Client story
Client Story
Where they started
A Russian family wanted Greek residence permit and encountered a familiar barrier: new Golden Visa applications under Russian passport have been suspended since 2022. The solution is a second passport from a non-sanctioned country, and the family chose Nauru.
Why the standard route did not work
Nauru is a relatively young citizenship-by-investment program, a legal non-sanctioned option. Like Vanuatu, it is processed remotely and covers the entire family, and is suitable when you need an investment passport without ancestry-based grounds. For Greece, a Nauru citizen is an applicant from a country with no Golden Visa restrictions.
What BRIDGES had to solve
We confirmed the logic to the family: Greece's restriction is tied to citizenship, so with a Nauru passport they apply as citizens of a non-sanctioned country. We prepared a package for all family members - spouses and children.
Why a standard answer would not do
Upon obtaining Nauru passports, the family went through the standard process: real estate investment meeting Greece's thresholds and Golden Visa application. Children were included as family members. As a result, the family obtained Greek residence permit - through a legal pathway that is closed to Russian passport holders.
We wanted Greek residence permit for our family, but it's impossible with a Russian passport. At BRIDGES, we were offered a second passport, and we chose Nauru - it is processed remotely and covers the entire family. We obtained Nauru passports, then applied for Greek Golden Visa as Nauru citizens, and our children were included as family members. The residence permit was granted. What matters most is that they opened a pathway that was closed to us with our original passport.
