Maxim Levoshin

Category: Citizenships

  • Caribbean passports are rapidly turning into pumpkins

    Caribbean passports are rapidly turning into pumpkins

    First of all, let’s already recognize that we live in an extremely fickle world. True diversification is at least 3 different citizenships. Any state can go crazy, any bonus can be canceled

    Secondly, the era of investment citizenships for donations to “cocoa fund” states is coming to an end. Bank accounts on Caribbean passports have long been out, now it’s the turn of visas. For any regulator, Caribbean = person got documents without international checks and obvious distrust of such schemes

    How do investors diversify safely? Choose quiet stable stories with real business or real estate investments. The most accessible country for Russian passport holders is Paraguay

    Stable +40 outside the window all year round, stable citizenship for those who really invest in the country’s economy, stable 0 questions at the border and in EU and US banks.

  • On the first day after his inauguration, President Donald Trump

    On the first day after his inauguration, President Donald Trump, with one stroke of a pen, abolished citizenship by right of soil, for children of illegal alien parents. That is, for anyone who came to the U.S. on a tourist or other short visa, including temporary work visas. Or somehow else magically flew over the wall and ended up in the country. Previously, all newborns were instantly granted citizenship and a bonus lifetime tax subscription to the U.S., regardless of the parents’ status.

    Prosecutors in 22 states are already outraged, Mr. President, you can’t change the constitution in one day, and have sued, watch with popcorn for developments. Those who were going to be born in the U.S. this week are out of luck, I sympathize.

    What’s my point? Our world is a set of windows of opportunity constantly opening and closing.

    Two years ago you could get Argentine citizenship by birth very cheaply, now you can still get it, but the cost of living has skyrocketed above Europe, and all the other features of South America have remained as they were.

    Last week you could get US citizenship, this week you can’t.

    Spain’s golden visa for buying real estate worked a year ago – now rapidly closing.

    Whatever your passport replacement plan is, don’t delay and go implement it now.

  • Argentina has a quick and easy legalization process, and the passport is the 11th strongest in the world

    Argentina has a quick and easy legalization process, and the passport is the 11th strongest in the world

    Argentina has a quick and easy legalization process, and the passport is the 11th strongest in the world, excellent affordable (including free) medicine, education – the University of Buenos Aires is among the 10 best in the world, locals love children and are tolerant of newcomers, a huge number of events, including art and music (Billie Eilish came in the summer, for example), unique purest nature – ocean, glaciers, volcanoes, mountains, whales, ski resorts, lakes, steppes and forests. Inclusiveness and 100% tolerance to minorities and any other social groups.

    Excellent climate, cheap gasoline, fruits, vegetables, the best restaurants in the world for the price of McDonald’s in neighboring countries: a huge steak in the capital restaurant – $10, a kilo of strawberries $2, nanny/driver/gardener/chef – $2-3 per hour.

    The capital itself – Buenos Aires – is buried in greenery, with convenient pedestrian and bicycle paths, parks and copybars, squirrels and hummingbirds right in the center of the city.

  • I continue to tell you what different Latin American countries are cool for life and business

    I continue to tell you what different Latin American countries are cool for life and business

    Last week’s series was about Argentina (you know where the link is), and today I will tell you about a country you are probably hearing about for the first time: Paraguay.

    This is where and why do people go here? Imagine throwing a dart into the center of South America. The most accurate will hit Bolivia (but you don’t need to go there). The wise ones will have a little shake of the hand and the dart will land a little lower – just in Paraguay.

    What’s Paraguay good for?

    💰Lowest tax burden for individuals and businesses. 0% on foreign income. 10% rnds, 10% income tax. That said, if the words “tax residency in the Caribbean” causes the “offshore!” light bulb to go off in the regulator’s head, Paraguay is still an unpopular country that no one will have any associations about.

    💵 Special trade zone with incentives and neighboring Brazil and Argentina: you’d be surprised how many business niches are untapped in Latam, and here’s a great entry point to the mainland.

    🪪A nice bonus is the easy path to citizenship through investment (visa-free entry to Schengen!)

    🏡 And finally, Paraguay is a quiet slow distant country, which in 2024 is a big plus. If some other shit happens in Eurasia, it’ll take a week for the news to even reach Paraguay. For 400$ here you can rent a great spacious apartment in a new one with a pool and security and wait out any apocalypse. It’s warm all year round. The local Yandex store runs like clockwork, a hipster introvert’s paradise.

    And what associations do you have with the word Paraguay?

  • Argentina: two years later

    Argentina: two years later

    Nothing has changed globally, come and visit!
    Still the same easy legalization, still the same strong passport – 11th strongest in the world, still the same ruthless slow-moving bureaucracy (don’t do it at home without professional stuntmen). Still the same friendly society, tolerant of all races, nations and other modes of expression. The unique nature has not gone anywhere! Mountains, volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls – everything is still there. The whales have raised their calves and swam out into the big ocean, but they will be back by spring. The climate has not deteriorated, Buenos Aires is still as beautiful and pleases with exhibitions and music festivals.

    Yes, steaks are no longer the same: instead of $10 for a half kilo, they are now $20. Terrifying prices. And a babysitter/housekeeper/gardener is no longer $2 an hour, but $3, just brutal.

    The only good things new are a fun extravagant president who makes out on stage with pro-actresses, takes selfies with Ilon Musk, and is about to turn the economy in the direction of capitalism.

