A bleak future"..Iraqi youth seeking an alternative homeland
The poor economic situation and political deterioration in Iraq prompt many young citizens to apply for other countries' citizenship, as it may give them and their children a space for a better life.
Ahmed Hussein, a Kurd from Erbil, works in an institution that provides services to oil companies. His economic status allows him to travel around the world with his family. However, the only obstacle is his Iraqi passport and the difficulty of obtaining a visa for European countries, the United States, or Canada. Like many other Iraqis, Ahmad is forced to find another way that guarantees him freedom of movement whenever he wants.
Ahmed told Shafaq News agency that he has been looking for a second nationality and passport for more than a year -after watching advertisements in this regard. He has tried several times over the past year, as he witnesses the political and economic situation worsening day by day.
Ahmed added that his children's future would be brighter if they completed their higher education abroad because their universities' level has deteriorated.
Over the past years, several companies in Iraq began offering a second nationality through the citizenship investment project announced by several countries, especially the European ones.
Rania Awwad, regional director of Kurdistan-based Bluemina Company, said that the heavy demand on the citizenship applications spurred them to open another Kurdistan office, indicating that the two offices receive applicants from all the Iraqi cities through agents and other offices cooperating with them.
Awwad explained that the countries that grant citizenships currently range from countries offering second-nationality and permanent residence programs, such as Moldova, Malta, Cyprus, Spain, Portugal, Greece in Europe; and Caribbean countries such as Saint Kitts and Nevis, Dominican Republic, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and Saint Lucia, as well as residence and second passport programs in Turkey, and EB-5 program in the U.S.A.
"The demand for Iraqis revolves around permanent residency and second nationality programs; specifically two countries: the Caribbean state of Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the European state of Malta. Those countries provide great benefits to the people holding their passports, in addition to the reasonable cost as well. Baghdad, Erbil, and Al-Sulaymaniyah are the governorates with the higher demands on immigration application", Rania Awwad added.
Rania explained, "the time needed to obtain the citizenship or the second passport varies according to the state and the chosen program..However, in general, the period ranges from 3-9 months: from the date of the application, the approval of the chosen country, and the submission of the necessary papers."
Awwad said that some application, "the refusal is solely based on the applicant's background. The state will conduct an extensive investigation and search for the applicant." Applicants are scrutinized by the INTERPOL if there is no international mission in the country to apply for second citizenship.
"The cost of programs offered by specialized companies varies according to the type of program and the benefits the customer receives when obtaining them. The second nationality programs' prices in the Caribbean countries start from 100,000 dollars.. while some programs in the European countries cost 2 million euros -depending on the nature of the programs and the country. The applicant receives the passport while in his country, but there are some countries where it is required to travel to take oaths and fingerprints to issue passports", Rania Awwad concluded.
