Questions: Dominican Republic citizenship, offshore web hosting, GOOOH

by Simon Black · 96 comments

August 27, 2010
Vilnius, Lithuania

I’m really excited about something.

While I have no Polish ancestry, I thought it might be useful to you if I found and published a reliable immigration resource while I was in Poland a few weeks ago.

After spending a lot of time interviewing various attorneys and testing their qualifications, I found one who 1) had solid English skills, 2) would be willing to do all the administrative legwork, and 3) charge our subscribers less than $1,000.

Great news. The attorney I selected just sent me a nice email saying that he will be confirming Polish citizenship for at least 10 of our subscribers who contacted him.  In just a few months time, these members of our community will have Polish passports.

I’m really happy about this and am gratified to have played a role in the process. Most of all, though, it’s great to see people taking action and getting prepared.

As you can see from this success story, it doesn’t have to be hard, and it doesn’t have to be expensive… all you need is the will to act and to make these preparations a priority.

Taking these steps– acquiring a second passport, planting an offshore banking flag, learning valuable skills, developing alternative sources of income, etc.– are all of tremendous importance in this turbulent world.

Each represents a way to reduce your risk on any single government or system, and to increase your level of self-reliance. This leads me to our first question this week:

Ron asks, “Hi Simon- a friend of mine has just gone to the Dominican Republic for economic citizenship and a passport. I bought the Going Global report that you co-authored, and I see that you put DR on a list of countries to avoid for economic citizenship. Can you provide some details?”

Yes, it’s simple. There is no economic citizenship program in the Dominican Republic. Anyone who tells you otherwise is scamming you. Be sure that you don’t confuse ‘Dominican Republic’ with ‘Dominica,’ which has a legitimate economic citizenship program.

If you want to obtain citizenship in the Dominican Republic, it is possible through long-term naturalization. You first have to declare residency there, which can be accomplished through an investment in the country.

After several years of residency in the Dominican Republic, you can apply for naturalization.  Given the amount of capital, time involved, and value of the passport, however, I don’t think that this is a good option for most people unless they intend on living in the country.

Much better options exist, including Ecuador and Paraguay.  I will be detailing these soon in our forthcoming premium service.

Next, JB asks, “Hi Simon. I was wondering if you could recommend a reliable offshore web hosting company for a simple business website with PayPal functionality.”

If you have an online business, it’s pretty easy to plant multiple flags; you can own the intellectual property in one jurisdiction, host the website in another, and process the payments in another.

For places to base the company, look at common law jurisdictions with strong intellectual property protection that do not tax profits earned overseas. Hong Kong and Singapore are great examples.

For hosting, I won’t comment on specific providers, but you should consider jurisdictions with top quality Internet architecture and English-speaking support. Canada and the US are great examples (though not if you’re from there). Norway and the Baltics are also good choices.

Finally, your payment processor should ideally be in another jurisdiction. In a jam, you -could- use PayPal because they have subsidiaries worldwide. You can establish, for example, a PayPal Singapore account to receive payments, and none of the income would ever touch your home country.

Lastly, Wayne asks, “Simon, what are your thoughts on the organization called GOOOH, or organizations like it that aim to clean out the political system and replace all sitting politicians with fresh blood?”

Look, I agree with their goals, and I think it’s admirable that such organizations really want to make a positive difference. I truly despise politicians and bureaucrats– I think they’re power-hungry sociopaths who enrich themselves by bankrupting the middle class and stealing from the productive.

In theory, replacing all of them sounds like a good idea; I would rather have a team of well-trained monkeys in our capitols than the folks who are there now.

Here’s the thing, though: while the goals of these organizations are admirable, it’s futile to try convincing the preponderance of 300 million Americans / 60 million Brits / 30 million Canadians / etc. that less government is the answer.

“We the people” around the world are getting exactly the sort of leadership and solutions that we’ve demanded– more regulation, more stimulus, lower interest rates, more bailouts, etc.

It’s nearly impossible to win over the people’s hearts and minds to the ideals of limited government when an average Brit believes that taxes should pay for free swim lessons… or when an average American thinks that Obama’s stimulus spending comes from ‘his stash.’

We all have a finite amount of resources– time, money, and energy. Trying to change people’s minds about the political establishment may be morally fulfilling, but it will likely be a waste of these precious resources.

As I travel around the world and I see such a massive transformation underway, I honestly believe that much of what we know today will be virtually unrecognizable in just a few years’ time.

Think of how much the world has changed in the last 10-years… and understand that things are changing even more quickly now.

The fundamental question is– should we be investing our time, capital, and energy to affect a fractured and corrupt political system, and to change people’s minds who frankly don’t want our help? Or should we invest our resources to prepare and safeguard our families, our assets, and ourselves?

I’m curious what you think.

Want More Information Like This?
 Sign up below for the free newsletter Sovereign Man: Notes From The Field to get more information like the article you just read, plus exclusive information that is not posted publicly.


Tagged as: , ,

  • Rgw05

    Simon, I am retired U.S. citizen, and I am very interested in contacting your lawyer friend in Poland, to find out what he needs so that I can obtain a second passport for me and my wife.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Scott-Lipton/767285656 Scott Lipton

    I would only say that there are always people who could use our help, they just might not know it yet. People like Ron Paul opened my eyes to search for the root cause of things and I was able to figure out how this system is truly working against us. Like RP says, one person at a time. I definitely don’t think that he, or any other person spreading knowledge and fighting against the corrupt system, is wasting his time by not preparing and safeguarding their families, assets, and themselves. This newsletter itself is helping people and fighting the corrupt system in its own way.

    Sure it’s populations of millions out there, but its small groups of people who change things.

