120萬歐元成為歐洲公民

Malta Offers Citizenship and All Its Perks for a Price

120萬歐元成為歐洲公民

VALLETTA, Malta — As wealthy foreigners rush to get citizenship in Malta under a new program, the residency requirement is taking many forms.

馬耳他瓦萊塔——富有的外國人爭相通過一個新計劃獲得馬耳他公民身份，采取不同方式滿足居住要求。

Russians rent high-end villas, then stay in five-star hotels when they visit.

俄羅斯人租下高檔別墅，不過他們來訪時依然是下榻五星級酒店。

An American financier plans to live in Switzerland but occasionally vacation in Malta.

一位美國金融家打算在瑞士生活，不過偶爾來馬耳他度假。

One Vietnamese businessman, eager to start the clock ticking on the 12-month timetable for residency, sent the necessary paperwork on his private jet to expedite renting a property he had never seen.

一名越南商人為了盡快滿足12個月的居住要求，用私人飛機送來必要的文件，以方便租下一塊他從沒見過的地產(chǎn)。

“They come twice, once to get a residency card and once to get a passport,” said Mark George Hyzler, an immigration lawyer at a firm here.

“他們只用來兩次，一次是獲得居住卡，另一次是獲得護照，”瓦萊塔一家公司的移民律師馬克·喬治·希茲勒(Mark George Hyzler)說。

Malta’s citizenship program, which offers a passport to those willing to pay 1.2 million euros, about $1.3 million, has been controversial since it was introduced more than a year ago. But the residency requirements, meant to make the program more palatable, are only increasing the consternation among critics, who say the program has resulted in the sale of citizenship to the global 0.1 percent.

一年多前，馬耳他推出公民身份計劃，為愿意支付120萬歐元(約合130萬美元)的人提供護照。該計劃一推出就引發(fā)爭議。不過，旨在讓該計劃更易于為人所接受的居住要求反而增加了批評者的恐慌，他們認為該計劃實際上是向全球0.1%的富豪出售公民權(quán)。

Applicants must show they have rented a property in Malta for 12 months. But they do not necessarily have to spend any time in this Mediterranean island nation, raising the question of what genuine links they are establishing.

申請者必須證明他們已在馬耳他租賃地產(chǎn)達12個月，不過他們不必在這個地中海島國居住，因此讓人質(zhì)疑他們是否能與該國建立真正的聯(lián)系。

“It is questionable how the residency requirement is being applied,” said Tonio Fenech, a member of Malta’s Parliament

“居住要求如何實施令人懷疑，”馬耳他議員托尼奧·費內(nèi)克(Tonio Fenech)說。

Lawyers, accountants and real estate agents say the citizenship program has catapulted Malta onto the radar of the global elite. Applications are pouring in, and the program aims to raise €2 billion, more than a quarter of Malta’s gross domestic product.

律師、會計和房地產(chǎn)代理人們說，公民身份計劃讓馬耳他一下子引起了全球精英的注意，出現(xiàn)了申請熱潮。該計劃旨在籌集20億歐元，這個數(shù)字超過馬耳他國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值的四分之一。

“We want to attract individuals who can add value to our country because of their ideas, and their networks and their businesses and their talent,” said Jonathan Cardona, chief executive of Identity Malta, which administers the Individual Investor Program.

“我們想吸引那些有創(chuàng)意、人脈、生意或才能的人，希望他們能給我們的國家?guī)韮r值，”身份馬耳他(Identity Malta)的主管喬納森·卡多納(Jonathan Cardona)說。該部門負責監(jiān)管這個個人投資者項目(Individual Investor Program)。

Housed in a sprawling, fortresslike 16th-century building once used as a hospital, the Malta citizenship program nods to the country’s multicultural past, punctuated over the years by invasion. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Fatimids, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, French, a European lay religious order and the British all tried to conquer or rule Malta, and many succeeded. Maltese, the official language with English, looks and sounds Arabic, but its speakers are primarily Roman Catholics who pray to Allah, or God.

馬耳他公民身份計劃的辦公地點位于一個龐大的、堡壘般的16世紀建筑里，這里曾用作醫(yī)院。該計劃是向該國多文化的過往致意，它曾不斷遭到侵略。腓尼基人、迦太基人、羅馬人、拜占庭人、法蒂瑪王朝、諾曼人、西西里人、西班牙人、法國人、一個歐洲世俗宗教修道會和英國人都曾想征服或統(tǒng)治馬耳他，其中很多成功了。馬耳他的官方語言是馬耳他語和英語，前者的寫法和發(fā)音都像阿拉伯語，不過講這種語言的人主要是向安拉或上帝祈禱的羅馬天主教徒。

The citizenship program also reflects Malta’s present. Malta, which covers 122 square miles and is about 50 miles south of Sicily, has few natural resources and a population of just 424,000, about half that of South Dakota. Malta counts on the reliable sun and shimmering blue sea to attract tourists. Beyond that, it has had to be creative to keep the country’s coffers filled.

