According to a report by The Guardian, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been granted Israeli citizenship. Over the last week or so, Abramovich was trying to renew his UK visa which had expired but curiously enough, he was unable to do so.
The report claims that the British government has refused to comment on the situation. However, now with Israeli citizenship in hand, Abramovich is expected to move to Tel Aviv soon.
The Guardian further states that Abramovich recently bought a property in the country and that he is also widely renowned for his charitable works there. He is estimated to have donated immense amounts of money to fund research and development projects in Israel and has also invested in numerous firms.
Also, Abramovich is of Jewish faith and the Israel government is quite welcoming of Jewish people in general. Interestingly enough, Israeli passport holders can visit the UK without a visa and stay for a short while but in order to work, they will require a visa, which again brings Abramovich to the start of this vicious cycle.
At least for the time being, the situation seems sorted but for business trips, our owner will be required to approach the British government for a work visa.
Abramovich is one of the richest owners in the Premier League and the Guardian claims that Israeli citizenship would mean him not having to pay taxes for the next ten years and he would also not have to disclose the extent of his wealth. But in order to renew his UK visa, Abramovich was required to provide full disclosure, hence making the Israel move sound like a good one for the businessman.