  • Jeff

    Hello Simon:
    I speak from the perspective of a citizen that lives in the midwest state of South Dakota in the United States. Of all of the news sources that are available to me it is almost constant gloom and doom and turmoil in this country. It is almost with despair that I think about the future here. Everything from illegal immigration to bankrupt state governments to deal with. High unemployment around the country. It is not so easy to get a job anymore because there aren’t that many jobs left to get. Many of the good high paying ones have been outsourced to other countries. If you can survive with a low paying service job those are still hiring.
    Not exactly a great time to have upwards of 20 million extra illegal aliens filling jobs lower educated Americans could use these days. Yet our federal government refuses to enforce the immigration laws or let state or city governments do so because they refuse to close our southern border. This situation clearly makes no sense to the average citizen. The elite has an agenda that wants uncontrolled immigration to destroy the middle class. Also, the feds have the policy of propping up corporations that should have went bankrupt but were saved because they were deemed “too big to fail.” Basically, big banking and wall street get saved from their own corruption and greed at the taxpayer’s expense. For all I know words in this comment are probably triggering programs in the three letter agencies to watch this citizen more closely. I agree with your prior post that the US is turning into the USSR over time.
    Simon, you have distanced yourself from any US retribution against any of your actions or thoughts. How much do you agree/disagree with my thoughts about this country and where it is headed?

    Best Regards,
    J. Wells

    • Smc573

      Hi Jeff,

      I recently aquired some land in your State of SD that I plan to homestead in the near term. Other than the rugged beauty, low population and seeming remoteness of SD I want to reside in a State that has no income tax and minimal government. I know the tax part is right…please affirm your experience with the government part.

      Thanks Jeff,
      Steve M

      • Jeff

        Hello Steve,
        I can tell you experience from living here for the last 4 years.
        South Dakota may not be the lowest state for government meddling but it is one of the lower ones. I am from Wichita, Kansas and moved up here for family reasons. When living is Kansas I never thought of it as a progressive state until moving to South Dakota. 5 or 6 million now in KS while there are only about 750,000 to 800,000 people across the whole state here. The law for instance is light years behind my last state so far as unavailability to make some court motions here I could in KS. Or, no attorneys base their practice upon fighting traffic tickets for you as down there. ATV's are routinely driven on public streets and it is legal here. Those kind of things.
        However, they are also more pro-business here and encourage people to start businesses here by being less caught up in bureaucracy and streamlining the process. Not knowing which direction you are coming from the chances are that there is less government to encounter here. People are friendly here as well. Not having to write out a check to the state at tax time is great after having already paid out all year to them as well is fantastic. That happened to me most years in Kansas.
        One caveat is if you are coming from a more southernly direction just know that winters here are killers. Yes, if the car breaks down here you really need extra blankets, candles, and other survival gear is a must. The snow does not melt until spring and just keeps building up each snowfall. School is not cancelled where I live until more than 25 degrees below zero temperature. Not wind chill, temperature.
        So you rarely can have your cake and eat it too but at least less government is a listed reason you stated. If you have any other questions, just ask.

        Jeff

    • Libero

      Don't worry about being on a list. Many of us are already there, so feel comfort in joining the club. ;) By the way, there is also an agenda (among the many other agendas) to wipe out once strong, once healthy, once moral, once functional, white Christian nations – seems whoever they are have been succeeding quite well at this. Interesting. Start thinking people. Start adding it all up. Things begin to make sense. How do you shape a country (in this case, for the worse), by media, financially and through government policies (i.e. not stopping the flood of immigrants who continue to break U.S. law in several ways) – now ask, who are the strong ones disproportionately in control in those 3 areas (also as well in education and the medical fields)? For such a small percentage globally, yet controlling disproportionately and their fruits in these positions have been showing to be quite rotten. Walks like a duck, talks like a duck… You will know them by their fruit.

  • JB

    Thanks for answering my question on hosting. I would also be interested in learning more about your Polish attorney for the $1000 and any other requirements and/or costs involved. Thanks.

  • Denniskta

    i think you are right.safeguard our families and buy in to land over seas. like belire or panama with self-reliant group of expats.

  • http://stankavich.com Mike Stankavich

    Simon, thanks for another thoughtful, information packed post. I just thought of an interesting question. I use a hosting provider that’s based in Canada, but has its servers in the US. I’m wondering whether that is good enough for me as a US citizen or if I should look for another provider that is completely outside the US.

    As for citizenship, this may be well known, but I’ll throw it out there anyway. Although I’m a US citizen by blood, I’m a Mexican national by birth – I was born in Mexico to US missionary parents. I recently found that nationals of former Spanish colonies have a 2 year residence requirement for Spanish citizenship rather than a 10 year residence. Now all I have to do is find a way to support myself in Spain for a couple years :)

    • Lrm

      This issue has been discussed here many times-do a search of the archives…fastmail in australia has been recommended by alot of readers.

  • Bob Weber

    Regarding replacing the current set of crooks with different, maybe less corrupt crooks, at least for a time, I agree it’s a waste of time. Pretending it’s feasible, what would be so much better? Isn’t it human nature to take advantage of a situation that gives you more power and less accountability? How could it ever work?

    This is why I promote not voting. Arguably, you might have some impact on local elections, but the chance of affecting the outcome of large, federal elections is nil, and according to the masses, by voting, you’ve “consented” to be bound by the result. Of course, if you don’t consent by not voting, you’re still bound by the result, but if only 10% or less people actually voted, it would send a msg that none of us believe in this system anymore, and we could stop pretending it’s a gov “by the people, for the people”.

  • PassantGardant

    “The fundamental question is– should we be investing our time, capital, and energy to… change people’s minds who frankly don’t want our help? Or should we invest our resources to prepare and safeguard our families, our assets, and ourselves?”

    I don’t think these are mutually exclusive. Not everyone wants to run from their problems (or at least not at the drop of a hat). Most people have roots, and they won’t tear them up and go somewhere with less of a tradition of liberty and more history of violence, which unfortunately many of your suggestions do. So if one has much invested in their current community, preparing and safeguarding their families, assets, and selves involves educating their neighbors, organizing their communities, and agitating for political sanity. After all, if nobody ever does this, then you’ll run out of places to which to run! To my thinking, the United States has always been the place that people go seeking more freedom, and I would like to restore and preserve its haven status rather than hoping somewhere else will pick up the torch. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t have a “Plan B”, but standing up for what’s right ought to be “Plan A” in most cases.

    • http://twitter.com/kungfucraig Craig W. Wright

      Since comments like this seem in short supply, I'd like to second it.

      • Lrm4joy

        Ditto.

      • Libero

        I agree as well. Sometimes (scratch that. Many times) I sense some tones of selfishness. What about looking out for our people and future generations.