公民身份計劃也反映出馬耳他的現(xiàn)狀。馬耳他在西西里島以南約50英里，國土面積122平方英里，幾乎沒有自然資源，人口只有42.4萬，大約是南達科他州人口的一半。馬耳他依靠長時間的日照和波光粼粼的藍色大海吸引游客。除此以外，它得另想辦法充實國庫。

The tax system, in particular, has been a boon. Some foreign companies can be structured to pay 5 percent in corporate taxes. Malta also has double taxation treaties with 65 countries, allowing individuals and businesses to avoid being taxed in two places.

馬耳他的稅收政策尤為誘人。有些外國公司只需支付5%的公司稅。馬耳他還和65個國家簽訂了避免雙重征稅協(xié)定，以免個人和公司在兩國重復(fù)繳稅。

Significant tax advantages and a pro-business regulator have created a booming financial services industry. It now represents 12 to 15 percent of the country’s G.D.P., up from 6.3 percent in 2004. Online gambling companies have flocked to the island, as have hedge funds.

顯著的稅收優(yōu)惠和利商政策促使該國的金融服務(wù)業(yè)蓬勃發(fā)展。如今，金融業(yè)占該國國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值的12%至15%，比2004年的6.3%大為增長。在線賭博公司和對沖基金公司紛紛涌向該島。

With a strong corporate base, Malta sailed through the economic crisis relatively unscathed. The economy grew 3.5 percent in 2014. Unemployment is 5.8 percent, the fourth-lowest in Europe.

憑借強大的公司基礎(chǔ)，馬耳他平穩(wěn)度過經(jīng)濟危機，幾乎未受影響。2014年，該國經(jīng)濟增長了3.5%。失業(yè)率為5.8%，為歐洲失業(yè)率第四低。

Malta was looking to expand that economic growth through the citizenship program. Under the initial plan in 2013, the newly installed Labor Party government proposed selling passports for €650,000, with few other requirements for citizenship.

馬耳他期望通過公民身份計劃促進經(jīng)濟增長。在2013年的最初計劃中，新成立的工黨政府提出以65萬歐元出售護照，對獲取公民身份幾乎沒有其他要求。

Almost immediately, it drew protests. The country, critics argued, was not an economic basket case like other European nations trying similar programs. They also worried that the program would damage its reputation as an attractive place to do business.

該計劃幾乎立即引發(fā)抗議。批評者稱，與其他嘗試類似計劃的歐洲國家不同，馬耳他在經(jīng)濟上并非一團糟。他們還擔心，該計劃會損害馬耳他的名聲，使其失去商業(yè)吸引力。

“We do not want to form part of a law which prostitutes Malta’s identity and its citizenship,” Mario de Marco, a vocal member of the opposition, said during the debate.

“我們不想通過出賣馬耳他身份和公民權(quán)的法律，”反對派成員馬里奧·德·馬爾科(Mario de Marco)在辯論中直言不諱地說。

The opposition took the program to the European Parliament in an effort to block it. While the Parliament condemned the program, it could do little else, because citizenship is controlled by national governments.

為了阻止該計劃，反對派把它提交給歐洲議會，后者譴責了該計劃，但也無可奈何，因為公民權(quán)由國家政府控制。

To placate the Parliament and the opposition, the government raised the bar for citizenship. Strict due diligence standards were set to weed out money launderers and criminals. It also raised the cost and adopted a residency requirement. In addition to the €650,000 fee to the government, applicants must now invest €150,000 in government bonds, buy property for at least €350,000 or rent a place for at least €16,000 a year — all of which must be held for at least five years.

為了安撫議會和反對派，政府提高了獲得公民身份的門檻，設(shè)定了嚴格的盡職調(diào)查標準，以剔除洗錢者和犯罪分子。它還提高費用，并設(shè)立居住要求。目前，除了向政府繳納65萬歐元的費用，申請者還必須投資15萬歐元的政府公債，購買不低于35萬歐元的地產(chǎn)或租賃年租金不低于1.6萬歐元的地產(chǎn)——所有這些必須至少持有五年。

“This is not ‘tick the box,’” said Mr. Cardona, the chief of the program.

“這不只是打勾填表那么簡單”，該計劃的主管卡多納說。

Mr. Hyzler, the lawyer, and others note that the newcomers are establishing real links to Malta. They are setting up bank accounts and buying health insurance, both of which are required. They are also joining country clubs and donating to local charities, which is encouraged.

