<p>In recent years, offering citizenship or permanent residencies has grown to become a lucrative business opportunity for countries. With more and more countries joining the list of those that offer immediate citizenship, people have a chance at moving beyond borders, more than a tourist.</p>

<p>Here is a list of countries that sell their citizenship, if you have the money to buy it:</p>

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<p>Countries and their citizenship program (Table) (WION)</p>
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<ul>
	<li><strong>Bulgaria</strong></li>
</ul>

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<p>A pedestrian walks past a puddle near a tree decorated with Christmas lights in Sofia, Bulgaria (AFP)</p>
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<p>Allows: Visa-free travel to 153 countries<br />
The country ties up your cash for 5 years interest free. It will take two years to get the passport and you will be required to visit Bulgaria twice. Residence is granted only after a clean background check. Bulgaria is only one of two countries where the principal amount can be returned to you.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Hungary</strong></li>
</ul>

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<p>Sz&eacute;chenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest, Hungary (Others)</p>
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<p>Allows: Visa-free travel to 152 countries<br />
It has one of the fastest application processes, which can be completed within 30 days. It is a guaranteed investment plan that can be returned after 5 years. The passport gives free movement throughout Europe&#39;s Schengen zone.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>St. Lucia</strong></li>
</ul>

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<p>St Lucia, Caribbean Island (Others)</p>
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<p>Allows: Visa-free travel to 121 countries and 180 days in the Schengen area<br />
Instead of paying the amount, you could also invest $550,000 and get a passport immediately. The capital will be returned in 5 years. &nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Cyprus</strong></li>
</ul>

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<p>Paphos castle at night in Cyprus (Others)</p>
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<p>Allows: Visa-free travel to 166 countries<br />
Cyprus is the third smallest nation in the European Union. It started its citizenship program after the country faced a severe economic recession in 2013.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Dominica</strong></li>
</ul>

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<p>Typical landscape near the sea along the eastern coast of Dominica (Others)</p>
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<p>Allows: Visa-free travel to 91 countries<br />
It is the least expensive of all the passports in this list.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Antigua and Barbuda</strong></li>
</ul>

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<p>Antigua, Carlisle Bay, Caribbean (Others)</p>
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<p>Allows: Visa-free travel to 132 countries</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>St. Kitts and Nevis</strong></li>
</ul>

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<p>View of St. Kitts from a ship on the coast (Others)</p>
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<p>Allows: Visa-free travel to 132 countries, which includes Brazil as the latest addition<br />
St. Kitts and Nevis recorded the highest number of passport sales in the last year. Just pay the money or invest in property and you will be given a passport without even a visit.&nbsp;</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Grenada</strong></li>
</ul>

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<p>Grenada (Others)</p>
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<p>Allows: Visa-free travel to 110 countries<br />
It is the second passport on this list apart from St. Kitts that is not necessarily on everyone&rsquo;s radar and where transaction can be completed in private.</p>

<p>In many nations, foreigners can now purchase citizenship legitimately in return for an investment. There are, however, two forms of residency programs - one that is immediate and one that entails &ldquo;staying for a minimum period of time.&rdquo;&nbsp;The recent spurt&nbsp;in the number of applications&nbsp;for residency in&nbsp;these countries has&nbsp;proven that people are increasingly&nbsp;keen to move and experience a new life in places that might be far removed from their countries of birth. This works well for these host countries too, as the influx of foreign money helps build their infrastructure and economies.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)</em></p>


Writing one cheque can give you a new identity and visa-free travel to more than 100 countries around the world

In recent years, offering citizenship or permanent residencies has grown to become a lucrative business opportunity for countries. With more and more countries joining the list of those that offer immediate citizenship, people have a chance at moving beyond borders, more than a tourist. Here is a list of countries that sell their citizenship, if you have the money to buy it: Countries and their citizenship program (Table) (WION) × Bulgaria A pedestrian walks past a puddle near a tree decorated with Christmas lights in Sofia, Bulgaria (AFP) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 153 countries The country ties up your cash for 5 years interest free. It will take two years to get the passport and you will be required to visit Bulgaria twice. Residence is granted only after a clean background check. Bulgaria is only one of two countries where the principal amount can be returned to you. Hungary Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest, Hungary (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 152 countries It has one of the fastest application processes, which can be completed within 30 days. It is a guaranteed investment plan that can be returned after 5 years. The passport gives free movement throughout Europe's Schengen zone. St. Lucia St Lucia, Caribbean Island (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 121 countries and 180 days in the Schengen area Instead of paying the amount, you could also invest $550,000 and get a passport immediately. The capital will be returned in 5 years. Cyprus Paphos castle at night in Cyprus (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 166 countries Cyprus is the third smallest nation in the European Union. It started its citizenship program after the country faced a severe economic recession in 2013. Dominica Typical landscape near the sea along the eastern coast of Dominica (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 91 countries It is the least expensive of all the passports in this list. Antigua and Barbuda Antigua, Carlisle Bay, Caribbean (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 132 countries St. Kitts and Nevis View of St. Kitts from a ship on the coast (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 132 countries, which includes Brazil as the latest addition St. Kitts and Nevis recorded the highest number of passport sales in the last year. Just pay the money or invest in property and you will be given a passport without even a visit. Grenada Grenada (Others) × Allows: Visa-free travel to 110 countries It is the second passport on this list apart from St. Kitts that is not necessarily on everyone’s radar and where transaction can be completed in private. In many nations, foreigners can now purchase citizenship legitimately in return for an investment. There are, however, two forms of residency programs - one that is immediate and one that entails “staying for a minimum period of time.” The recent spurt in the number of applications for residency in these countries has proven that people are increasingly keen to move and experience a new life in places that might be far removed from their countries of birth. This works well for these host countries too, as the influx of foreign money helps build their infrastructure and economies. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

