AMERICANS ARE BUYING UP CBI PASSPORTS: THEY ARE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE

 

This week, I saw yet another one of those "infomercials, " commercials artfully placed on Internet websites, masquerading as news articles. It's disinformation, readers, because when individuals think that they are clever in acquiring a document attesting to a second nationality, they unwittingly are complicating their lives; Here's why.

1. A CBI passport, the vast majority of which are issued by the five East Caribbean states ( St. Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia and Grenada) and Malta, paints a bulls' eye on the back of the recipient. Why, you ask. All of the aforementioned countries are, or have been, tax havens. This means that tax cheats, white collar criminals, corrupt foreign government officials, and other dodgy individuals also have bought one at the same jurisdiction where you purchased yours. Don't you think that makes all such holders of interest to the world's law enforcement agencies, who are tasked with enforcement of their country's criminal laws, especially money laundering ? Do you really want to be placed in the same category as those career criminals, and possibly new subject to luggage searches when you travel, or having your passport photocopied, and perhaps even questioned at length ? I doubt it.

2. The CBI passport doesn't really give you visa-free entry to countries that you are most likely to visit, in Europe for example, or in the English-speaking world. Why did you spend all that money to purchase it ? As a status symbol, perhaps. You cannot easily use it to enter the United States, and you will certainly invite serious scrutiny if you attempt it; you will need a visa; how are you going to pull that off at a US embassy abroad, as they will find out immediately who you are, a US citizen.

3. All the supposed reasons the articles state are bogus; America's political turmoil, the desire to travel anonymously and low profile, ease of entry as the holder of a passport from a Commonwealth of Nations jurisdiction passport, none of the slick reasons proffered are valid.

4. Given that the nations issuing those CBI passports generally do not follow either the Rule of Law, or Due Process, your visits to your adopted country could actually result in your illegal detention, the levy of a fine or civil penalty, if you are operating a business there. without any legal redress. You may also be the victim of injustice when you suffer a loss, or are a victim, as the result of your contact with a local citizen or company, especially if it is closely aligned with the ruling party in power. And by the way, the local jurisdiction can cancel your passport, and citizenship, for a variety of reasons, in a ruling that you cannot appeal from.

5. The US isn't about to let you off the hook on taxes, either. Americans must pay income taxes on their worldwide income, and try to give up your US citizenship; it's a landmine of complicated tax issues that you do not want to navigate. 

All the polished sales techniques of the international CBI consultancies aside, you do not want to buy a potential carload of issues that you did not anticipate when you took possession of that shiny new passport. Remember, these consultants are not your lawyers;  they do not dispense legal advice to you, and their sole motivation is a large commission. Avoid them, and the purchase of a CBI passport, as a educated consumer who rejects unsuitable purchases.