  • Stan Larson

    Where is it published? I missed the Polish immigration attorney contact information. If he is getting passports that quickly and cheaply for that many clients, I am interested. After looking for it on your site though, his name and information elude me. Thanks for any information.

    • Lrm

      He said the Polish info was mailed to ‘subscribers’-that mean the people on his email list. Some letters only go out to those on the list, not published on the website/blog here.

      • Woods

        What does one need to do to obtain this information regarding the Polish connection? Tnks

    • Smc573

      Stan or anyone else,

      Please pass on the Polish immigration attorney contact info once you have knowledge of it.

  • msc

    Simon, thanks for the nice reports.

    I have been working in one company, having workload and responsibilities like noone else in comparable position to me, but having not a great salary. The company was socialist-based ‘I work there and do better than others because it is my duty, not because I am rewarded for it and motivated.’ I was trying to change it, but would have done better if I left straight away. I cannot imagine the majority of colleagues that parasited on my work and challenge would ever agree on a fair play if they were asked. In countries it is the same as in this company.
    I am sooooooooo glad this crisis is here, it proves that I am right and ‘they’ are wrong.

  • http://justen.us Justen Robertson

    On GOOOH… Wasting time and resources on political action groups like this is worse than doing nothing at all. Even in the most unrealistic of circumstances, where their plans go off without a hitch and their most optimistic fantasies are fulfilled, you are *still* volunteering, even begging, to be stolen from, caged, and even murdered by a bunch of thugs who have it in their head that they’re smarter, more important, and morally superior to you. It’s a lie, a scam, and buying into it and voluntarily participating in “the system” is granting them the moral high ground.

    Comply if you must – if you can’t fight back or evade, if the short- and long-term risk of compliance is lower than the risk of disobedience – and do no more. Spend the rest of your personal resources on living; you only have one life, and it would be a real tragedy to spend most of it bowing and scraping for a bunch of busybodies and psychopaths who think your place on earth is to please them for as long as letting you live is convenient. They are uniformly an example of everything that is worst about humanity, while you are virtuous, productive, valuable, complete human beings – don’t let them pretend they’re better than you and *don’t* let them pretend they have the right to push you around. They are criminals and parasites! Treat them as such!

  • Maldek

    Feedback: The Network Infiltration Black Paper

    Thank you for sharing your work “The Network Infiltration Black Paper”!

    All the experience you made and all the tips you let us read in your “Black paper” is 100% in-line with my experience in life.
    Couldn’t agree more – thank you again for letting us “look inside your brain” for a brief moment.

    One statement you made “Know you are, and start acting like it” is a perfect example of truth.
    Like the “Neo” character in the movie “The matrix” -> we are born that way..or not.
    You were born “Simon Black”…it just took you some time to realize it.

    All the best,
    Maldek

    PS: Premium service sounds like a good idea!

  • Linda

    I could go on and on about this stuff. Are you kidding me Simon? To work with folks who are not ready is like killing yourself……and if you look at history many have lost their lives – burned at the stake etc etc because they wanted to bring folks to thier vision or level of understanding…..before da folks were ready.

    I love to be of service- don’t get me wrong. In fact I live and breathe this principle to the core. But being a saviour is not in my genes in this lifetime…..especially if it is for the wrong cause.

    Life has always been evolutionary. Even a sudden volcanic eruption is evolutionary…..it slowly builds and builds. Human awarness and desire for change (for it to be successful) has to follow that process too. The silent and powerfull ground swell has to be in place before any change can transform the majority. Yes there have been revolutions but thier foundations have always been this massive discontent and willingness to embrace change.

    When in doubt look at nature. The moon never says to the sun….”hey you stop shinning so brightly”. The sun just keeps doing what the sun does until it is ready to become a black hole. So it has to be with the masses. They have to get there on their own. Those who are ready will always find a way out…..just like we have found this forum. And if they can’t find a way, they MAKE a way. So are you a follower or a maker of ways:-) Love you folks. Have a great weekend.

  • Jaymac321

    Simon, What do you think of Tonga as residency flag?

  • Page

    I think you are right on 100%. John F. Page

  • BW

    I say leave them to their own devices.

    I’m trying to imagine a “new world order” of Perpetual Globe Trotters continuously seeking better, or just other, interesting places to go, to be, to profit, to play, to meet.

    There are many PTs who have been doing this for years, but now . . . more consciously eschewing the expected (and demanded) loyalties and their promises of bennies, along with the need to think about what this arrangement means to oneself and others – the consequences of giving up responsibilities (like, giving up the opportunity to grow, develop, evolve, etc.).

    It can be a lot of work for individuals; what about for businesses. It’s a lot more difficult to just pick up and go. And how will political systems deal with this, this growing population of mobile ingrates. Not that they wouldn’t be benefitting (who will be “they” – a certain kind of people), but since these PTs can’t be counted upon to stand still so they can be used at will, what could happen, what kind of decisions might those in politics (and all their supporters) make about the situation. Any SciFi stories out there about this (Neal?)?

  • Tom

    I read your articles because it provides me with a guide out of the mess the world has become. I need a roadmap to reach the goal of independence and freedom. You are giving that to me. Thank you.
    Starting from zero I am now getting a better idea of how to make my great escape.
    Some of what you say is going over my head. I am not even to grasshopper level yet. But, I have the will. The drag of government is greater than its benefits to me. But then, I have taken responsibility for my own health and welfare. Big steps.
    Now, I wish to take the steps you are outlining.
    I really wish there were an all inclusive service that I could use to fashion for me what you already have built for yourself.
    Getting it all in small pieces will work but doing the whole thing at one time seems more efficient, if more costly.
    Aloha from Hawaii, Tom

    • Common Sense Citizen

      I agree. If there was some way to systematically outline what we need to do to gain independence and freedom from the tyranny of the government, I would pay for such an outline. I am a physician in california, board certified, but I would leave in a second if I had the road map. CAlifornia and America are on their ways out.

    • Lrm

      No offense, Tom, but an exclusive service is the antithesis of what is being talked about. Everyone will have an individual path to this…A single list of resources may not even be the same for each person…an exclusive service is the typical current American desire for a ‘package’, or a ‘program’. Programs and packages are part of what’s gotten us to this point/mess. We have to stop buying a set of circumstances, and focus on creating our own.

