Client story
Client's story
Where they started
Our client—an entrepreneur from Russia—wanted a second passport for mobility and security but was absolutely unwilling to renounce their citizenship. They were held back by the common misconception that investment citizenship necessarily requires renouncing one's native citizenship.
Why the standard route did not work
From Sierra Leone's perspective, this concern is unfounded: the GO-FOR-GOLD program does not require renunciation of current citizenship—a Sierra Leone passport can be held alongside an existing one. The client remains a citizen of their home country and simply adds a second document. This was exactly what they needed: to add, not replace.
What BRIDGES had to solve
However, there is an important nuance that we always emphasize: the dual citizenship question has two sides. On one hand, there is what the country issuing the passport permits (Sierra Leone does not require renunciation), and on the other hand, what the laws of the client's home country say about it. Some countries regulate dual citizenship according to their own rules: they may require notification, impose restrictions on certain categories of persons, and so forth. Therefore, we not only processed the Sierra Leone passport as a second passport without renunciation, but also drew the client's attention to the necessity of considering their home country's rules—so that the decision would be fully informed from both sides.
Why a standard answer would not do
At BRIDGES, the client came for this: to obtain a Sierra Leone passport while retaining their citizenship, and to receive an honest picture of dual citizenship from both sides.
I wanted a second passport, but I was not about to renounce my Russian citizenship. I was afraid that investment citizenship required this. Dmitry reassured me: Sierra Leone does not require renunciation; you hold both, simply adding a second document. But he honestly added something important: I needed to consider my home country's rules on dual citizenship as well—that's a separate side of the matter. We processed Sierra Leone as a second passport, I retained my own citizenship, and I received the complete picture from both sides. I appreciate that they didn't just sell me something; they explained the nuance.
