The hidden way to buy a Swiss Residence Permit as Non-EU Citizen (2018)
The Swiss residence permit is a little-known benefit attached to the Citizenship by Investment Program
As a Non-EU Citizen, it is close to impossible to get a Swiss residence permit and move to Switzerland. The Swiss Immigration system is based on the dual system: EU Citizens and Non-EU Citizens. How do I become a Swiss resident as a Non-EU Citizen? Close to no chance for a Non-EU Citizen.
However, I discovered a little-known and smart way for Non-EU nationals to move to Switzerland legally. My clients from Russia, the Middle East and China are more than happy with my elegant solution. You can be a Swiss resident within 3 months.
4 Ways to get the Swiss Residence Permit
There are 4 legal ways to move to Switzerland.
How to get a residence permit in Switzerland as a Non-EU Citizen?
- The way of the super-wealthy celebrity
- The way of the job creator
- The way of the specialist who must be a genius
- The way with the new passport which is the fastest way
If you are a super-wealthy celebrity like Formula 1 pilot Kimi Räikkönen showing a wealth starting from 10 million CHF and more, you can apply for the lump-sum taxation scheme based on the living expenses to get the Swiss residence permit.
The second option is to set-up a Swiss company creating jobs for local people. Everything is expensive in Switzerland, as you may know. You need to invest much money in your Swiss start-up company. You have to present a credible business plan. The scheme with the Swiss company to move to Switzerland has been missed in the past. The Swiss authorities are very vigilant and super strict.
There is also a third option if you are a specialist. The company hiring you must bring documentary evidence that they did everything imaginable to find a specialist in the entire European labor market and that they failed and now they found you. Now, you don’t have to be Mr. Einstein to imagine that the qualifications requested by the Swiss authorities are at a very high level. In other words, you must be a sort of a genius like Einstein to become the Swiss residence permit. To qualify for my scheme to move to Switzerland you do not have to be a celebrity, not a multi-millionaire investor and not a genius like Einstein.
Swiss residence permit for EU citizens
EU Citizens can easily apply for the Swiss residence permit and relocate to Switzerland without a Swiss visa. There are extensive international treaties on a person’s right of free movement Switzerland signed with the EU. As an EU Citizen, you can immediately work in Switzerland. You need a job with a service agreement and an apartment contract for the immigration authorities. That’s very simple.
The hidden way…
Let’s come to the hidden way. All you have to do is to buy a Cyprus passport and become an EU citizen within 3 months. As soon as you will be a new Cyprus EU Citizen you can move to Switzerland, to the UK or any other place in the EU. The Cyprus Passport solution is an ingenious solution for Russian, Arab and Chinese citizens.
The EU criticized the Money for Passport scheme in Cyprus. The bureaucrats in Brussel can do nothing against. In my view, their criticism is unfair. In 2013, when no one was interested in investing in Cyprus, the offering of the Citizenship was seen as a fair gesture, as a compensation for those who have suffered millions of losses and many were Russians. In 2017 Cyprus accepted 1013 new Citizens based on the Citizenship by Investment Program.
What are the requirements for the Cyprus Passport with the Citizenship by Investment Program?
I recommend filing 2 applications simultaneously – one for the residence permit and one for the Citizenship. If the issuance of the passport will be postponed you can already live in Cyprus until the more severe due diligence procedure for the Citizenship by Investment will be accomplished.
How big will be the investment in real estate?
You have to invest 2.5 million EUR in residential property, government bonds, in Cyprus companies or a mix of them. At least 500’000 EUR must be spent in a permanent residence to preserve the ties to Cyprus but you are not obliged to live in Cyprus. This is a unique competitive advantage offered by the Cyprus Citizenship by Investment program. There are low risks of investments in the Cyprus economy with the potential of high returns. The investments may be realized after 3 years. Since 2013, the Cyprus Golden Visa Scheme generated 4 billion EUR of investments.
How long does it take to get a Swiss residence permit and obtain the new passport?
That’s a significant competitive advantage compared to other programs because it opens the door to the Swiss residence permit. Norway or the UK or any other country in Europe will become accessible two. There are no requirements of residence in Cyprus after having obtained the passport. The authorities in Cyprus are marketing the Program as the fastest Citizenship Program with a procedure of 3 months only.
