For years, second citizenship was viewed primarily as a tool for mobility. It offered greater freedom to travel, access to new markets, and more flexibility in where individuals could live and work.
Today, that perspective is evolving.
As global uncertainty becomes a more constant feature in mobility planning, citizenship is increasingly being considered as part of a broader strategy. One that reflects long-term planning, risk management, and the need for optionality.
To understand how this shift is playing out in practice, we spoke with Joe Rice, Head of Citizenship Programs at Global Citizen Solutions, who works closely with private clients navigating these decisions.
From Hospitality to Global Mobility
Joe’s career did not begin in global mobility.
“I spent most of my career in hospitality,” he explains. “I was based in New York for 25 years, working long hours in a very high-pressure environment.”
Like many, the COVID-19 pandemic became a moment of reassessment.
Joe made the decision to relocate to Portugal, stepping away from a fast-paced career and into a different way of living. That transition not only reshaped his personal priorities but also introduced him to the realities of moving across borders.
“It completely changed my perspective,” he says. “You start to understand what it actually means to build a life somewhere new.”
After taking time to reset, Joe joined Global Citizen Solutions, where he now leads citizenship programs globally and has played a key role in expanding the firm’s various citizenship programs.
Leading Citizenship Solutions: Understanding Before Advising
Joe’s role spans both product development and client advisory, but his approach is rooted in one principle.
“It starts with listening,”
Clients often come into the process with a clear idea of what they want, usually shaped by online research or recommendations. However, those initial assumptions do not always reflect what is most suitable.
“Someone might come in with a specific option in mind. But once you understand their situation properly, you realize something else may work better.”
The process is rarely straightforward. Factors such as family structure, long-term plans, financial considerations, and lifestyle preferences all come into play.
“There’s a lot more behind the decision than people expect,” he adds. “It’s not just about choosing a country. It’s about understanding what that choice means in the long term.”
As highlighted in Global Citizen Solutions’ Global Atlas of Risk and Readiness (GARR) report, investors are no longer assessing a country through a single lens. Instead, decisions are shaped by a combination of factors, from tax efficiency and investment frameworks to education, healthcare, and overall quality of life.
In practice, this reflects a broader shift toward diversification. Rather than relying on a single country to meet every need, individuals are increasingly considering jurisdictions based on their relative strengths.
As Joe Rice mentions, combining all these factors, listening to concerns, and finding solutions is how he approaches each client’s needs, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to finding the ideal solution for each client.
The Rise of Plan B Thinking
One of the most significant changes Joe has observed is a shift in how clients think about citizenship.
Where it was once driven by opportunity, it is now increasingly influenced by risk.
“A lot of people used to see a passport as just a travel document,” he says. “Now they’re thinking about what it gives them long term, for their family, their assets, and their future.”
This shift aligns with broader trends identified in the GARR report, which highlights how investors are moving away from single-country exposure and toward jurisdictions that can balance stability with long-term adaptability.
Rather than concentrating everything in one place, clients are looking to create flexibility across multiple jurisdictions, also known as a Plan B.
In practice, a Plan B is a contingency plan that provides a safe alternative should circumstances or situations change, whether it be politically or financially. Having a Plan B allows investors to mitigate the risk of relying on one country to keep their assets and families safe in times of uncertainty.
“It’s about having options,” Joe explains. “Not necessarily because you need them today, but because you or your family members might in the future.”
For high-net-worth individuals, this often relates to wealth structuring and asset diversification. On the other hand, for some clients, motivation is often more personal.
Safety. Stability. Access to healthcare. Education for children. A different pace of life.
“In many cases, it’s not one single event,” Joe says. “It’s a gradual shift in how people feel about where they are and what they want going forward.”
When Decisions Become Complex
Despite growing interest, decisions around global mobility remain highly individual and often complex.
“There’s never just one factor,” Joe explains.
For single applicants, the process can be relatively straightforward. But for families, multiple perspectives must be considered.
“It could be one partner wanting one option, and the other wanting something different,” he says. “Then you have to think about children, education, and how easily everyone can adapt.”
Relocation adds another layer of complexity.
“People might like the idea of a place,” Joe notes. “But living there day to day is very different.”
For this reason, he often encourages clients to experience a destination before committing fully.
“Spend time there first,” he says. “Understand what your life would actually look like. Clients who have done this really appreciated spending time in the country, solidifying it as the right decision.”
This kind of practical guidance helps bridge the gap between expectation and reality, which is often where the biggest challenges arise.
Why Trust is Crucial for Investment and Mobility Planning
When decisions involve not just financial commitment, but future planning for families, lifestyles, and the next generation, confidence becomes a critical part of the process.
For Joe, that confidence is not built through certainty alone, but through clarity and trust.
“It starts with listening,” he explains. “You need to understand what the client is actually trying to achieve, not just what they think they need.”
From there, transparency plays a central role. Clients are often navigating a mix of information, assumptions, and expectations, making it essential to clearly explain what is possible, where the limitations are, and what trade-offs may be involved.
Equally important is ensuring that any recommendation is shaped around the individual.
“There’s no one approach that works for everyone,” Joe says. “It has to fit the client, their situation, and what they want long term.”
It’s about understanding the options available today and how those choices shape what’s possible in the future. Mobility decisions are no longer made in isolation, but as part of a broader, more multidimensional view of where to live, invest, and build over time.
Having that perspective early on allows clients to make more informed decisions about where to position themselves over the next five to ten years.
Citizenship As a Strategic Asset
Perhaps the clearest indication of how the industry is evolving is how clients now view citizenship itself.
Many are not planning to relocate immediately. Some may never use their second citizenship at all.
“I have clients who say they may never need it,” Joe says. “But they want to have it there, just in case.”
This mindset reflects a broader shift toward optionality. It is no longer about finding one country that meets every need, but about creating the right set of options to address both financial and personal priorities over time.
Crucially, risk is not universal. What one individual considers a significant risk may not be a concern for another.
“Risk isn’t just about money,” Joe explains. “It’s also about lifestyle, health, and being safe.”
For some, this means diversifying assets across jurisdictions. For others, it is about access to better education, stronger healthcare systems, or a more stable environment for their family.
Citizenship is increasingly understood as a strategic asset, one that provides the flexibility to move your life, assets, and wealth across borders should your circumstances change.
As geopolitical, economic, and regulatory conditions continue to evolve, this flexibility is becoming less of a luxury and more of a major consideration in long-term planning for investors.
The Joe Rice Round Up
As Joe’s experience shows, the decision is no longer just about where you can go. It is about what options you have, how prepared you are, and what kind of life you want to build over time with a Plan B.
“It’s not just about the passport. It’s about what that gives you in the future.”