      Why do we always ask for a package now? It seems easier to some, I think, and less overwhelming. Rest assured, it is far harder…at some point, you have to be responsible to yourself and for yourself, and do your own homework, in order to be truly sovereign. Otherwise, you are really handing your sovereignty over to someone else.

      Why hand it over to simon black or sovereign man, anymore than you would hand it to uncle sam, willingly?

      Geez, people-resources are just that: things to assist you and provide support. You can’t ‘opt in’ to them. You have to scout out the right ones for yourself. Good luck.

    • PassantGardant

      LOL! Great escape from Hawaii! If you have to escape from Hawaii, you might as well sail off the edge of the planet!

      I honestly think people need to weigh just what they're expecting to find elsewhere in the world and understand that those expectations are probably ill-founded.

      E.g. There has been much talk about Polish citizenship and passports. My wife has Polish citizenship, born and raised there. She escaped to the U.S. in her early teens during the hyperinflation following the collapse of Communism. Her grandmother recently passed, leaving her bank accounts and property in Poland. It has been a massive bureaucratic nightmare even trying to discover what's in the bank accounts let alone transferring anything (even after a personal two-week visit and retaining of lawyers). And selling the property is equally burdensome. Things would have to get a million times worse in the U.S. before I ever considered moving to Poland. They have no basis on which to rest hopes of reform toward more liberty. Their history is one of monarchy, feudalism, endemic warfare, and other general European traits, including a propensity toward socialism. To leave a country founded on individual liberty for one probably on a faster train to oblivion would be absurd.

      And most places in the world are probably similar. If I had to wait out a temporary irrationality in the U.S. and around the world, it would be somewhere in the rural hills in the U.S. Personally, I've chosen Pennsylvania, with a history of liberty and independence surpassing even most of the rest of this nation. But you could certainly choose many other places… Montana, Vermont, West Virginia, South Carolina, Wyoming, Alaska, etc., etc.

      I can't imagine Hawaii is all that bad either.

      Having options is one thing. Making those options anything but a very last resort is another.

      • Lrm

        Thankyou, PassantGardant, for echoing my own sentiments, in your own eloquent fashion. Fantastic, absolutely fantastic.

        I would also say, to those wanting an 'outline'-it's quite funny. Because Simon has given you that outline here in the archives of this website. There is no 'set menu' to choose from. You have to chart your own course, and do it on the timing that is right for you. Don't think for a minute that Simon doesn't use intuition in addition to logic and research.

        Of course he does!
        Intuition and following the correct path for YOU…hence, the 7 categories of expats as one outline (again, article on this very website). If you realize that you are not a hedonist, adventure capitalist…then do not stress over buying an economic citizenship tomorrow, or next decade…find what resonates with you. We are all different.

        I could liken it to chinese medicine: Same symptoms, different diagnosis and treatment options. VERY different than western medicine: same symptoms, everyone take and do the same thing.

      • cathy

        Interesting info, thank you, but you are missing the point entirely.

        In the context of the six flags approach, it seems Poland maybe a good a choice as any other. Why? You would be getting the citizenship NOT to live there but to get the passport. The strategy isn't to live where you are a citizen, quite the opposite. The point is to be considered a tourist everywhere you spend significant time because gov'ts treat tourists differently from how they treat citizens.

      • PassantGardant

        Point taken, but my comment was in response to a post about “making a great escape”. The fact is, you eventually have to plant your butt somewhere, even if you're a “tourist”. And when you do, you're going to have to endure the bureaucracy of the place you choose. In fact, tourists often have to endure more! Else, why would any immigrant ever want to become a citizen? I don't see what advantage you gain living in Hawaii as a Polish tourist versus as a citizen. If you earn a living (if you're allowed to work), you still have to pay income taxes. If you buy things, you still pay sales taxes. If you rent or buy a home, you still pay municipal and school taxes. What government doesn't assess visitors taxes and expect them to jump through bureaucratic hoops? And doesn't “tourist” status largely end when you become a resident, even if an alien resident? Maybe I am missing the point. So what are the foundations of your expectations of “independence and freedom” through the tourist approach. And on what basis would you ever claim “rights” for yourself anywhere if you're merely a visitor? Don't let yourself ever get accused of a crime. E.g. since the Patriot Act, non-citizens in the U.S. can be treated as terrorists with zero rights to due process. I've heard plenty of horror stories about elsewhere too. And the fact is, what right do you have to complain if all of your six flags employ the same tyrannical schemes and methods, as they are wont to do, particularly if the freest among them does? If you don't take responsibility to try to fix it, why should anyone else.

      • Cathy

        Well, Big Guy, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but you don't get it. I'm not the one to explain it all because I haven't lived it. Maybe Simon can go over it again. But just a few points, if I may.

        First, obviously no one says that all taxes can be completely avoided so that is not a valid argument. (One can minimize many taxes in various ways, however…)

        Second, many if not most countries extend “rights” to all who are under their jurisdiction, not just to citizens. If you think that you enjoy more “rights” or more durable “rights” as a US citizen, then you have not been paying attention. But I don't think the “rights” argument is part of the PT strategy, per se.

        Avoiding the bureaucracy is not necessarily part of the mix, either. I believe dealing with it on your terms is.

        As far as I can tell, immigrants want to become citizens so that they can stay without the risk of deportation, so they can legally work and because of the idiotic patriotic mysticism drilled into our heads in the gov't schools and media.

        OK, so what is the PT strategy for? My take is to 1. avoid excessive income and biz taxes, especially the forever, around the world taxes of the US, 2. spread your wealth over several jurisdictions so that no one government can seize all your wealth in one quick move, 3. establish a habit of mind so that you will never be so attached to one jurisdiction that you can't move to a safer place before calamity strikes.

        To these ends, it is NOT part of the strategy to obtain citizenship from say Poland, move to Poland and get a regular 9-5 job in Poland. Maybe some people would like to do this, but this is not the PT strategy. You are confusing the two.

        About taking responsibility “to fix it,” I believe this comes from that patriotic mysticism. I ask you, what better way to signal that you demand change than to pick up your marbles and leave? Voting with one's feet is more effective than using the ballot box, as history has proven time and again.

        Hey Simon, can you review the whole PT strategy again and give some concrete examples of the benefits so we all know what you are talking about?

