What You Can Learn from Edward Snowden

By Bob Bauman, JD

I’ve spent my fair share of time in airports over the years, and if there’s anything I’ve learned from that experience, it’s that I wish I hadn’t spent my fair share of time in airports over the years.

Edward Snowden, the American who blew the whistle on the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) spying program, knows first-hand what it’s like to spend too much time in an airport. He spent more than five weeks avoiding U.S. authorities by living in the transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, an unthinkable amount of time for anyone familiar with the travails of global travel.

Whether you agree with his actions or not, Snowden made a courageous decision by outing the activities of the NSA. It’s a decision that’s caused him to have his passport revoked. But he would now be far better off if he followed the strategy I've recommended for years...

Snowden was granted temporary asylum (to last one year) in Russia at the beginning of August, meaning he won’t be extradited back to the U.S. in the near future.

Snowden’s situation is an important lesson to all of us. You’ll likely never be in danger of being extradited...but it’s just one of the added safety nets a second passport can provide you.

A second passport can expand your legal rights. For an American, that means allowing for freer world travel. Edward Snowden’s current situation would be quite different were he to be holding one. Plus, a second citizenship/passport can serve as the key to reducing your taxes and protecting your assets. It can open doors that would otherwise remain closed to you.

It may seem like a radical idea to those who were born and raised in only one country, but almost anyone with the financial means and determination can become an international citizen. This is accomplished by acquiring a legal second citizenship and, with that enhanced status, an official second passport.

I’m sure that Edward Snowden never envisioned being holed up in a Russian airport avoiding U.S. authorities. But, he would now have far superior options if he had previously established a second citizenship abroad in a country with a favorable extradition policy—part of a larger offshore living strategy that I have been advocating for years.

These days, the scope and power of government at all levels have led many to consider the prudent path of a second citizenship, particularly in a country where taxes are more reasonable and there exists a greater respect for individual freedom. Individuals, therefore, need to develop a plan to protect their rights by "internationalizing" themselves and their wealth.

I explain all about the many other important aspects of holding a second passort in my popular book, The Passport Book, (The Complete Guide to Offshore Residency, Dual Citizenship & Second Passports), now in the tenth edition.

In light of Mr. Snowden’s current fate, there has never been a more urgent need for you to read it.