In the world of global mobility, “if you don’t have your docs, you can’t pack your socks.”
Could you apply for a foreign visa or residency and leave your country in a hurry if needed?
For most countries, no, not unless you have an original or certified copy of your vital documents.
Plus…for most European and Latin-American countries, those vital documents also need to be apostilled (a higher level of authentication).
If you don’t have your certified docs, you probably aren’t going anywhere.
This applies whether we’re talking about citizenship by investment, citizenship by descent, digital nomad visas or even family-based permanent residency applications.
Among clients who come to me, I estimate maybe only 15-25% or so have certified copies of their vital documents and nearly none of them
have them apostilled.
This is what I call a “document dependence” issue.
Document dependence is being eligible, in theory, for a mobility asset but not having the documents needed to apply. When someone is in a hurry, this document dependence causes an enormous bottleneck that can delay them by months. Depending on why they need to leave, the bottleneck can be devastating.
That’s why I suggest that all Plan B/prepper/self-sufficiency minded individuals assemble their personal document archive AHEAD OF TIME.
When done right away, this can put one in a position to apply for a foreign visa, residency or citizenship right away.
What should the personal document archive include?
Ideally, 3 certified copies of your vital documents:
- Your birth certificate
- Your marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Your divorce decree (if applicable)
- Your childrens’ birth certificates
Plus your important non-vital documents:
- Your valid passport(s)
- Your certificate of naturalization (if applicable)
- Your valid state or national ID/driver license
- Your valid social security card (if American) or equivalent
Of the 3 certified copies of your vital documents, 1 of each should be apostilled.
A background check is required for many countries to issue a visa, residency permit or citizenship but they usually have a limited period of validity (90 days and 6 months are common periods).
It doesn’t make much sense to obtain a background check and apostille it ahead of time unless you are sure you want to leave soon. In that case, you can obtain recurring background checks every 3 months or so and send them for apostille so that at all times, one is either recently completed (with apostille, if necessary) or an apostille request is pending.
In any case, get the certified documents, scan them, and put the originals in plastic sleeves inside a nice leather or faux leather binder (available on amazon for $30).
Marvel at it as your proof of bureaucratic work.
#freedomofmovement #dualcitizenship