    • Linda

      Hey Tom,
      Like you rightly said you have to take responsiblity for your own wellbeing. That applies to this aspect of life discussed in your post. If the easier way you want is not out there – how about creating it for yourself and others. Dream about and make that all inclusive package for others.

      If there is a need, find ways to satisfy it…..and it will be profitable if you plan well. In today's age, life will spoonfeed you many things and we have gotten used to the instant gratification system…..and that is the death of individual and community greatness.

      But the poineering spirit that breeds mega businesses and a satisfying life is also very alive and well and it is waiting for you at your doorstep. Happy treasure hunting!

  • Brian Cost

    Regarding GOOOH, several thoughts come to mind:

    1) you can replace the elected members, but you have a huge pool of people in unelected bureaucratic positions plus all the players who also have a hand in goosing the system that could either ply their influence through coercion, extortion, co-opting, etc. It would take a ground swell of support from the public to support massive systemic changes, otherwise, any new blood would eventually turn, no matter how little it would be.

    2) politcal change vs. focus on your own. I tend to agree with the views of Charles Hughes Smith: opt out and focus on localized scales of endevour, enterprise and network support. For purposes of reasoning, see #1.

  • Joseph Somario

    I like and would like to get a 2nd passport ASAP. ? total cost?

  • James mccutchan

    Like Bill Bonner said at the conference in Vancouver; “it's time to abandon ship, not man the pumps”.

  • MV

    On that last part I absolutely agree with you 100%.
    BTW France is not a good place to plant a flag, great tourism spot but god forbid you get caught in the system, tax on assets is one good reason not to. It characterizes, as you just outlined, the will and thought process of the population at large , and thus is just one of the extension, there are others. Regardless your analysis of Sophia Antipolis was spot on, just visit though.
    I have a flag there by history, not choice, but when I see talk on one hand of renouncing US citizenship and the other hand of going to France, it seems utterly absurd and antinomic to me. 20 some years ago the exact same thinking that you outline here made me get out, the best thing I ever did.

    Thank you for everything.

    For more on that tax (but there are other similar problems), the French version of it is more detailed:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solidarity_tax_on_…

  • je

    The things that you write are of great interest. One thing that concerns me is the level of medical and dental care that one could expect in these far away places.
    je

    • Lrm

      This has been discussion like a billion times already…(:
      Simon has even done individual posts…search the archives on the site using healthcare as a term, or medical tourism.

  • Chuck B.

    In response to your question, clearly, investing our resources to prepare and safeguard our families, our assets, and ourselves is absolutely the right thing to do.

    Governments in western nations are big and they are only getting bigger. Generations of citizens have now been programmed to transfer their personal rights & responsiblities to government at all levels. To try and change society's beliefs and the gov't machine (this machine includes: politicians, bureaucrats, lobbyists, unions, influential multi-national corporations, etc.) all at once is unrealistic and potentially bad for your health & safety.

  • Johnwjohnson

    Your blogs are the best. I so appreciate your point of view and inspiration.
    i own an ecommerce business. If you know anyone that could help facilitate the changes you mention, that would be super. Like you mention in your warning about second passports, you have to deal with reliable people/companies, and there's no way for me to know that as far as hosts, etc.
    I'm 63, sooner or later going to qualify for social security. i'm imagining i have to keep my US citizenship to get those payments. But i could live anywhere right?

    • Lrm

      This has been discussed often-also, you could google it and find many other sites with accurate info.
      Do a search on the archives in this site, and type Social Security-you should find the answer in detail-and yes, you can live abroad and still collect your SS.

  • Thumbodyelse

    Can you discuss opening trading/investment accounts in singapore or hong kong that don't require a couple of mil to do. If you can, can you include some names.

    • Dieterwolf

      For opening accounts thre youmight have to travel to HK or Singapore or contact somebody who works as INTRODUCING AEGNT for the bank.

  • Blackwolf300

    The answer to the first question is clearly “No.” Letting the structure collapse so that we can start over is the only way to go. Unfortunately, people never seem to learn and in another few hundred years it will need to happen all over again. The second answer is “Definitely.” Start now. Immediately if not sooner. The 30,000 people lining up for Section 8 vouchers in Georgia had nice clothes on and most of the women had their hair and nails done. A weekly hair appointment is at minimum $50. So figure $200 monthly. Nails??? $15-$20 weekly. So the poor souls who can't afford to pay their rent and really want you to pay it for them have access to at least $300 a month for grooming. The mob scenes for “free” are only going to get worse and soon the lines may be forming around your house, work or the grocery store. After all, everything is free, right????

  • JFVP

    Hola Simon .. thanks for your extraordinary input on SM.com ..I,ve given up on the major Gov,s & will now spend all my time sorting out their messes my way .. Alone .. it,s truly time to become a stand alone GlobalCitizen & end the Rip-off ..

    ps:I purchased the Going Global report but could not download it .. can you share how i need to proceed now .. tnks .. JFS ..

  • Jackbnimble

    I have been meaning to share something interesting with you for a while. On my latest Minnesota tax forms there is a NEW check box that specifically asks “Are these taxes being paid from a foreign sourced bank account?” Today, I called to talk to someone and the end of our conversation the nice lady on the phone asked me the same question. Interesting.
    Also of interest was my new PMB for mail. We are slowly disassociating ourselves and all mail is being rerouted for the time being. They had my new address without me telling them, even my magazine subscriptions had my new PMB address without me calling them. Do you know what kind of monitoring network is set up? Thanks for the info, I read your emails first.

    • Prof

      Everything is monitored. Everything. Even things you can't imagine.

  • Homepro1

    Simon,

    I can only ask Why do they make us learn history in school since NO ONE ever seems to learn from it! Mistakes, wars, corruption, repeated by each generation ad-infinitum! Yuuk.. I honestly don't think things will ever get better, change will happen but a dog is still a dog, regardless of what color you paint it!

    Better to find a place to make your own life, stay far away as possible from the worst places, worst banks or systems, etc and like you said, plant multiple flags and stay flexible… and the younger one could understand this and get started, how much happier a life they will have!

  • Gelitsalis

    Simon, You're back in Vilnius! Come on man! Have a seminar here already if you're going to come back so often!!