These 8 countries sell their citizenship. Any takers?

The husband of a British woman who was killed in Pakistan has called for the UK and Pakistani governments to ensure his wife received justice, as he sought to keep the spotlight on so-called &quot;honour&quot; killings.<br />
<br />
Mukhtar Kazam presented at an emotional press conference a copy of the post-mortem report into his wife Samia Shahid`s death, seen by AFP, which said the 28-year-old had marks on her neck, and suggested she had been strangled.<br />
<br />
Kazam has branded her death an &quot;honour killing&quot;, a near daily occurrence in Pakistan in which a relative is murdered by another for bringing the family &quot;dishonour&quot;.<br />
<br />
The practice was dragged into the international spotlight earlier this month with the killing of Qandeel Baloch, a polarising Pakistani social media star.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<strong>Brother confesses to murder, calls sister&#39;s behaviour &#39;intolerable&#39;&nbsp;</strong><br />
<br />
Shahid&#39;s brother has confessed to the murder, saying his sister`s behaviour had been &quot;intolerable&quot;. Kazam sought to keep international attention on &quot;honour&quot; killings when he spoke to media assembled in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, close to the capital Islamabad, Thursday.<br />
<br />
&quot;I request the British and Pakistani governments to conduct a fair trial,&quot; he said.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Kazam and Samia, who was a dual British-Pakistani citizen, had been married for two years and were living in Dubai, police told AFP, adding that it was Shahid&#39;s second marriage.<br />
?<br />
Kazam is Pakistani, an officer told AFP. Police had initially said that he also was British-Pakistani.<br />
<br />
Kazam said his wife converted to Shia Islam, his sect, before their wedding, which had irked her parents.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
In a complaint to police, he has claimed she was murdered during a visit to her family in their village in Punjab province on July 20.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Shahid`s father has denied the charges and said he did not want an investigation, claiming his daughter died of natural causes.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Police told AFP that Shahid`s first husband, Mohammad Shakeel, is being investigated in the murder but received pre-arrest bail on Thursday.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Her parents and a cousin are also being investigated, said Jhelum district police chief Mujahid Akbar.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<strong>Special committee formed to investigate into murder&nbsp;</strong><br />
<br />
The chief minister of Punjab province, Shahbaz Sharif, brother to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has formed a special committee that is also tasked with investigating the murder, a senior government official told AFP.<br />
<br />
The victims of &quot;honour&quot; killings are overwhelmingly women, with hundreds killed each year.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
They have long polarised Pakistan, with progressives calling for tough legislation against them and conservatives resisting.&nbsp;<br />
But the murder of Qandeel Baloch appears to have spurred politicians to take action.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Last week, the law minister announced that bills aimed at tackling loopholes that facilitate &quot;honour&quot; killings would soon be voted on by parliament.<br />
<br />
Rights groups and politicians have for years called for tougher laws to tackle perpetrators of violence against women in Pakistan.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
(AFP)

Mukhtar Kazam, Samia's husband, said the 28-year-old had marks on her neck suggesting she had been strangled

