Ports of call

Owning a citizenship is a sought after luxury among the world’s rich, and countries are not letting the opportunity pass.

HOW MANY HAVE you got? No, not private jets, yatchs, jewellery or houses. We’re talking about passports — the new stamp of luxury. For the 21st century jetsetters, the world is a playground and not for them the restrictions of visas to move from one country to another. Many countries, too, are eager to attract such wealthy globe trotters and billionaires, and of course, their money.

The main advantage of having certain passports is that not only do they indicate citizenship, but also offer easy access to various other countries. For instance, with an Indian passport, one can go to 78 countries without a visa. But with a passport from, say, the US, Canada or the UK, you can go to 180+ countries visa-free. If you have one from Malta in Europe, you get instant access to Schengen countries. No wonder passports are the new must-have for the global rich.