Starting with May next year, there will be some new visa regulations for those who intend to visit countries of the European Union. There's still time to look into these regulations and see what's it all about. The news ,however, made me think of visas and passports in general, and how they have become a highly profitable business in particular.
Not only does the service of issuing / renewing/replacing a visa/passport cost the applicant good money, but countries are willing to sell these documents to those not elligible at all, for a substantial sum of money invested in a house/business/bank account . Requirements such as basic knowledge of the language by the applicant for the passport, has been shamelessly removed in many cases.
Don't you worry, said someone to me; after getting the money for the passport, at the tiniest move or request they'll send the new passport owner to learn the language and culture of the place. Money first, national pride next, but still there.
A passport does not only serve as a travel document, but is also evidence of citizenship. I've got double citizenship : romanian (by birth) and israeli. As Romania is part of the European Union its passport is an european one.
An additional passport is an asset, and a sort of investment. It might help with retirement, relocation, taxes, work, studies, life improvements.
At my age, I don't plan any relocation , but one never knows what God's plans are. Suppose personal safety gets treatened by certain events (war, famine,earthquake,crime) one might consider migration to what looks like a safer place.
In my nearby area, Cyprus followed by Portugal, seems to be a popular EU citizenship source. Many hundreds of russians, brits, and israelis have relocated on this island.
Among the non-EU passports in the near area, the turkish one is quite sought after. No wonder, Turkie has a more or less steady regime, it is more or less a self-sufficient country. We, in Israel import quite a lot of essentials from Turkie ; it's all good stuff (potatoes, mineral water, canned food etc..) and no less important, decently priced.