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> In addition to Russia and France, Durov is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. So four citizen

> In addition to Russia and France, Durov is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. So four citizenships? It's getting hard not look at this as dodgy.

odiroot 2y ago
It's a billionaire thing.
- docdeek 2y ago
  I’m a citizen of three countries. I don’t know that it is all that unusual to have multiple citizenships, particularly for the very rich (a group I am most deinfitely not a part of) who might access citizenship via investment in a country.
  - throwaway48540 2y ago
    > access citizenship via investment in a country. I guess that's what they mean by "it's a billionaire thing"
    - jazzyjackson 2y ago
      To be clear anyone with a few million in savings can take on multiple citizenships as a hobby, maybe OP just considers it table stakes for billionaires, as in, why wouldn't you. St kitts and Nevis is only a quarter mil, tho I don't know what benefit that would confer unless you're coming from a country without visa free travel And for what it's worth, UAE citizenship is not for sale directly, you have to actually live there long term Nice table on this page: https://www.globalcitizensolutions.com/citizenship-by-investment/ https://www.globalcitizensolutions.com/citizenship-by-invest...
      - which 2y ago
        Residency is pretty much for sale in the UAE. However it is virtually impossible to be naturalized in the UAE through the official route. Most of the country is foreign born and there are lots of benefits to being a citizen so this deliberate. It requires something like 30 years of uninterrupted residency. Most people who get it are basically granted citizenship by a king. That’s why when you look at the list of Emiratis on Wikipedia the ones who aren’t Arab are almost entirely elite athletes and businessmen with political connections. It’s interesting that France and the UAE granted him citizenship and hacked his phone together.
- klibertp 2y ago
  No, it just needs some time and effort, and you need a good lawyer (I remember lcamtuf writing about it on his blog). You just need a residence (even if it's a coach (or basement) at your friend's) in a country for a few years; you need to visit periodically and ensure your lawyer is advancing your case. 3-5 years later (depending on the country, of course), you get citizenship and a passport. It's absolutely doable without too much of an effect on your financials if you work in tech or a similarly well-paid job. If you do this consistently over the years, you'd have 3-4 passports by your forties. Unfortunately, people under forty rarely seem to think that far ahead. I'm personally starting to really worry about retirement, but I'm too old and too ill now to jump ship like that... BTW, I'd like to send you a private message - is the `pro` (at) your.domain a good way to do that?
  - odiroot 2y ago
    Try forklibertp.numerous400@passmail.net and write something strangers wouldn't know :)
sandworm101 2y ago
>> It's getting hard not look at this as dodgy. Well, if he dodges this warrant by fleeing, Telegram will be persona non grata across western Europe.
jazzyjackson 2y ago
I feel like it only comes across as dodgy because of the jason-bourne genre of spy flicks where agents have stacks of passports and alternate identities What's dodgy about having multiple countries consider you respectable enough ( slash rich enough ) to issue you citizenship?
- BlueTemplar 2y ago
  I seem to remember that Russia considered multiple citizenship as illegal ?
elzbardico 2y ago
It is not that hard. I have my birth citizenship. But my grandpa was an Italian, so it entitled me to obtain Italian citizenship. My wife's grandpa and grandma are portuguese, so this entitles her, and me as her husband to portuguese citizenship. And I am not rich as Mr Durov, if I was, probably I'd have a few more passports for business and tax purposes.
- martopix 2y ago
  St Kitts and Nevis is notorious for giving out citizenships to those who can afford to 'invest'
  - edm0nd 2y ago
    For the curious: OPTION 1. Donate to the Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC) Your SISC donation to the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis must be at least $250,000 as a single applicant. Additionally, this rises to $275,000 if you include an extra dependent under 18. Furthermore, if you add a dependent over 18, you will pay $300,000. OPTION 2. Invest in Property The Developer’s Real Estate Option requires you to invest no less than $400,000 in an approved real estate development. Consequently, you must own the property for at least seven years. Furthermore, it can only be resold once, to a new CBI programme member. In contrast, an Approved Private Home, either a condo or single-family dwelling, qualifies as a CBI option. In this case, you must pay at least $400,000 to the condo owner and $800,000 to the single-family dwelling owner. Subsequently, you have to own the private home for at least seven years. Following this, you can’t resell your real estate investment to a CBI applicant unless Federal Cabinet approves. Ultimately, you must inject substantial extra investment by way of construction, renovation, or any other improvements. OPTION 3. Contribute to an Approved Public Benefit Project Invest at least $250,000 in a project that boosts local employment and, also, transfers all real estate to the State on completion. src: https://www.riftrust.com/citizenship-by-investment/st-kitts-and-nevis https://www.riftrust.com/citizenship-by-investment/st-kitts-...

