Peter Thiel Trying to Acquire Maltese Citizenship. NYT

• Peter Thiel is undergoing the acquisition of Maltese citizenship, The New York Times reported Saturday.
• Silicon Valley investor and Republican donor holds American, German, New Zealand passports. 
• The EU is BanningThe scheme of “golden passport”, which gives beneficiaries access to the EU, is operated by Malta. 

According to a Saturday report, Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley investor and ex-Trump adviser, is looking to add Malta to the list of foreign passports he has. ReportThe New York Times

Thiel was born in Germany and is also a citizen of the United States and New Zealand. According to The Times, the billionaire PayPal founder donated more than $30 million to Republican candidates in the next month’s midterm elections. He is one of the most influential individuals donors to the race. 

But if his ambitions to “Make America Great Again” go awry, Thiel — who’s credited with It’s time to get into the “doomsday preparation” mode among Silicon Valley’s elite — has multiple fallback plans, although the Designs for his bunker with 10 bedrooms in New ZealandThe local government rejected them this summer.

Maltese citizenship is one of these plans. It’s a very popular passport for ultra-wealthy people who want to get into the EU. It is one of the few European Union member countries that still has a “golden passport” program. This allows foreigners to receive citizenship in return for investing over $700,000. 

Insider asked for comment from the Thiel Foundation, but a spokesperson did not immediately respond.

The number of Rich Americans apply for citizenship or residency in another country.In the last three-years, it has risen dramatically as US billionaires, tech entrepreneurs and celebrities seek to create a “Plan B” for their families. Multiple investment migration firms spoke to Insider in May. 

“We see these programs as an insurance policy,” Ezzedeen Soleiman, a managing partner at Latitude Residency & Citizenship, said. “We have had billionaires approach us to ask where the best place is to live in case of a climate disaster, another storm or another pandemic.” 

If the EU gets its way, Malta’s program may not last much longer. The European Commission, which In recent years, golden passports have been reducedLast month,, announced that it will sue Malta for refusing to dissolve the scheme. 

According to the Times, Thiel could have already destroyed his chances of getting citizenship by listing his Malta apartment for rent on Airbnb. Applicants are prohibited from renting out their homes before they complete the citizenship process. 

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