    Question: A friend of mine swears that lebanon is the new switzerland, with neurotic banking secrecy. What are your thoughts on that? My friend is well planted within that system and speaks as an insider. He claims the banks there are paying 8-9% interest as well.

  • Julia333

    I do plan on living overseas. However, I also believe everyone should own some acreage here in case of turmoil overseas. You should buy the acreage where the climate is good, land fairly cheap and easy to farm. The Southeast is a good place – good climate, good soil, lots of privacy in Georgia, Alabama, etc. Everyone should know how to grow basics, potatoes, green beans, watermelon, spinach, etc., and have basic seeds preserved and rotate. I know this is a survivalist approach, but I fear the worst and hope for the best. So we own land, have the seeds stored (and will replace as necessary). However, hope to be able to shift to living in SE Asia within two years. I vote, try to change things at the grass roots level. Hope that if we get good people in at the bottom, they will make connections and move up to the top. However, I am not banking on it! I am with Simon, and plan to have banking in Singapore, living in Asia, and web-based businesses with Paypal in Norway. Last item is to get a second passport. I do not need to give up US citizenship, but I do believe a second passport is a very good idea. Let's hope we all succeed!

    • Connie

      Julia…you sound like a smart gal, and I would like to contact you…(but how?)…and I am doing similar…but still working here in the U.S…to keep liberties…as the U.S. is the last bastion of Freedom, or so the world thinks. It may begin to be Iceland soon…the way they have taken control of their economy, government…

  • Cynthia

    Well, this “New World Order”- Globalization maddnes organized by the pathetic psychopaths and parasites will be over pretty soon because the base is totally rotten and it is only the exchange of the negative and positive energy nothing else.
    How you call to the mountain, mountain will respond in the same way………………..
    All the best to you Simon
    Love and hugs to you
    Cynthia

    • Cynthia

      Simon where is my second posting I have send it to you. It wasn't racial and I'm not a Muslim
      Cynthia

  • Carol

    Lastly, Wayne asks, “Simon, what are your thoughts on the organization called GOOOH, or organizations like it that aim to clean out the political system and replace all sitting politicians with fresh blood?”

    What makes Wayne think “fresh blood” is going to produce any better results in these power structures (civil governments) than we have now. Pretty much, as you rightly point out, the problem is the populations in these nations think they need these governments. Until the majority of these people come to realization that they MUST accept responsibility take care of themselves, their families and their communities, we are sure to have these leviathan governments.

  • Rabuzin F

    To make a comment directly in relation to your question…

    I would have to say invest a little in keeping the ideas alive, so that when people are ready they have an alternative to turn to. Trying to convince people who aren't ready is futile and it's something that I (personally) gave up a while back.

    Gandhi said you should “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

    Time, money and energy are better spent in being the change and leading by example. It seems the only true, honest and worthwhile road to take.

  • Worldlygirl

    If one could get the Israeli 2nd PP “return to Law” without any problems, would you suggest a residency in yet another country?

    Perhaps Uruguay??

    Thanks…

    • Alangsoh

      Hi worldly girl. How long do you have to actually be on the ground there in order to get an Israeli passport? I understand that it is not a quick procedure. Thank you and regards.

  • Worldlygirl

    typed the incorrect email address on my question, OOPS…

  • Prof

    Anyone who thinks there is a way to change the US regime or make it better probably also believes there is a difference between Republicans and Democrats and does not understand the whole thing is owned and run by people whose names we will likely never know. There maybe some small town votes that count in local elections, but on the federal level, it is all fixed by Diebold and the other company that makes kiosk voting machines or by a fatally tarnishing news release on the opposition 3 days before balloting. Nah, it is all going to come down and have to be redone. My hope is that a few patriots will do a coup and return us to the constitution. Either way, I don't want a front row seat for this movie!

    BTW, how about the name of the Polish attorney? And how long does that take?

  • Bill Goode

    Simon, you ask what I think. Well what I think is that your apathy for our future generations is appalling. Such apathy from most people is relatively meaningless in the larger view of things. But you publish a news letter with presumably hundreds or even thousands of readers. You have established your self as a leader for many of these people. If you want to go gallivanting around the globe getting people with similar views to run from their governments, then that's fine. But when you promote your apathy as a valid viewpoint, it is detrimental to those that are doing things to remedy the scene. As you pointed out, this is a worldwide situation. What will happen to you and your family in five to ten years, when the entire world becomes one big police state, because everyone gave up and ran away from their government?

    There are some very effective things being done. I am a US citizen, living in the USA, so I don't have the world viewpoint that you have. But I do see what is happening from where I am, and granted I don't like it. But I care what happens after this life of mine. I would think and expect that most people would as well. Your apathy for handling the world scene doesn't help.

    • Rabuzin F

      I think you mis-understood the question. It's not a case of lack of concern. It's a case of priorities and how one can best create the change one believes in. There is more than one means to an end.

    • Brian

      You can't stop the tide Bill. Good ideas build civilization, bad ones destroy it (mises). The world right now is saturated with bad ideas – destructive worldviews. You do everything you can to peacefully spread good ideas (like freedom, liberty, independance) but it's a bit naive to think that you can stop the tide. Fixing the US is something that might be possible some day in the future when all these bad ideas have run their course – but not until then. I think it would be wise to set up an exit strategy – I am.

    • Tazwell

      I applaud your stance and your courage to speak so. At the same time, it is true, that one must be willing to be a front runner, and the front runner is not part of a club. The group will hold you down, I know this in all of my dealings in this vein. It is most likely why the holocaust was so deadly in terms of numbers and human suffering. I am so saddened at the statement by intelligent people that cannot face their own apathy and laziness in declaring, they have nothing to hide. That is not the point. The point is, when did we give it away ??

  • JT

    Hi Simon,

    What is the contact information of the Polish attorney and do you have to have Polish ancestry to qualify?

  • JT

    Great news. The attorney I selected just sent me a nice email saying that he will be confirming Polish citizenship for at least 10 of our subscribers who contacted him.

    Also, why is this the first that we have heard of this? Sounds as if it has been published previously. We have all of your old emails from several years back now and don't recall hearing about it previously???