    The nice facts:

    1. My Argentine stock portfolio is up 53% in $ in six months (hello, skeptics)
    2. Banks have added settlement in dollars and crypto with no restrictions
    3. Contracts in any currency are allowed in the country, even in noncoins
    4. The national currency has strengthened, and inflation has slowed down significantly

    We are waiting for customs duties to decrease, real estate prices to rise, and we are happy to see new memes every week.

  • I have long noticed that emigration flows of techfounders are divided into two tracks

    I have long noticed that emigration flows of techfounders are divided into two tracks

    I have long noticed that emigration flows of techfounders are divided into two tracks:

    • Those who want to go to the US
    • Those who want to leave the US

    Peter Thiel recently discussed this in an interview with Joe Rogan

    1. In Covid, Thiel, like many, moved from California to Miami for the simple pleasures of humanity: lower taxes and simpler laws. The weather there is also normal.
    2. Wants to move further from the U.S., wisely notes that it’s good where we are not and the simpler countries have other problems: freedom of speech (haha, as if the U.S. has it), security, etc. Considers New Zealand and Costa Rica (obviously, the ocean is on the short list of criteria).

    Which way are you headed?

  • Everyone can get an Argentine passport, I tell you my experience 🇦🇷

    Benefits in one line: EU, UK, Japan and 172 more countries without visas, steaks are delicious, really fast and easy citizenship on another continent, beautiful mushroom on the passport cover. A great specimen for my collection!

    So what is the fast citizenship for? As they say in ancient Jewish wisdom, a child is not a luxury, but a means of transportation. There are many countries where a born baby will be given a passport. In some countries, they also give a passport to the parents. I will tell you what criteria I used to choose a country for the birth of my son.

    The choice is simple. There are 8 normal countries for childbirth: USA, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Chile, Ecuador.

    Canada and Portugal need to be planned in advance – parents must be residents before birth.

    Giving birth in the US = risks a check from the maternity hospital like a small airplane + parents only have PML + the grown baby will have problems with bank accounts around the world. Thanks, I’d rather just buy an airplane.

    In Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador, parents need to live for a few years before citizenship.

    All that remains is Argentina!

    How does it work? You enter on a rf passport together with your pregnant wife, after birth the baby gets his Argentine documents (residence + passport) within a week, the parents can immediately apply for citizenship. The fastest decisions from the court will come out in six months, the longest will be stuck for 5 years. How to influence this? Send the right requests to the court on time and come to cheer up the clerks so they don’t forget about you. Hola, señores, how are you? Just don’t do it in bad Spanish. Our team has a great experience, by code word capybara will discount those who have read to this line.

    Medicine in Argentina is excellent, wife was pleased. For ~$4k in Argentina you can give birth in a maternity hospital of Lapino level, with a separate two-room ward and a personal English-speaking doctor. By the way, Argentinians are very supportive of partner births, I was given a funny protective suit and allowed to my wife without questions.

    For those who do not want to have children in Argentina the process of obtaining citizenship is almost identical, but longer by 2 years 🙂 .

    About other joys of life in the country I have already written earlier, links in the comments. I will only say that Argentina pleasantly surprised me, it’s a place where you want to come back next European winter. Already in the status – to my home.

    Vamos, Argentina!

  • I drive my car into Armenia

    I drive my car into Armenia

    I drive my car into Armenia, the border guards look carefully at the car (Lithuanian license plates), at me, at the car again, at me again, and they say: Taaaaaak, you have a Russian passport, according to the rules of the customs union you have to leave a deposit for customs clearance of the car in cash here, $25000, you will take it when you leave the country

    Yes, yes, that’s exactly how I imagined it: I leave a cutlet at customs, two weeks later in these empty mountains the envelope is waiting for me and just comes back.

    Wait, but this is for citizens of the Russian Federation, I still have a passport.

    (Sighing longingly) then you don’t need duty, just pay a $10 gynecological fee at the bank and go through.

  • Our president, Javier Mealey, recently received a second citizenship

    Our president, Javier Mealey, recently received a second citizenship

    Our president, Javier Mealey, recently received a second citizenship – he became an express Italian according to his grandmother.

    Twitter is buzzing: children born in Italy are not given citizenship, working people who have been paying taxes for a hundred years are not given citizenship, but some upstart Argentinian who came to visit was given it in a couple of days!

    Mealey continues to popularize libertarian values and that’s fine.

    A chainsaw and some passports – a real gentleman’s kit in 2024?

  • Advantages of Diversified Citizenship: Thinking Beyond Travel and Taxes

    Advantages of Diversified Citizenship: Thinking Beyond Travel and Taxes

    Most people focus on two aspects of citizenship: the strength of the passport for visa-free travel and the tax benefits. But there’s a deeper layer to consider: where do you actually want to live if the world turns upside down?

    🌍 Life is unpredictable: pandemics, wars, natural disasters, and political turmoil can shift your reality overnight. If you’re a citizen of only one country, your options during crises are limited—you’ll scramble to get legalized elsewhere, hunt for housing, and compete with a wave of others seeking refuge.  

    🛡️ Diversify your life portfolio. Just like you wouldn’t invest all your money in one company, why rely on just one citizenship? A solid gentleman’s security set includes:  

    – Three passports from different continents  

    – Real estate in countries where you’d enjoy living  

    This way, you’re not gambling your future on one government’s stability. If one region goes bad, you’ve got backups. If two go bad, you’re still okay. If all three fail? Well, it’s time to join Elon Musk on Mars.  

    💬 So, where are you building your alternate airfield? 🌐