Industry News: October 2026
- Industry NewsEuropean Union · Global
Antigua and Barbuda CIP: suspension talk, but no official decision yet
The Prime Minister has said on radio that a suspension of the Citizenship by Investment Programme is likely. As of 27 October 2026 the programme is still open and no official suspension notice has been published. Here is what is on the record.
- AnalysisEuropean Union · St Kitts & Nevis
What the EU's revised visa-suspension rules say about citizenship by investment, and what has not changed
A new EU regulation lets the Union suspend visa-free travel for a country that operates an investor citizenship scheme. Here is what the legal text says, what the Commission has reported, and what is still only reported in the press.
- Industry NewsArgentina
Argentina commits to CARF crypto-asset exchanges by September 2029
The OECD Global Forum announced on 14 September 2026 that Argentina has committed to implement the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework and to start automatic exchange of information on crypto-asset transactions by September 2029.
- Industry NewsGlobal
Australia National Innovation Visa: invitation rounds in April–June 2026
Home Affairs publishes National Innovation Visa (subclass 858) invitation statistics. For April–June 2026 it reports 2,166 expressions of interest received and 248 invitations issued, mostly in Tier One sectors such as critical technologies.
- Industry NewsGlobal
Canada pauses new Start-up Visa applications: what IRCC pages say
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says the Start-up Visa Program was paused on 30 June 2026 and that it is not currently accepting new applications. Applications accepted before that date continue to be processed.
- Industry NewsEuropean Union
EU Entry/Exit System fully operational since 10 April 2026: what travellers face now
The European Commission says the Entry/Exit System became fully operational on 10 April 2026 after a progressive roll-out that began on 12 October 2025. Passport stamping for short-stay non-EU travellers is replaced by electronic records, including biometrics.
- Industry NewsGlobal
Hong Kong New CIES: family-office holding vehicle measure from 1 March 2026
InvestHK publishes a New CIES measure effective from 1 March 2026: applicants may hold permissible investments through a qualifying Hong Kong family-owned investment holding vehicle managed by an eligible single family office.
- Industry NewsGlobal
Singapore ONE Pass: what a September 2026 Manpower written answer confirms
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower, in a written answer dated 8 September 2026, calls the ONE Pass its pinnacle work pass and confirms endorsement tracks including ONE Pass (AI & Tech) and ONE Pass (Investment Management).
- Industry NewsSt Kitts & Nevis
St Kitts & Nevis PBO: additional-dependant contributions on the CIU page
The St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Unit publishes separate Public Benefit Option amounts for each additional dependant beyond a family of four: US$25,000 if under 18, and US$50,000 if 18 or over. Those lines are now in the CIP programme register.
- Industry NewsGlobal
Thailand LTR visa: BOI reports 12,010 approvals and a new integrated portal
Thailand's Board of Investment said on 5 October 2026 that the Long-Term Resident visa had 12,010 approvals in four years, and that an integrated digital processing portal linking four agencies launched in September 2026.
- Industry NewsGlobal
UAE Golden Residency for investors: thresholds on the ICP guide (September 2026)
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security publishes investor thresholds for UAE Golden Residency, including AED 2,000,000 capital or property routes. The English guide was last updated on 10 September 2026.
- Industry NewsGlobal
UK Home Office fee table from 8 October 2026: selected settlement and travel lines
GOV.UK publishes the Home Office immigration and nationality fees table effective 8 October 2026. Selected lines for settlement, BN(O), indefinite leave and the electronic travel authorisation show no change from the prior column on that table.
- Industry NewsArgentina
Argentina announces a citizenship-by-investment programme: what is official, and what is not yet open
Argentina's Ministry of Economy says its citizenship-by-investment programme will be ready to receive applications during the fourth quarter of 2026. A court has questioned the decree behind it. We do not market this programme.
- AnalysisGlobal
China's State Council exit-entry provisions (Order No. 841): a plain reading of the text
The State Council's Provisions on Exit and Entry Administration took effect on 15 September 2026. This is a plain reading of what the text says about truthful applications, exit bans and notice, and entry bars for foreign nationals who give false materials.
- Industry NewsDominica · Global
Dominica's 2026/27 Budget Address: a 30-day presence rule for new citizens under the ECCIRA Act
Dominica's 2026/27 Budget Address says that under the regional CBI regulator's Act, new citizens must establish a genuine link, spend at least 30 days in Dominica in their first five years and join integration programmes. No start date has been published.
- Industry NewsEuropean Union
ETIAS still has no start date: what the EU's official site says in October 2026
The EU's official ETIAS site says the system is not in operation, no applications are collected and the start date will be announced several months ahead. Here is what will apply once it starts, and the EU's warning about intermediary websites.
