4 ms·

So I'll ask the obvious question: Why does Austria ask for $24M for citizenship instead of just denying it?

by vortico 8y ago

TomMarius 8y ago
Why would you waste an opportunity to gain $24M? What would be the point of denying it?
- vortico 8y ago
  I don't know, but the other 200+ countries seem to have that answer.
  - TomMarius 8y ago
    Do they? Can you cite? AFAIK they just don't offer it.
- Cthulhu_ 8y ago
  A country is NOT a business, and there's international treaties and whatnot to consider - what if a terrorist were to buy their way into an Austrian citizenship? What if a wanted US criminal escapes to Austria and hides behind their Austrian citizenship? There's more factors here than just money.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
  - TomMarius 8y ago
    Yes, exactly, there are many things to consider and I never even suggested that money is the only factor - but you will definitely gain nothing (and not just money, the individual might e.g. start a business in your country) if you straight-up refuse. I have no idea how any of it relates to the legal status of the government, if that's what you mean by business; governments definitely do operate for profit (and again, not just monetary).
  - dsfyu404ed 8y ago
    > what if a terrorist were to buy their way into an Austrian citizenship? Well it would probably work for a short while but if the terrorist matters enough (any terrorist that can come up with 24M probably does) back room politics would happen, said terrorist would wind up being extradited and Austria would get to keep the 24M and whatever they negotiated from the nation the terrorist is being extradited to.
jgh 8y ago
Because they can make $24 million by selling some rich people citizenship. Normal plebes like us have to go the usual route of getting a job, getting permanent residency after a few years, and then applying for citizenship.
- ataturk 8y ago
  Wow, that really drives home the point about how the super rich live in a completely different reality than the rest of us.
ryanmercer 8y ago
Because they can I imagine. You can go a LOT of places visa-free with an Austrian passport (looks like 173 countries) and it looks like your immediately family gets citizenship too. They also don't appear to have a residency requirement, some require many months or a year even with citizenship via investment.
ada1981 8y ago
Because $24M > $0
vegardx 8y ago
I would guess that it's a relic of the past, the European Parliament does not like the practice. You've been able to buy a passport from both Austria and Cyprus since long before they joined the union. Malta seems to be the odd ball out. I guess they've had their reasons for looking through the fingers.

So I'll ask the obvious question: Why does Austria ask for $24M for citizenship instead of just denying it?

TomMarius 8y ago

Why would you waste an opportunity to gain $24M? What would be the point of denying it?

vortico 8y ago
I don't know, but the other 200+ countries seem to have that answer.
- TomMarius 8y ago
  Do they? Can you cite? AFAIK they just don't offer it.
Cthulhu_ 8y ago
A country is NOT a business, and there's international treaties and whatnot to consider - what if a terrorist were to buy their way into an Austrian citizenship? What if a wanted US criminal escapes to Austria and hides behind their Austrian citizenship? There's more factors here than just money.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- TomMarius 8y ago
  Yes, exactly, there are many things to consider and I never even suggested that money is the only factor - but you will definitely gain nothing (and not just money, the individual might e.g. start a business in your country) if you straight-up refuse. I have no idea how any of it relates to the legal status of the government, if that's what you mean by business; governments definitely do operate for profit (and again, not just monetary).
- dsfyu404ed 8y ago
  > what if a terrorist were to buy their way into an Austrian citizenship? Well it would probably work for a short while but if the terrorist matters enough (any terrorist that can come up with 24M probably does) back room politics would happen, said terrorist would wind up being extradited and Austria would get to keep the 24M and whatever they negotiated from the nation the terrorist is being extradited to.

jgh 8y ago

Because they can make $24 million by selling some rich people citizenship. Normal plebes like us have to go the usual route of getting a job, getting permanent residency after a few years, and then applying for citizenship.

ataturk 8y ago
Wow, that really drives home the point about how the super rich live in a completely different reality than the rest of us.

ryanmercer 8y ago

Because they can I imagine. You can go a LOT of places visa-free with an Austrian passport (looks like 173 countries) and it looks like your immediately family gets citizenship too. They also don't appear to have a residency requirement, some require many months or a year even with citizenship via investment.

ada1981 8y ago

Because $24M > $0

vegardx 8y ago

I would guess that it's a relic of the past, the European Parliament does not like the practice. You've been able to buy a passport from both Austria and Cyprus since long before they joined the union. Malta seems to be the odd ball out. I guess they've had their reasons for looking through the fingers.