The husband of a British woman who was killed in Pakistan has called for the UK and Pakistani governments to ensure his wife received justice, as he sought to keep the spotlight on so-called "honour" killings. Mukhtar Kazam presented at an emotional press conference a copy of the post-mortem report into his wife Samia Shahid`s death, seen by AFP, which said the 28-year-old had marks on her neck, and suggested she had been strangled. Kazam has branded her death an "honour killing", a near daily occurrence in Pakistan in which a relative is murdered by another for bringing the family "dishonour". The practice was dragged into the international spotlight earlier this month with the killing of Qandeel Baloch, a polarising Pakistani social media star. Brother confesses to murder, calls sister's behaviour 'intolerable' Shahid's brother has confessed to the murder, saying his sister`s behaviour had been "intolerable". Kazam sought to keep international attention on "honour" killings when he spoke to media assembled in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, close to the capital Islamabad, Thursday. "I request the British and Pakistani governments to conduct a fair trial," he said. Kazam and Samia, who was a dual British-Pakistani citizen, had been married for two years and were living in Dubai, police told AFP, adding that it was Shahid's second marriage. ? Kazam is Pakistani, an officer told AFP. Police had initially said that he also was British-Pakistani. Kazam said his wife converted to Shia Islam, his sect, before their wedding, which had irked her parents. In a complaint to police, he has claimed she was murdered during a visit to her family in their village in Punjab province on July 20. Shahid`s father has denied the charges and said he did not want an investigation, claiming his daughter died of natural causes. Police told AFP that Shahid`s first husband, Mohammad Shakeel, is being investigated in the murder but received pre-arrest bail on Thursday. Her parents and a cousin are also being investigated, said Jhelum district police chief Mujahid Akbar. Special committee formed to investigate into murder The chief minister of Punjab province, Shahbaz Sharif, brother to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has formed a special committee that is also tasked with investigating the murder, a senior government official told AFP. The victims of "honour" killings are overwhelmingly women, with hundreds killed each year. They have long polarised Pakistan, with progressives calling for tough legislation against them and conservatives resisting. But the murder of Qandeel Baloch appears to have spurred politicians to take action. Last week, the law minister announced that bills aimed at tackling loopholes that facilitate "honour" killings would soon be voted on by parliament. Rights groups and politicians have for years called for tougher laws to tackle perpetrators of violence against women in Pakistan. (AFP)

Husband of UK woman killed for 'honour' in Pakistan calls for justice

President Tayyip Erdogan outlined plans on Tuesday to grant citizenship to some of the near 3 million migrants who have fled war in neighbouring Syria, particularly those with qualifications of use to Turkey.<br />
<br />
&quot;Western nations open their doors to such skilled individuals and they have no choice but to go (to the West) when we do not open the gates (of citizenship) ourselves. We would like to benefit from their knowledge,&quot; Erdogan told reporters after praying at an Istanbul mosque.<br />
<br />
Turkey struck a deal with the European Union in March to stem the flow of migrants into Europe and it has sharply cut the number of refugees and migrants reaching Greece. However, the deal has been hampered by discord over Turkish counter-terrorism law, which the EU wants brought in line with its codes.<br />
<br />
Ankara has already said it would make it easier for migrants from Syria and other nations to get work permits and Erdogan said they could also be made Turkish citizens.<br />
<br />
&quot;There are highly qualified individuals among Syrian refugees in Turkey. (Granting them citizenship) would both serve Turkey&#39;s interests and improve their living standards,&quot; Erdogan said at the start of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.<br />
<br />
Some 260,000 of the Syrians in Turkey live in state-run camps, while the remainder live in accommodation in cities across the country, which has a population of 79 million.<br />
<br />
&quot;We do not think it right to host such people in tent camps, container towns or in such basic places,&quot; Erdogan said.<br />
<br />
Erdogan first raised the idea of giving Syrian migrants the possibility of Turkish citizenship at the weekend, saying that the interior ministry was taking steps on the issue.<br />
<br />
His comments come after the Turkish government took steps last week to improve relations with Israel and Russia, marking a shift in a foreign policy which had left Turkey more isolated than influential.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

Ankara has already said it would make it easier for migrants from Syria and other nations to get work permits

President Tayyip Erdogan outlined plans on Tuesday to grant citizenship to some of the near 3 million migrants who have fled war in neighbouring Syria, particularly those with qualifications of use to Turkey. "Western nations open their doors to such skilled individuals and they have no choice but to go (to the West) when we do not open the gates (of citizenship) ourselves. We would like to benefit from their knowledge," Erdogan told reporters after praying at an Istanbul mosque. Turkey struck a deal with the European Union in March to stem the flow of migrants into Europe and it has sharply cut the number of refugees and migrants reaching Greece. However, the deal has been hampered by discord over Turkish counter-terrorism law, which the EU wants brought in line with its codes. Ankara has already said it would make it easier for migrants from Syria and other nations to get work permits and Erdogan said they could also be made Turkish citizens. "There are highly qualified individuals among Syrian refugees in Turkey. (Granting them citizenship) would both serve Turkey's interests and improve their living standards," Erdogan said at the start of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday. Some 260,000 of the Syrians in Turkey live in state-run camps, while the remainder live in accommodation in cities across the country, which has a population of 79 million. "We do not think it right to host such people in tent camps, container towns or in such basic places," Erdogan said. Erdogan first raised the idea of giving Syrian migrants the possibility of Turkish citizenship at the weekend, saying that the interior ministry was taking steps on the issue. His comments come after the Turkish government took steps last week to improve relations with Israel and Russia, marking a shift in a foreign policy which had left Turkey more isolated than influential. (Reuters)

Turkey's Erdogan moots plan to grant citizenship to Syrians

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