Читать книгу Global Residence & Citizenship Handbook - Christian H. Kälin - Страница 29

The following table provides an overview of some of the questions to ask when moving to another country.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Transport and accessibility	How good is general accessibility in the country including public transportation, train connections, domestic air travel, and condition of the roads? How good are the travel connections by road, air, rail or sea to other countries?
Utilities	Are the cost, access, quality and reliability of electricity, gas, water and waste services satisfactory? Is public water clean/safe to drink?
Telecommunications, IT, Internet	Are the telephone systems, mobile phone networks, broadband internet access up to date? Are the quality and availability of IT-support services acceptable?
Access to services	How good is access to standard services such as local banks, post office, grocery stores, shopping malls, etc.?
Medical facilities	Are there reliable and modern hospital facilities? Is there free access to medical services? Are there any waiting times? What is the access to medical specialists? Are private medical facilities available and is access restricted?
Social security	Is there a mandatory social insurance scheme? What is the contribution level and is it in fact an additional tax? Is there a mandatory health insurance scheme?
Civic facilities	Are there civic facilities such as parks, playgrounds, city halls or public libraries available?
Entertainment	What entertainment, cultural, sport and outdoor activities are available? Is there a good choice of cinemas, restaurants, bars, clubs etc.? Are there recreational clubs such as golf, sailing, polo and tennis?
Education	What is the reputation of local schools and universities? Is private education readily available? Are there international schools? How do the education system and the schools rank globally?
Child care	Are there good public day nurseries/after-school care facilities? Are private nannies and au-pairs easily available?

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

Geographic location	Is your new home centrally located in the region; is there a larger city in the vicinity? If your home is in a large city, are green spaces and recreational areas easily accessible? Are there any issues/problems with neighboring countries that could lead to conflict or war?
Climate	Is the climate to your liking? Number of sunshine hours per year? Average temperatures (summer/winter)? Is the area prone to winds and changeable weather?
Pollution	How clean is the environment and what are the levels of pollution of air, water, soil etc.?
Natural hazards	Is the place susceptible to flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes or other storms, earthquakes, heat waves, avalanches, landslides or heavy snow?
Industrial hazards	Are there any nuclear power or chemical plants in your area? Are there other factories or production sites that may affect you? (Industrial smells, dust, hazardous products etc.) Is your new home located in the flight paths of nearby airports?

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Currency and capital restrictions	Stability of local currency, exchange controls? Are there export of capital restrictions?
Government and political stability	Is there a stable government and political environment? What is the political culture like? Are there frequent protests? Strikes?
Cost of living	What is the cost of living? Are import duty exemptions possible?
Banking and financial services	Are high-level banking services easily available? Can the local banking and financial services industry support your personal investment and business requirements?
Trade restrictions	Are there trade restrictions that could hamper international business dealings (i.e. repatriation of capital restrictions)?
Copyrights and patents	Is there a robust protection for copyrights and patents?
Company governance	Is it easy to incorporate and operate a company? Are corporate laws, regulations, taxes etc. mature and efficient? Are minority shareholders’ rights protected?
Public and private corruption	Is there any public or private corruption? Is it difficult to do business legally without having to bribe or use other illegal means?

PEOPLE, CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE

Language	What is the local language? Do people speak English, or which other languages?
People	Are you moving to an open and liberal society? Are the people friendly and welcoming, non-discriminatory? Are there social tensions or harmony between different ethnic or other groups in the society?
Culture and religion	Is there uniformity or diversity in the community with regard to religion, ethnicity? Are there places of worship particular to your religion in the country? Is there discrimination against your own culture/religion?
Gender and minority issues	What is the status of women in society? Are there restrictions in public life for women or for people of certain ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc?
Civil rights and freedoms	Is there freedom of speech, religion, language, press, political expression, information etc.?
Quality of living	What is the overall quality of living in the main cities and the countryside? How do the main cities and the country compare globally in terms of quality of living?

RESIDENCE PERMITS

Application procedure	What are the minimum time and requirements to apply for a residence permit?
Ease	Is it easy to become a legal resident? Are there many steps required, interviews, visits to the country?
Physical presence	Are there any minimal physical presence requirements to maintain legal residence status?
Time to Permanent Residence status	What are the conditions and the minimum time required to obtain Permanent Resident status?
Cost	What is the cost to obtain and maintain the residence permit (including tax considerations)?
Visa-free travel	As a resident, are there any visa-free travel benefits irrespective of citizenship?
Status	Does residence in the country provide international social status benefits?
Revocation	Under what circumstances can residence permits be revoked/not renewed?

CITIZENSHIP

Time	What is the minimum time of residence required to apply for citizenship?
Ease	Is it easy to become a citizen or restrictive? Does the country traditionally welcome new citizens (e.g. Canada) or is it restrictive (e.g. UAE)?
Language	Are there strict language requirements?
Other restrictions	Are there other restrictions on becoming a citizen (e.g. sub-national restrictions, cultural, ethnic, etc.)?
Visa-free travel	Do citizens enjoy good visa-free travel?
Cost	What is the cost to obtain and maintain citizenship?
Obligations	Does citizenship come with burdensome obligations (e.g. military service, taxation)?
Status	Does citizenship provide national or international social status benefits?
Revocation	Under what circumstances can citizenship be revoked?

LEGAL AND TAX

Taxation	What is the taxable base and rate of taxation of the following? • Income and capital gains taxes • Net wealth and property taxes • Inheritance and gift taxes Are there good tax planning options?
Matrimonial and divorce law	Will pre-nuptial agreements be recognized in this country? What impact does residence in the country have on a possible divorce filing?
Real estate market	What is the state of the real estate markets (residential, commercial)?What is the availability of residential real estate for rent and purchase?
Real estate acquisition	Is it easy to acquire property? What are the transfer duties payable? Are there any restrictions on buying or selling?
Estate planning	Are there forced heirship rules?Can you use trusts or foundations?Do you need to adjust your will and other instruments of succession planning?
Licensing, business permits	How easy is it to set up a business? Are there license and permit rules that one must abide by, i.e. license for carrying out a profession, driver’s license, boat license etc?
Law enforcement and courts	How effective is the local law enforcement?Is there a reliable legal system?Can claims be effectively pursued in court?