希茲勒律師等人指出，這些新來者正在與馬耳他建立真正的聯(lián)系。他們開立銀行賬戶，購買健康保險——這兩項都是法律要求。他們還加入鄉(xiāng)村俱樂部，給本地慈善機構(gòu)捐款——這些是政府鼓勵的行為。

“Clients genuinely want to do more than just make the investment,” said Mark Stannard, managing director of the Maltese office of Henley & Partners, a residence and citizenship planning firm. He said a Saudi national with a Lebanese passport who had applied for Maltese citizenship had recently returned with a delegation of 12 to consider setting up businesses in aviation, life sciences and real estate.

“客戶們不只是投資，他們真的想做更多，”居住權(quán)和公民權(quán)規(guī)劃公司亨利合伙公司(Henley & Partners)馬耳他辦事處的總經(jīng)理馬克·斯坦納德(Mark Stannard)說。他表示，一名持有黎巴嫩護照的沙特公民申請了馬耳他公民身份，前不久他帶來一個12人代表團，考慮在馬耳他設(shè)立航空、生命科學(xué)和房地產(chǎn)方面的公司。

My. Hyzler said some of his Chinese clients wanted to invest more than the €150,000 in government bonds and were weighing establishing businesses.

希茲勒說，他的一些中國客戶想投資超過15萬歐元的政府公債，并考慮設(shè)立公司。

But critics have taken aim at the rollout.

不過，批評家們根本不買賬。

Henley & Partners was initially awarded the exclusive rights to market the program and process the applicants, collecting fees in two ways. A family of four with two minor children and two grandparents pays Henley about €135,000 to apply; the government pays Henley €26,000 to handle that application.

亨利合伙公司最初獲得了推廣該計劃和處理申請的專有權(quán)，向雙方收費。它向包括兩個小孩和兩個老人的一家四口收取約13.5萬歐元的申請費，向政府收取2.6萬歐元的申請?zhí)幚碣M。

Henley also makes money from ancillary services. The company can rent and sell property through Henley Estates and manage that property for those who are not living in Malta. “If there is a broken toilet seat, we will get it fixed,” Mr. Stannard said.

亨利合伙公司還能從輔助服務(wù)中獲利。該公司可以通過亨利地產(chǎn)公司(Henley Estates)租賃或出售地產(chǎn)，為那些不在馬耳他居住的人管理物業(yè)。“甚至馬桶座圈壞了，我們都會找人修好，”斯坦納德說。

In January 2014, before the program officially started, Henley gave up the exclusive rights, sharing half of the business with other private companies. But critics still bristle at the outsourcing of such activities by the government.

2014年1月，該計劃正式實施前，亨利合伙公司放棄了專有權(quán)，與其他私營公司共享其中一半業(yè)務(wù)。不過，批評家們?nèi)詾檎耐獍袨楦械綉嵟?/p>

“There’s no reason Malta should engage a private company to sell its citizenship,” said Daphne Caruana Galizia, a columnist at The Malta Independent newspaper and the author of a well-read blog on the island. “It’s absolutely insulting.”

“馬耳他沒理由雇傭私營公司出售公民權(quán)，”《馬耳他獨立報》(The Malta Independent)的專欄作家達芙妮·卡魯阿納·加利齊亞(Daphne Caruana Galizia)說。她的博客在該國擁有眾多粉絲。“這絕對是一種侮辱。”

The tax advantages are also raising concerns. Maltese citizens typically pay income tax of up to 35 percent. But foreigners who become Maltese citizens under the new program may be able to enjoy tax benefits awarded to foreigners.

稅收優(yōu)惠也引起了人們的擔憂。馬耳他公民通常要繳納高達35%的個人所得稅。但是通過這項新計劃成為馬耳他公民的外國人也許能享受外國人的稅收優(yōu)惠。

The globally mobile have taken note.

全球性流動已經(jīng)開始。

One American finance professional, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he moved to St. Kitts and Nevis seven years ago for tax purposes, eventually deciding to give up his United States passport. He then moved his family to Switzerland for the schools, European culture and competitive tax benefits.

一位要求匿名的美國金融專業(yè)人士說，七年前為了稅收優(yōu)惠，他搬到了圣基茨和尼維斯，最終決定放棄美國護照。后來，他一家人搬到瑞士，以享受那里的教育、歐洲文化以及有利的稅收優(yōu)惠。

His family is now applying for Maltese passports, attracted by the speed of the program. He would have had to wait 12 years in Switzerland to gain citizenship.

現(xiàn)在，他一家人正在申請馬耳他護照，主要是被該計劃的申請速度所吸引。要獲得瑞士公民身份，他得等12年。

“My kids will have the ability to live and work anywhere in the E.U.,” he said. “It’s an incredibly powerful passport.”

“我的孩子們將能在歐盟的任何地方生活和工作，”他說，“它是個非常有用的護照。”

He does not, however, plan to live in Malta. “We will spend some vacation time there.”

不過，他不打算在馬耳他生活。“我們會去那里度假。”