Residency by Investment sounds like a simple way to set aside a backup when you’re managing your money, but the complexity and rapidly changing landscape of tax and government priorities means you should probably talk to an expert.

In this episode of Taxbytes for Expats, I’m joined by Sandeep Nair, COO of Vancis Capital, to talk about residency and citizenship by investment. He sets out, in very practical terms, what these programmes actually involve because this is one of those areas where you don’t want to get the details wrong, and having an adviser like Sandeep is the best way to get accurate and up to date information.

We talk through why people explore residency or citizenship options in the first place, global mobility, retirement planning, tax considerations, and what’s increasingly referred to as a “Plan B”. Sandeep explains how clients define their goals, what the advisory process looks like, and the types of jurisdictions that tend to come up most often in these discussions.

From my side, I bring it back to the tax piece: why these decisions can’t be made in isolation, how Irish tax rules continue to apply in ways people don’t always expect, and why early, joined-up planning is critical.

Main Topics Discussed in this Episode:

1. Sandeep’s Background and Entry into Global Mobility Planning: We start with how Sandeep moved into the world of residency and citizenship by investment, and why this space has grown so quickly in recent years.
2. What Residency and Citizenship by Investment Actually Means: We break down what these programmes involve in practice, who they’re designed for, and why they’re very different from simply “moving abroad for a while”.
3. Why People Seek Residency or Citizenship Options: We explore the key drivers behind these decisions, including global mobility, retirement planning, tax considerations and the growing concept of a “Plan B”.
4. Popular Jurisdictions and the Types of Programmes Available: Sandeep outlines the regions and countries that come up most often, from Caribbean passports to European residency programmes, and what attracts people to each.
5. The Need for Joined-Up Tax and Professional Advice: We discuss why immigration decisions have to be considered alongside tax, banking and structuring advice, and why oversimplifying residency can lead to costly mistakes.

Get in touch with Sandeep Nair:

Website: https://www.VancisCapital.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanciscapital/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandeep-nair-0461974b/

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You may think that seeking investments as an Expat in Ireland is as simple as finding the right advice. In practice, though, the conventional wisdom doesn’t always mean the best results for you.

In Part 2 of my conversation with Paddy Delaney of Informed Decisions, we get into some of the assumptions many people hold about investing as they move closer to retirement, particularly the idea that “de-risking” automatically means safety. Paddy explains why that conventional wisdom doesn’t always stack up in practice, and why understanding volatility, time horizons, and having a proper plan matters far more than simply defaulting into a middle-of-the-road fund.

We also spend time on something that comes up constantly in my work with expats: fees, transparency, and how to tell whether you’re getting advice or being sold a product. We talk about commission, “free” financial plans, what questions you should be asking before you sign anything, and how easily costs can stay hidden in the background for years if you don’t know where to look. This is particularly relevant if you’ve brought pensions or investments with you from another country and are trying to make sense of how everything fits together in Ireland.

If you haven’t yet, make sure you listen to Part 1 of my conversation with Paddy for all of his advice about financial planning, and to prepare you for this episode.

Main Topics Discussed in this Episode:

1. Challenging the “De-Risking” Myth Near Retirement: We unpack why automatically moving into lower-risk, middle-of-the-road funds as retirement approaches can actually reduce long-term outcomes, and why volatility isn’t necessarily the enemy if you’ve planned properly.
2. The Importance of Planning Beyond the Investment Product: This is one of those areas where having a real plan matters — we talk about thinking through “what could go wrong,” having other assets to draw on, and avoiding forced decisions at the worst possible time.
3. Advice vs Product Sales: How to Tell the Difference: We explore the key signals that distinguish genuine financial planning from a transactional product sale, including how advisors are paid and why “free” plans are rarely free.
4. Fees, Transparency, and Asking the Right Questions: From hidden charges to headline Annual Management Charges that don’t tell the full story, we explain where fees really sit, why expats can get a nasty surprise, and the direct questions you should feel comfortable asking upfront.
5. What Value for Money Actually Looks Like in Financial Advice: We discuss the wide spectrum of service levels in the market, what ongoing advice should include, and why paying more only makes sense if you’re genuinely getting engagement, insight, and support in return.

Get in touch with Paddy Delaney

1. Website: InformedDecisions.ie
2. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paddy-delaney-qfa-rpa-apa-73778969/
3. Podcast: