of living the same way you had lived, for the as long as you can remember, was highly unlikely to remain the same as it always was, matter of fact…. The awakening happened there was some peaceful paradise out there, somewhere, plus the likelihood arose that the future could become bleak if the economic experts are correct.

Well there we have it. The time has come to become a Sovereign Citizenship and anonymous. Here are some things you need to learn.

Legality The single most important consideration when evaluating the usefulness of an alternative sovereign citizenship is that it be legal in every respect. That fact may seem obvious, but the proliferation of fly-by-night passport fraud operations requires not only this reminder, but strict adherence to it when making second passport plans and decisions.

If you are going to expend a considerable sum of money to acquire a second citizenship and then use a second passport as your basis of personal international movement, you should demand that these documents and your status be in strict accord with the constitution and laws of the issuing nation.

A few countries actually do have provisions in law that give the head of government or other government ministers discretion regarding the granting of citizenship to foreign nationals in exceptional cases. But even then, if criminal bribery is involved, the person acquiring the passport may face revocation of this previously granted citizenship after a subsequent political change in the issuing nation’s government. Persons with such documents frequently are subject to blackmail by being forced to pay further “fees” later on. That’s why it is imperative that second citizenship must be firmly based upon clear provisions in the existing law of the issuing nation.

International Recognition Before you acquire it, be certain that the passport is one that commands widespread acceptance and prestige in the international community. If the document is not likely to be recognized by most other countries, it is worthless from the start.

The prospective second passport client most at risk is one lured into an “instant” or “immediate” passport deal that promises to waive residency requirements and grant quick citizenship. Immediate passports are a favorite lure for attracting unsuspecting and ill-informed would-be buyers who need and want a quick passport, but haven’t done sufficient investigative groundwork and due diligence.

Do You Need A Lawyer? There is something to be said for dealing directly yourself with the officials of the nation from which you seek a second citizenship. This can be done at the appropriate embassy in your nation’s capital city or at a local consulate. Information and applications can be obtained by phone or fax. But that assumes you have the time, expertise and patience to go the often tedious bureaucratic route that can take months or even years. Working directly with diplomatic and consular officials eliminates the middleman and may lessen the chance of fraud or mistakes. But it is better to employ an experienced attorney, an established, reputable professional who specializes in immigration and passport matters. These experts usually know the legitimate shortcuts and have personal acquaintances with the involved foreign nation officials. That can speed your application and approval process considerably.

We’ll continue to add to this article, as we’ve just scratched the surface. Please leave a comment if you have any specific questions, and/or follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/offshoremaven