A few months ago, the fast track express procedure was abolished. The authorities declared to invest more time in the due diligence procedure to make sure to onboard candidates with an impeccable reputation. What is also brand new is that the due diligence procedure will be executed directly by the Cyprus authorities and not anymore by local agencies. They only accept applicants with good character and no criminal records. The Cyprus passport is also one of the world’s fastest guaranteeing visa-free travel-access to 157 countries. Another unique benefit is that the investor’s parent can apply for citizenship if they buy a permanent residence worth EUR 500’000.
The allegations of Transparency International and the European Union
Granting residency or citizenship has always been an honorable tradition since the times of the Roman Empire. Even 2000 years ago, it was very expensive to acquire Roman citizenship. Within the last 2 weeks, Brussel wants the crackdown of the Cyprus Passport Citizenship by Investment Program. EU politicians criticized the Cyprus government for having aggressively promoted the controversial Citizenship by Investment program on-boarding criminals with corruption money.
The NGO Transparency International accused the authorities in Cyprus for having created a severe security risk for Europe. Transparency International criticized Cyprus of running a secret program without disclosing the numbers. The numbers have been kept secret until a few months ago. Due to the aggressive interventions of Giorgos Perdikis from the Green Party in Cyprus asking for transparency the numbers have been published. 3’300 passports have been distributed since the inception of the program. More than 50% are the citizens of the Russian Federation.
WARNING! Avoid faceless Passport Agencies!
Mr. Caputo shows in this Video – How to get fast a Cyprus Passport with Citizenship by Investment
The Swiss residence permit opens the door for a win-win situation
Now, it’s time to move to Switzerland as a new EU citizen with the Cyprus passport in the pocket. As an EU national you qualify for a Swiss resident permit. You are entitled to live and work in Switzerland. Immediately after arrival, we will register yourself with the municipality of your place of residence. We will apply for a Swiss residence permit within 14 days after arrival and prior to taking up work. We will present a valid ID card or passport and a valid employment contract. The Swiss residence permit for non-employed persons requires sufficient funds on the bank account. The health insurance policy which also covers accidents is mandatory.
What we can do for you
We will support you find the best insurance companies protecting you and your family members. Business owners can start their own business. We will set-up a Swiss company and employ you with your company. Nothing can stop you anymore. We will help you to find the best place for your residence. We know from previous cases how important other factors like infrastructure, health, private schools are.
Are you bringing your personal belongings with you when you move to Switzerland? We do the customs paperwork when you move to Switzerland and not later on. It’s duty-free if you are importing everything simultaneously when you arrive in Switzerland. We will present you the employment contract or the rental agreement to prove that you are living in Switzerland. It’s much easier to make an inventory listing all sorts of goods and cross the border during regular opening hours.
Family reunification benefits
In Switzerland, you have a unique family reunification benefits. If you hold a Swiss residence permit, your spouse, children and grandchildren, parents and grandparents are authorized to join and live with you in Switzerland. We will optimize your tax situation and save substantial amounts. Changing the country of residence is one of the best tax optimization opportunities. You can save a fortune with good professional advice.
Big discrepancies in taxation between Cantons and Municipalities
Be alerted. The Swiss tax system has a 3 level taxation system. The Swiss government in Bern, the Canton and the municipality will tax you. There are big discrepancies in taxation between the Cantons and the municipalities.
[ A mistake you should avoid ]
It’s very easy making big mistakes choosing the village of fiscal residence if you are not previously informed on the tax treatment. For such an important decision you should take professional tax advice. I will tell you exactly on the cent which are the most tax efficient Cantons and municipalities in Switzerland before you start with the application for the Swiss residence permit. Investing some time for the exact calculation is a remunerative investment.
The Swiss Tax Agencies are very open discussing your specific tax situation. We will negotiate a tax ruling for you in case you are expecting a large payment in connection with future big business. A tax ruling is an agreement in writing with the tax authorities. You will know in advance how much tax you will pay for a specific transaction. Count on us and you will pay less at the end of the day. The procedure for obtaining the Swiss resident permit can be combined with the negotiations for an advantageous tax ruling.
A part of the Swiss population is demanding more restrictions in connection with the Swiss residence permit and the Swiss passport. If your plan is moving to Switzerland, do it as fast as possible. Nobody knows if the law will change in the near future. It’s never too early to move to Switzerland. If you don’t start the application for the Swiss resident permit, it may be too late.
If your plan is moving to Switzerland with the benefits of lump-sum taxation, please give me a call. I will explore with you personally in my office or on the phone if you qualify for the benefits. If you do not qualify, I will explore some alternative solutions for you. There is always a solution. Believe me.
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Be rich and stay rich. Have a wonderful day.