- Industry NewsEuropean Union · St Kitts & Nevis
EU and Eastern Caribbean talks on citizenship by investment: what two government statements confirm
A participating Eastern Caribbean government's press office says talks with the EU followed a Commission request to phase out CBI programmes by June 2028. A July joint statement of Heads of Government, including St Kitts & Nevis, set out their response.
- Industry NewsGlobal
Hong Kong's 2026 Policy Address: four talent-visa measures, and what the New CIES page still says
The 2026 Policy Address lists four talent-visa measures: more AI roles on the Talent List, easier TTPS extensions for some tech founders, a wider invited-persons scheme and a short-term training visa. It does not mention the investment-entrant scheme.
- Industry NewsGlobal
New Zealand's Active Investor Plus visa: the 2026 changes on source of funds and managed funds
Immigration New Zealand made two sets of changes to the Active Investor Plus visa in August and September 2026: tighter evidence of where funds come from, and new rules for the managed funds and direct investments that investors can choose.
- AnalysisSt Kitts & Nevis
St Kitts & Nevis Public Benefit Option: what the Citizenship Unit publishes
The Public Benefit Option (PBO) is one of the St Kitts & Nevis citizenship-by-investment routes. This is what the Citizenship Unit (CIU) page says about how it works, the government fees it lists, interviews and who files applications.
- Industry NewsSt Kitts & Nevis · Global
US says its January 2026 immigrant-visa pause for 75 nationalities is no longer in effect
The State Department says that, from 21 August 2026 and in line with a court order, it no longer applies the pause on immigrant-visa issuance that covered St Kitts & Nevis and 74 other nationalities. It is reviewing its vetting policies.
- Industry NewsVanuatu · Global
US visitor-visa bonds: what the State Department's 2 October 2026 country list says
The State Department's updated list names 50 countries whose citizens may be asked to post a bond for a US B-1/B-2 visitor visa. Vanuatu is on it. The bond follows the passport used, not where you live.
- AnalysisGlobal
CRS 2.0 and crypto-asset reporting: the 2027–2028 timeline for families with accounts abroad
The OECD Global Forum CARF list (updated 14 September 2026) groups first exchanges by 2027, 2028 or 2029. Separately, it says amended-CRS first exchanges are in September 2027. Hong Kong’s bill is still before LegCo.
- Industry NewsSt Kitts & Nevis
St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship Unit completes first stage of an independent Deloitte review
On 14 October 2026 the St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Unit (CIU) said Deloitte’s first-stage review of controls, due diligence, risk and IT is complete. A financial-statement audit is next. The chair has urged marketers to use officially confirmed information.
- Industry NewsGlobal
UK BN(O) route: children under 18 can now settle without five continuous years in the UK
HC 584 rewrites BN(O) rule HK 62.1 from 8 October 2026. Applicants under 18 at application need not show five continuous years in the UK. Adult continuous-residence wording in that paragraph is otherwise unchanged.
- AnalysisGlobal
The US 'Gold Card' on paper: what the official I-140G form and instructions say
USCIS Form I-140G (edition 09/11/26) is the immigrant petition for the Gold Card programme. This note records what the form page and instructions say about filing, fees, classification and the Visa Bulletin — not whether any person should apply.
- AnalysisGlobal
China's offshore-trust tax rules: what the 2026 notices say as the transition window closes
MOF/STA Notice 2026 No. 21 and STA Notice 2026 No. 15 set out when offshore trusts are taxed for PRC individual-income-tax purposes. This is a plain reading of those government texts — not tax advice.
- AnalysisGrenada · St Kitts & Nevis · Global
ECCIRA, the Eastern Caribbean's new CBI regulator: what it is, and why Grenada has paused its residence requirement
ECCIRA regulates CBI programmes in five Eastern Caribbean states, including St Kitts & Nevis, and says it starts in Grenada in late 2026. Grenada has deferred its planned residence rule until ECCIRA is operating and a common start date is agreed.
- AnalysisEuropean Union · Global
Greece's Golden Visa: Chinese nationals hold nearly half of permits; press reports enforcement remarks
July 2026 ministry figures: Chinese nationals hold 47.5% of active initial investor permits. Greek press reports the minister may revoke permits where prices fall below the legal minimum or short-term subletting rules are evaded.
- Industry NewsGlobal
US EB-5 government filing fees change on 30 November 2026: what the final rule says
A DHS final rule (91 FR 61940) resets USCIS EB-5 form fees for filings postmarked on or after 30 November 2026, and adds an EB-5 technology fee. Figures below are government-published only.
- AnalysisGlobal
Türkiye cancels or withdraws thousands of investment-based citizenship decisions: a due-diligence reading
Türkiye's Interior Ministry says citizenship decisions covering 6,134 people have been cancelled or withdrawn, after appraisal-report reviews and on public-order and national-security grounds. What does it tell families about documentation?