odiroot 2y ago

It's a billionaire thing.

docdeek 2y ago
I’m a citizen of three countries. I don’t know that it is all that unusual to have multiple citizenships, particularly for the very rich (a group I am most deinfitely not a part of) who might access citizenship via investment in a country.
- throwaway48540 2y ago
  > access citizenship via investment in a country. I guess that's what they mean by "it's a billionaire thing"
  - jazzyjackson 2y ago
    To be clear anyone with a few million in savings can take on multiple citizenships as a hobby, maybe OP just considers it table stakes for billionaires, as in, why wouldn't you. St kitts and Nevis is only a quarter mil, tho I don't know what benefit that would confer unless you're coming from a country without visa free travel And for what it's worth, UAE citizenship is not for sale directly, you have to actually live there long term Nice table on this page: https://www.globalcitizensolutions.com/citizenship-by-investment/ https://www.globalcitizensolutions.com/citizenship-by-invest...
    - which 2y ago
      Residency is pretty much for sale in the UAE. However it is virtually impossible to be naturalized in the UAE through the official route. Most of the country is foreign born and there are lots of benefits to being a citizen so this deliberate. It requires something like 30 years of uninterrupted residency. Most people who get it are basically granted citizenship by a king. That’s why when you look at the list of Emiratis on Wikipedia the ones who aren’t Arab are almost entirely elite athletes and businessmen with political connections. It’s interesting that France and the UAE granted him citizenship and hacked his phone together.
klibertp 2y ago
No, it just needs some time and effort, and you need a good lawyer (I remember lcamtuf writing about it on his blog). You just need a residence (even if it's a coach (or basement) at your friend's) in a country for a few years; you need to visit periodically and ensure your lawyer is advancing your case. 3-5 years later (depending on the country, of course), you get citizenship and a passport. It's absolutely doable without too much of an effect on your financials if you work in tech or a similarly well-paid job. If you do this consistently over the years, you'd have 3-4 passports by your forties. Unfortunately, people under forty rarely seem to think that far ahead. I'm personally starting to really worry about retirement, but I'm too old and too ill now to jump ship like that... BTW, I'd like to send you a private message - is the `pro` (at) your.domain a good way to do that?
- odiroot 2y ago
  Try forklibertp.numerous400@passmail.net and write something strangers wouldn't know :)

sandworm101 2y ago

>> It's getting hard not look at this as dodgy. Well, if he dodges this warrant by fleeing, Telegram will be persona non grata across western Europe.

jazzyjackson 2y ago

I feel like it only comes across as dodgy because of the jason-bourne genre of spy flicks where agents have stacks of passports and alternate identities What's dodgy about having multiple countries consider you respectable enough ( slash rich enough ) to issue you citizenship?

BlueTemplar 2y ago
I seem to remember that Russia considered multiple citizenship as illegal ?

elzbardico 2y ago

It is not that hard. I have my birth citizenship. But my grandpa was an Italian, so it entitled me to obtain Italian citizenship. My wife's grandpa and grandma are portuguese, so this entitles her, and me as her husband to portuguese citizenship. And I am not rich as Mr Durov, if I was, probably I'd have a few more passports for business and tax purposes.

martopix 2y ago
St Kitts and Nevis is notorious for giving out citizenships to those who can afford to 'invest'
- edm0nd 2y ago
  For the curious: OPTION 1. Donate to the Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC) Your SISC donation to the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis must be at least $250,000 as a single applicant. Additionally, this rises to $275,000 if you include an extra dependent under 18. Furthermore, if you add a dependent over 18, you will pay $300,000. OPTION 2. Invest in Property The Developer’s Real Estate Option requires you to invest no less than $400,000 in an approved real estate development. Consequently, you must own the property for at least seven years. Furthermore, it can only be resold once, to a new CBI programme member. In contrast, an Approved Private Home, either a condo or single-family dwelling, qualifies as a CBI option. In this case, you must pay at least $400,000 to the condo owner and $800,000 to the single-family dwelling owner. Subsequently, you have to own the private home for at least seven years. Following this, you can’t resell your real estate investment to a CBI applicant unless Federal Cabinet approves. Ultimately, you must inject substantial extra investment by way of construction, renovation, or any other improvements. OPTION 3. Contribute to an Approved Public Benefit Project Invest at least $250,000 in a project that boosts local employment and, also, transfers all real estate to the State on completion. src: https://www.riftrust.com/citizenship-by-investment/st-kitts-and-nevis https://www.riftrust.com/citizenship-by-investment/st-kitts-...