  • Kauni22

    I am doing both…Researching my 'good places'…learning French, Norwegian, etc, spending less, stocking up, reaching out to community….and fighting the morons in power in D.C….as I would really like to see America survive this…but I may soon stop walking against the wind…and just relocate!!!

  • Diego

    Simon, Congrats on your success in helping people acquire polish passports. I'm planning a trip to Brazil in the near future to begin the process of residency there and hopefully citizenship eventually. I remember reading in a fairly recent article of yours that you have contacts in Brazil that can expedite the process. I would be very interested to contact them.

  • Wanderingsalsero

    Simon:

    On one hand I agree with you that we're not going change 'the system' and we're better off just protecting ourselves. But the problem in actually doing that is that is that it's impossible to do to any significant degree irrespective of the changes that these other lofty-minded organizations are trying to bring about.

    It's like being in a crowded elevator and thinking that you can just protect your own space when, at the same time, people keep pushing into the elevator. At some point you've got to start fighting back.

    I think we need to do both….(a) support organizations whose platform we agree with, and (b) planning and enabling our own asset protection and lifestyle programs.

    I absolutely disagree with the thought that we can just do nothing. We're inextricably involved to a certain degree in most other things that happen.

    Regards,
    Art

  • Carlvahey

    My wife is from the Dominican Republic soon going to be a Canadian
    also, I'm a Canadian thinking of getting DR citizenship our 2 year
    old daughter was born in the DR and also has a Canadian passportand citizenship. I'm thinking of buying land there and either buying a small business or starting one. Is it a good country to invest in? The Gov. is so corrupt beyond belief.

  • Carlvahey

    Anyone having good advice on the Dominican Republic, business
    ideals, buying land, starting a business, buying a business,
    please let me know. Thank you kindly.

  • John Galt

    I just focus on my work and donate to the Ayn Rand Institute. It's the division of labour as applied to fighting for the ideas of capitalism, self-interest, and reason. I do my part and do what is enjoyable to me–my work–and they are full time intellectuals fighting for and speaking on a daily basis about the right ideas. Some might think it's impossible to change people's minds, but they are exposing millions of high school students to Ayn Rand's ideas through their books projects. I think they can do more with more money though–imagine if several million college students read Atlas Shrugged!

  • Dieter Wolf

    The passport of RD is good for nothing. The Ecuadorian gives you the right to go to Venezuela , you can not travel to Europe.DOMINCA and St Kitts say you could travel to Europe.
    It is not really true: these passports are only valid for TRANSIT in the Schengen countries.
    The Venezuelan passport is good for ALL Schengen countries, for Russia and all Latin American countries without VISA.
    COLOMBIAN passport is good for some LA-countries, nothing else. PANAMA passport es relatively good.

  • Scrapbooker

    Simon, I believe you have the understanding of waste of our precious resources and I further believe we do need to be investing in preparing and safeguarding our families, assests and
    ourselves. The reason I believe this is probably not a printable
    answer. Our heavenly Father has created all things good and evil. The evil ( termoil in our lives ) is for our maturing so we need to be concentrating on ourselves ( spiritually as well as physically and mentally ) while taking care of our families and their and our needs while we share this earthly time. Thanks, Sandie in Montana

  • Brian

    Good as always Simon. I have a question I was hoping you could answer. I am 100% convinced that there will be a collapse of the US dollar. For this reason I want to establish a foreign brokerage account but I am a US citizen. I am also worried about counter-party risk, so the quality of the institution with which I invest is important. Do you have any recommendations? Right now I am using TD Ameritrade – do you have any opinion on that institution? I do not like the fact that I cannot sell my shares into multiple currencies.

    • Paul Young

      Hi Brian,

      go to http://www.interactivebrokers.com, they offer brokerage accounts in different currencies. I have one in Euro and another in dollars.

      Hope that helps,

      Paul Young

  • Brian

    For me (and obviously for you) it is a pleasure to spread good ideas, to talk about liberty, independance, freedom. I think that it's a great idea to invest our time in others. It's true that most people have their heads in the sand, but I know that I've had a major impact on quite a few people and I do think that people can be a valuable investment, but I also agree with you that you have to go your own way and safeguard yourself regardless of what others do.

    “Ideas are real, they control the past, present and future. Good ideas build civilization, bad ones destroy it.” – Mises

    Nothing will get better until all these bad ideas have run their course and that just takes time. Can't stem the tide. The consequences of the worldview in vogue must come to fruition before things can change for the better. You are planting seeds (good ideas) for the future with your writings.

  • Joe

    Simon,

    Are you sure that we should have a web hosting in Canada or USA?

    The Patriot Act allowed the government to interfere the web hosting? Should not we planting the hosting flag in where the country doesn't follow patriot act or opt to share the information?

    • Domlanic

      The Patriot Act- christ, what an offensive expression! Tribalism writ large, “my country right or wrong, but still my country”

      Excuse me, I have to go & vomit….

      • Tazwell

        In the US the law is called “The Patriot Act”. It is the name the law was given. So you may want to consider chilling out as you are obviously not from this country and do not know what you are talking about. Things are not so good here these days.

    • http://twitter.com/FizzGig3211 Michael Coombes

      Hi Joe,

      I've been working in the IT industry for over 12 years now and know a lot about the industry. Running a web site has two distinct parts – 1) renting the domain name (in Simon's case it's sovereignman.com) and 2) securing the Web Hosting.

      When you register a domain name, you purchase the right to use it for a set period of time. In the process of registration you have to give the reigstrar (person or company you're renting the domain from) some personal information based on the rules for that domain TYPE. A .com domain has different rules from a .com.au or a .org, or a .gov.nz or so on. All this information is publically searchable by anyone – it always has been, and always will be.

      Web Hosting is when you rent space on someone's server and put your website there. A listing is then made to connect the computer server where your website sits to the domain name.

      That said, in terms of privacy, there is a lot that is written about it on the net and by specialists however it comes down to one thing. Risk Management. What are your risks? What are you protecting and why? How much effort and expense is it worth to you and what's the worst that can happen if your privacy/security is breached?

      Don't just focus on the privacy issue though. What will happen if your site is offline for some reason? How difficult is it for you to contact the hosting company and sort it out? Having the best privacy and security system in the world is totally wasted if your site is never on line, and you can only contact the one person that can fix it for one hour, once a week.

