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Q: Is it really easy for Chinese multi-millionairres to get citizenship in the West?
China's rich have been leaving the country in droves for years so it makes me think that having a fat bank account is your golden ticket to a western passport. Is this true?
10 years 50 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
it is true for my (small) European country. A few years ago certain government ministers were prostituting citizenship for any millionaire wanting a passport. Thankfully they were sacked and now everyone has to go the same route to become a citizen.
I heard from some of my wife's family who has a lot of money that they are considering getting an Australian or Canadian citizenship, since it apparently only requires a big investment to get in those countries.
Generally there are a lot of rumors all the time, so I am not sure it is entirely true.
Having lots of money, businesses, yachts, contacts etc. does carry some weight but is no guarantee of citizenship. If you want a first class example of somebody that thought he could buy a British passport and failed, look no further than Mohammed Al Fayed.
CARLGODWIN1983:
True, but that was because he went against those in power due to events that happened and beliefs that he had. I don't particularly like the man myself, although I have friends who work for him at his home - looking after his horses. He lives in the same town as my mother.
Kaiwen:
Yes, but I believe that it was the constant refusal to grant him British citizenship that gave rise to those beliefs and dissent.
It is true for any country.
Money clearly talks.
My girlfriend works as a foreign property agent for Chinese clients who want to buy properties etc abroad for whatever reason.
I have just returned from Beijing with her after meeting four clients with her which could and should have been more but for some arguments between my gf and I. None of these clients could speak any English or understand it, yet they were buying numerous properties etc abroad in Australia and Canada.
Now, to compare this; Some news back home in the UK recently pointed out how mammothly difficult to nearly impossible it is for two people (one of whom is British) who are truly in love, are unable to take their partners back home. Usually because they don't have the minimum finance required etc.
I don't disagree with the restrictions/requirements, but why should those with money and no English be allowed to just stroll in and do as they please, when we, being foreigners in China, have to go through hell just to be able to work here to improve their narrow-minded and prejudiced people/country better?
Life is so unfair.
Life is a bitch!
Lolitta2:
I agree, life is unfair. It's a rich person's world. If you're not from the upper echelons of society, you're just going to get screwed over. It makes me sick.
Investing $500,000 in poor areas of America gets you a quick path to citizenship. You need to pay $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 in richer areas. As long as you can prove that you created at least 13 jobs, you essentially get a permanent residence card, and can eventually become a citizen.
Fleeing Chinese officials (over 20,000 in the past 10 or so years) have taken nearly 1 trillion USD abroad.
Those immigrants will learn English, unless they plan on China-towning it. However, most of them already speak it.
Hulk:
I should add: members of the communist party are exempt. They can never become citizens here no matter how much they invest.
deefoe:
I know 4 people that bought their way out EXACTLY like this and they proudly brag about being American. Meanwhile I’m doing my damnedest to help a friends parents not get deported back to Mexico (even though they have paid taxes to the gov’t for over 30yrs) Its really messed up.
DaqingDevil:
Hulk's figures are correct and my question is this: The welcoming governments of these countries to which these corrupt Chinese officials fled knew where the money came from so why didn't they stop them?
Pretty easy to answer that isn't it? $$$$$$$ 
Hulk:
Exactly. The U.S. government is pretty corrupt as well. Somewhere along the line, the government started making the people work for them, rather than believing the government works for the people.
Or, they know that by accepting these people, they'll further destabilize China. Many officials have already traded substantial amounts of information to our government here, in addition to cash.
ambivalentmace:
you just have to swear on an affadavit that you are not or never have been a member of the communist party to get green card and citizenship. the lazy beaurocrats in america will never check so you can still be an american.
now if you have pictures of yourself and docuements in newspapers showing your a communist, someone could report you and have your passport taken away and sent back home, unfortunately the liberal press in america loves socialism and communist , so this rarely happens.many chinese girls have married americans and immigrated their parents and the father was in the chinese army 30 years ago, the father just lies on the affadavit, i have first hand knowledge of this from several friends married in america
Famous athletes (e.g. certain Chinese gymnasts living in Switzerland), famous scientists (e.g. Nazi war criminals that know about rockets), famous rockstars, and anyone with loads of money can basically do what they want. That's how the world works - normal people get downtrodden by their "betters". Get used to it.
Those planes leaving China are filled with Chinese. How often have you been seated next to a foreigner? Just try and get a visitor visa if you are not rich. Oddly the planes going back to China are filled with Chinese.
cooter:
Haven't sat next to a Chinese on a plane in a while. Thank god for FF upgrades 
Yes, many countries have investor immigrant programs that require hundreds of thousands in investment. One Canadian province cancelled their program though because none of the participants were fulfilling their end of the bargain, surprise, surprise.
http://thetyee.ca/News/2012/11/21/BC-Foreign-Investment-Review/
Not only for super rich Chinese, just in general. Russian wealth also 'buys' their European citizenships.
I think it is strange it is still people thinks it is remarkable that money buys everything.
Welcome to the world of capitalism.
Easy, yes very easy. You can buy Spanish property over 500,000 EUR and you halfway of European citizen. (don't know or you like Spain)
Invest 1.5 million AUD and Permit Residence in Australia is waiting for you in Melbourne or Sydney. (don't know or you like Australia)
Invest 300,000 EUR and Cyprus accept you with big welcome at the airport lounge. (do you want it?)
Monaco, than you need to show very good credentials, but also possible. 
money talks for people that have a little money also ,not just the super rich.
my cambodia passport was 25000 dollars, the ecuador was buying a 30000 house and a good lawyer.
if your interested in that sort of thing.
escapeartist.com
many americans are getting 2nd passports to avoid the new financial disclosure rules for foreign banks this year and america makes you pay taxes on money earned abroad over about 95000 dollars and you have to report your income of any kind even if you havent lived in america for years.
so america has just created a new industry for 2 nd passports from the law of unintended cosequences. some will be scams but some will be legit.
last year , 2 middle age foreign teachers here divorced , married each other as an arrangement , the american gets a british passport and no foreign tax on his income. and the british woman get american passport to get residence and send kid to college without out of state fees for 2 kids. and she can work 10 years in the usa earning at least 1100 dollars reported per quarter for 40 quarters and get a second retirement check. one from britain and one from the us.
not a bad deal if you can find a female who uses logic not emotion and treats marriage as a financial contract, almost like the chinese business contract , i mean marriage contract.
rasklnik:
As I make less than 20,000 USD a year, I worry less about taxes and more about dinner.
if your not that rich in china, there is a shortage of nurse professors in america, so you get a masters in nursing, about 5 years of school in philipines and you can immigrate automatically to america on special field in demand visa, the school would be about 30000 dollars for 5 years and some good english speaking ability, but the chinese never take this option.
they could go to medical school in india and be immigrated instantly as a doctor to america or canada , about 7000 dollars a year, rich people may have money but not that smart, just lazy.
you would think with the shortage of doctors in america, more chinese doctors would go to philippines or india to get to america but i guess its to much trouble.
