South Africa and many other African countries have borne the brunt of the new Omicron variant.
Travel experts believe a second residency may be the answer for African citizens, following weeks of travel bans by many countries, including the US, UK and other parts of Europe.
Micha Emmett, CEO of CS Global Partners, an advisory and marketing firm specialising in Citizenship by Investment, said passport discrimination is not a new phenomenon for African nations.
"Even before the pandemic, those holding an African passport were subject to harsher rules and visa bureaucracy, interrupting the way Africans conduct business, access services or see loved ones. Now, the Covid-19 pandemic has become an added obstacle that Africans must face if they hope to move across borders," she explained.
Emmett explained that the pandemic and subsequent travel bans prompted affluent Africans to obtain second citizenship through Citizenship by Investment.
She said these programmes enabled those who can make the required investment, depending on the nation, to acquire citizenship and the life-changing benefits that come with it.
“Covid-19 has presented one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, but for Africans, this has only exacerbated pre-existing issues. Second citizenship helps those that want to position themselves globally without the fear that their country of origin will hold them back," she advised.
The Caribbean island nation of St Kitts and Nevis, for instance, has welcomed Africans and their families to settle there. Some even started businesses.
"The programme is one of the most family-friendly options on the market and boasts the fastest route to second citizenship through its Sustainable Growth Fund option," explained Emmett.
How does it work? She said families of four can acquire citizenship for the same price as a single applicant, accounting for a price cut of $45,000 (R720 182) until December 31, 2021.
"Those who can pass the necessary vetting processes, proving that they have a clean source of funds, gain access to increased travel freedom to over 160 destinations, including key business hubs. St Kitts and Nevis also offer alternative business prospects in one of the fastest-growing economies in the region with ties to financial superpowers like the United States," she added.