The beautiful winning images of the 2023 international Nature Photographer of the Year contest celebrating the beauty of nature photography were unveiled at an awards ceremony that took place at the annual Nature Talks Photo Festival in the Netherlands.
No More Golden Visas In The Netherlands: Controversial Program To End In January
30.10.2023 - 13:37 / forbes.com
Starting January, 2024, the super-popular program of “selling” residence permits to wealthy foreign investors, better known as ‘Golden Visas’, will come to an end in the Netherlands.
The decision was announced by the country’s Immigration and Naturalization Service (NLS): “The residence permit for foreign investors will no longer be available from 1 January 2024.”
The Dutch golden visa, introduced in 2013 in an effort to help further growth of the country’s economy — as was the case for most countries offering the investment scheme — requires a substantial contribution of at least €1,250,000 and other strict criteria.
In the case of the Netherlands, the golden visa applies for business development and excludes “investing in real estate for private occupation.”
Among the basic requirements are holding a valid passport or travel document, not posing a risk to public order or national security and undergoing a tuberculosis test upon arrival in the Netherlands.
Other regulations include that the money be invested either in an international company based in the Netherlands, a fund approved by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, a venture company or in a contractual joint venture that invests in a company in the Netherlands, according to Schengenvisa news.
“The Netherlands is not the only country offering such a scheme. Other European countries also offer residency and citizenship programs, with Spain, Portugal and Greece being among the most attractive countries.”
All the conditions can be found here.
The announcement by multiple European countries to terminate their Golden Visa schemes has, in fact, prompted a boom in the number of applications — in many cases including Spain and Italy, hitting record levels.
“The Netherlands is still accepting golden visa applications, despite having announced plans to terminate the program,” Bloomberg writes. “So is Montenegro. Europe’s citizenship-by-investment programs are alive and well, despite calls from across the political spectrum to end them,” and the business “has been booming at immigration consultancies.”
The surge of demand seems to run in parallel with mounting pressure to abolish such residency-by-investment programs from various European political quarters, and as the European Union tightens its stance on the subject.
Golden Visa programs give wealthy individuals the opportunity to obtain residency permits by investing in local real estate and financial assets and although some, like the Dutch, have strict requirements and exclude investment in real estate, others are more lax, opening the way to strong criticism — among other reasons, for contributing to rising property prices and opening the door to money laundering and tax evasion.
The real estate
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Autors
Popular Topics
insider.com
16.11.2023 / 12:28
I'm an American studying abroad in Spain. The language barrier is challenging, but I love the chill workdays and addictive nightlife.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kelsey Frampton, a 21-year-old business student from Fresno, California, who's studying in Barcelona. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
nationalgeographic.com
15.11.2023 / 14:43
Explore Pozzuoli—the lesser known marvel just outside of Naples
Few Italian cities can compare with Naples. No wonder neighboring Pozzuoli has long been overshadowed by its bombastic, culture-drenched bigger sibling.
cntraveler.com
15.11.2023 / 14:33
The Best Places to Go in Europe in 2024
This is part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2024—find more travel inspiration here.
cntraveler.com
15.11.2023 / 01:16
Ios Greek Island: Where to Eat, Stay, and Play on the Most-Underrated of the Cyclades
The Cycladic island of Ios is a rocky, mountainous environment of winding roads sometimes blocked by herds of bleating goats and sleepy villages hugging cerulean coastlines. In the 1960s, backpackers discovered the nearly untouched island and it became known as a hippie haven, hosting all-night beach parties, with a handful of cheap bars operating in the Chora (main town). A few decades later, nearby Santorini and Mykonos began to outshine their neighbor, attracting hordes of tourists each summer and investing in new developments. Meanwhile, Ios only got electricity across the entire island in the 1970s and most residents here are goat herders or farmers. Today, Mykonos has taken the nightlife crown and both it and Santorini have become severely over-touristed. Ios on the other hand, remains a quiet, mostly undeveloped paradise.
lonelyplanet.com
12.11.2023 / 17:29
Lonely Planet's guide to Athens
Founded in 508 BCE, Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world and it's regularly touted as one of the Mediterranean’s best capital cities to visit. From the iconic Parthenon and the unique street art rivaling that of Berlin to the city's glittering coastline, there’s so much to see and do in this ancient capital.
insider.com
12.11.2023 / 16:19
I spent 4 days in Athens, Greece. Here are 10 things that were worth it and 5 I'd skip next time.
In October, I traveled to Athens, Greece, for the first time since I was 18 months old.
forbes.com
10.11.2023 / 17:49
Holiday Gift Guide 2023: The Best Girl Dinner Gifts
Girl dinner doesn’t have to be basic. And if you know someone who indulges in girl dinner on a regular basis, this gift guide will help them make the most of doing the least, deliciously of course. Whether it’s specialty tinned fish, internationally sourced snacks, gourmet pasta or dishware that make girl dinner feel gourmet, these girl dinner gifts from around the world elevate the humble meal to a truly gift-worthy occasion.
lonelyplanet.com
09.11.2023 / 20:53
The 12 best places to visit in Sri Lanka
With rugged mountains, untouched beaches and fertile soil that grows coconuts, tea and spices, Sri Lanka offers travelers a wondrous mix of experiences unmatched for an island of its size.
forbes.com
09.11.2023 / 20:05
The Best European Cities To Learn A Language, According To Surveys
With a new year approaching and new resolutions in mind, learning a language is one of those items that often appears on many personal lists. Travel experts and language institutions regularly publish surveys on the best destinations to do so, echoing the simple fact that in our interconnected, “globalized” world, the ability to communicate in more than one language opens new opportunities, experiences and understanding.
insider.com
09.11.2023 / 14:35
Why Epcot is a must-visit park at Disney World during the holidays, according to travel experts
You might think Magic Kingdom is the be-all and end-allof the Christmas season at Disney World, with highlights including Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, holiday parades, holiday fireworks, and snow raining down on Main Street USA.
insider.com
08.11.2023 / 04:35
Terrified cruise passengers wrote good-bye texts to their families as their ship was battered by a giant storm in the Bay of Biscay
A dream vacation became a maritime nightmare for those onboard a cruise ship caught in a fierce storm in the Bay of Biscay that left 100 people injured over the weekend, according to media reports.