      First rule of thumb, if it's on the net, it isn't private. Further, you cannot set up or find a system that will prevent any major state or country from breaking it if they want to. Most countries in the world have laws where if they order you to tell them something, and you don't, they'll jail you.

      So go with useablity and reliability.

  • Joe Carey

    Simon, I can relate to this statement “It’s nearly impossible to win over the people’s hearts and minds” in fact I would leave out the “nearly” I see it with family, I want to go but the thinking is if you don't like it work to change it. It's an impossible task. I would appear more sane it I showed up a the ocean with a bucket with the intentions of draining it.

  • Domlanic

    Simon,
    Guess I’m lucky to own British/EU plus New Zealand/Australia passports, as do my kids; can’t see a need for any more and at 65 time would be against me! Malaysia/Thailand sound attractive as low/zero tax havens.

    Now a bit off topic-Only one aspect of your philosophy grates with me and it seems common to many Americans; you have antipathy towards social services being publicly funded and seem to regard this as ‘communistic’ (in fact one of your countrymen called me a commie for suggesting health reform was a good thing in USA).
    Do you not concede that spending your taxes on help for those unfortunate to be disabled, very sick or mentally stricken is better than hundreds of billions on armaments for pointless ‘wars on terror’ that are unwinable? Or bailing out the bastards who sold you down the river, instead of letting those institutions fail, as should have happened?
    These are the parts of the American Dream that leave me cold- surely ‘every man for himself’ can’t lead to a good/fair/decent society?? After all, who can sensibly argue that society is built completely without cooperation and joint responsibility?

    • Hankgretchen

      I don't want to be forced to “help” at the point of a gun. The philosophy you espouse always leads to hell on earth, eventually , if not sooner. In the meantime there is nothing preventing you from using your own money and time to “help”.

      • Patricia

        There was a time when the US had no social security system. In 1935 it became mandatory (point of gun as you say). I understand there was a huge uproar at this at the time. People today accept it as a fact of life.

        As flawed as it is today, it is often all that people have. If it was not manadatory, those people would have nothing…because of the 'life for today' attitude in the US. Few people pay/paid into a retirement fund of some sort assuming that SS was enough (when in fact it was conceived as a supplement to whatever savings/retirement plan an individual had).

        As far as 'point of gun' regarding health care insurance/reforms/whatever…I think this is a necessity of society…because most people are too naive to voluntarily provide for health emergencies. 'It will never happen to me and live for today' is the prevelant attitude.

        I find it laughable that some third world countries have some kind of social health care and America 'still hasn't woken up' and have SOME kind of health care. It is a joke.

    • Patricia

      One of the things that annoyed me when I lived in the US is the closed mindedness of the general masses. Health reform is one of those issues. Americans don't seem to understand that some kind of health insurance is logical for the general masses (not necessarily so for the weathly). Especially families, IMHO.

      They also seem to think that the UK and other EU models for health insurance are one and the same…and even think that 'it is free'.

      Oh, and the other common (and very strange connection) is that health insurance and communism are somehow related…(or leads to 'hell on earth').

      Here in the EU, I think that probably all the health care models available here are not without flaws…but certainly better than nothing.

      I find it ironic that amongst those who complain about health care reforms in the US, are those who enjoy some sort of health insurance through their work place (which they in part pay for as in EU models).

      Well then, if that is 'acceptable', then why not something similar on a national level?

  • Mike

    Simon, it was great talking with you in Las Vegas, and thank you for the website and daily email letter.
    I’m trying to get Polish citizenship as a Polish descendant, and the law firm in Poland said I need to know “exactly” where my grandfather was born in order to proceed. Any idea how I can find that out? Is there a central government agency or a place where birth records are kept from 1902? I want to proceed; but I’m stuck!
    I found my grandfathers Ellis Island passenger record at http://www.ellisisland.org. Registration is free. Some others in our community may find this helpful.
    If anyone can help, feel free to contact me at mikelkee@aol.com.
    Thanks, Mike.

  • Don

    Simon:

    Your response to Wayne could not, I think, have been said better…in my opinion.

    After years of trying to work within “the system,” I've come to the conclusion that a country with a two-party system has only one direction to go — down. And I have no delusions that a substantial number of my fellow countrymen either care enough or know enough to turn things around. So down it is.

    Now if I could just get that one person in my life who's the hold-up in me getting out of here to….

  • Don

    By the way, did anyone see this Russia Today report on the number of Americans renouncing citizenship?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqCIyHHOCQo

  • Ron Capern

    Consider the “Rob Peter to pay Paul” thought.

    As long as all the Peters and all the Pauls have a vote, governments will continue to rob the Peters in order to buy votes from the Pauls.

    So, best just get out of Dodge and go to somewhere that either doesn't rob Peter to pay Paul, or where Paul gets paid much less.

    Ron

  • EllenNewYork

    Hi Simon,
    I'm wondering if I've missed something. I'd like the name and contact information for the lawyer you recommend in Poland. My father and three grandparents were born and raised in Poland. I have my father's paperwork from immigration here and the US Army so I don't think I'll have a problem with most of it. And what I've been told by the Polish Embassy is they qualify as Polish citizens as they left Poland after 1920.
    The holdup has been finding a lawyer that doesn't charge a huge sum here in NYC, so I would try your guy.
    Thanks,
    Ellen

  • Housemerge

    Simon;

    I pray your father's health will be restored.

    I am with you. I have found it very difficult to change people's thinking even in your own family. I have most will DIE rather than change their thinking.

    I have three children in the Dallas metroplex, each just starting their own families and are just now beginning to wake up to the fact that something is seriously wrong with the USA. But at this point they are not ready to consider flag planting. The national economy has not affected the local economy that much yet.

    I left America Nov. 2005. I still have a Ukrainian address but I am in Malaysia for the present and will be registering for their MM2H

    program.

    Have a good day. Wayne

  • Dale

    Simon,

    I am truly interested in envesting and living in Northern Coastal Peru because of the climate. Please give me advise on government, citizenship, and real estate ownership.

  • A.M.

    Hi Simon. What do you think of buying land in Nicaragua as an investment? Also what do you think of living there? I'm thinking of buying land there.

Previous post:

Next post: