MIRBEZVIZ: reviews & investigation
MIRBEZVIZ sells second passports and golden visas starting at $130,000. The rating on independent review platforms sits at 1.9 out of 5. Before you wire six figures anywhere, here's what we actually found.
Who is MIRBEZVIZ and what do they actually sell
Services: Investment citizenship (Vanuatu, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Dominica, Turkey), residence permits (UAE, Spain, Portugal, Greece), real estate selection, bank account setup, offshore company registration
Location: Moscow, Russia - 12th Mariina Roshcha passage, bldg. 8, str. 2, entrance 3, office 58
Claimed history: 6+ years; predecessor company (JSC Company ARKADA) registered April 27, 2018
Phone: +7 (495) 979-15-15
Email: [email protected]
Website: mirbezviz.com
Key leadership: Andrey Smelkov (founder, ex-MTS/Tele2 executive), Oksana Smelkova (CEO), Maxim Chernavin (chief lawyer)
Key fact: MIRBEZVIZ operates a closed "Grenada Club" (grenada.club) - a private networking community for past clients who obtained Grenada citizenship. It's the only such club in Russia, according to their own marketing. Sounds good on paper. Let's check what else we know.
Trust Score
Based on 1.9/5 from verified data points at proverj.com
Who's behind MIRBEZVIZ: checking the paperwork
The brand MIRBEZVIZ operates under the Russian legal entity LLC "Company ARKADA" (ООО «Компания АРКАДА»). Our check of Russian business registries turned up two entities with the same name, which warrants a closer look.
The primary entity tied to the current brand has INN 9717118919 and OGRN 1227700499586, registered August 17, 2022. This is the successor to JSC "Company ARKADA" (INN 7702431071), which operated from April 27, 2018. A second, older LLC with the identical name carries INN 7715824410 and dates back to August 16, 2010. Oksana Smelkova appears as CEO across these registrations, and the legal address matches the physical office location.
The main business classification code is OKVED 70.22 - "Consulting on commercial activities and management." That's standard for this type of firm. But it matters for you as a client: the contract you sign is a consulting agreement, not a direct legal representation agreement. The practical difference becomes clear only if your application gets denied.
The domain mirbezviz.com was registered on July 11, 2021, with expiry on July 11, 2026. The registrar is REG.RU LLC (a major Russian registrar). Hosting runs through Beget (NS1.BEGET.COM). The first Web Archive snapshot is dated December 18, 2021. That's a three-year gap between the 2018 founding date and the domain's first documented online presence, which the company hasn't explained publicly.
No Russian federal licenses for immigration or investment consulting appear in registry searches. That's expected: Russia doesn't require a specific license for this type of consulting. MIRBEZVIZ claims licensed agent status for Vanuatu's citizenship program, but their own website notes elsewhere that documents are submitted via a local licensed agent - which puts MIRBEZVIZ in sub-agent territory. Verify with BBB and Scamadviser independently before proceeding.
MIRBEZVIZ risk analysis: 5 things to know before you pay
| Area | Risk | What we found | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | medium | Government investment starts at $130,000 (Vanuatu). MIRBEZVIZ never publishes its own service fee on the site. You find that number only after a private consultation. | Budget for government investment plus an undisclosed agency commission. Total cost is higher than the headline figure. Ask for a complete breakdown in writing. |
| Contract | high | The contract is classified as "consulting services" under OKVED 70.22. This is legally different from direct legal representation and limits your options if the government denies your application. | Get refund conditions and liability terms in writing before signing. "Consulting" contracts give companies more room to walk away if things go wrong government-side. |
| Timelines | medium | Vanuatu is marketed at roughly one month. Caribbean programs: 2-6 months. European programs: 6-12 months for residence, years for citizenship. These are government processing times and no agent fully controls them. | Treat all timelines as estimates. Real delays happen. Ask what happens contractually if deadlines are missed. |
| Reputation | medium | No fraud complaints found in six scam databases. Scamadviser rates the site as likely legitimate. But zero independent client reviews on Trustpilot, Google, or BBB after 6+ years of operation is genuinely unusual. | The absence of bad reviews is not the same as confirmed good service. Ask for direct references from past clients before committing. |
| Refunds | high | No public refund policy exists anywhere on the site. The consulting contract structure weakens your position in any dispute over government-side rejections or delays. | Demand a written refund clause before signing. Specify what happens if your application is denied, delayed beyond X months, or withdrawn. No written clause = no protection. |
MIRBEZVIZ: what the evidence actually shows
| ✅ | Real, active legal entity. LLC Company ARKADA (INN 9717118919, OGRN 1227700499586) is registered in Russia with a confirmed Moscow office address that matches their physical location. |
| ✅ | Founder is publicly verifiable. Andrey Smelkov has a documented career history at Russian telecoms MTS and Tele2. He appears in media interviews and runs a public Telegram channel (t.me/MIRBEZVIZ_freedom). No ghost-founder setup here. |
| ✅ | Clean scam database record. Checked against six platforms: baxov.net, plohotron.online, moshennik.eu, telltrue.net, proverj.com, seoseed.ru. No entries found. Scamadviser rates mirbezviz.com as "Likely to be legit." |
| ✅ | No client fraud lawsuits found. Russian arbitration records show no significant cases tied to client disputes or non-performance. That's a real positive for a firm operating in a high-value niche. |
| ✅ | Free initial consultation offered. The company advertises a no-cost first meeting to assess your situation. Standard in the industry, but worth confirming nothing is signed at that stage. |
| ⚠ | Licensing contradiction on their own site. One page calls them a "licensed Vanuatu agent." Another page on the same site states that documents are passed to "a local agent holding the relevant license." Sub-agent status is not the same as a direct license, and the difference matters if something goes wrong. |
| ⚠ | Consulting contract, not legal representation. Services are structured under OKVED 70.22 (management consulting). This affects your refund rights and legal recourse in a dispute. It's a common setup in this industry, but you need to understand what you're actually signing. |
| ⚠ | Zero independent reviews on major platforms. No entries on Trustpilot, Google Reviews, BBB, or specialized immigration forums. Yandex Maps shows 4.1 from just four ratings. Flamp shows no reviews at all. For a firm claiming 6+ years and many clients, the silence is hard to explain. |
| ⚠ | Service fees never disclosed publicly. The site shows minimum government investment amounts. What MIRBEZVIZ actually charges for its services is only revealed during a consultation. You can't compare costs before you make contact. |
| ❌ | Two legal entities with identical names and different INN numbers. LLC Company ARKADA with INN 9717118919 (active, 2022) and LLC "COMPANY ARKADA" with INN 7715824410 (registered 2010) both exist. It's not obvious which one is your actual counterparty until you see the contract. Ask before you sign. |
| ❌ | No public refund or cancellation policy. Searched the site thoroughly. No page addressing what happens to your money if the government denies your application, if you withdraw, or if timelines slip by years. This is a standard consumer protection item that most reputable firms publish openly. |
| ❌ | Domain history gap. The company claims 6+ years of operation. The domain mirbezviz.com was registered July 2021. The predecessor JSC Arkada dates to April 2018. That's a three-year gap with minimal documented online presence, and no explanation is given on the site. |
What MIRBEZVIZ actually offers and at what price
The company covers three geographic tracks. Caribbean programs are the most accessible by price. Vanuatu citizenship starts at $130,000 in government contribution and is marketed as the fastest route, roughly one month with fully remote processing. Dominica and Saint Lucia start at $200,000 and $240,000 respectively and take two to six months. These passports give you visa-free access to 140-165 countries depending on the program.
European options are the most complex and expensive. Malta, Portugal, Greece, and Spain all appear in the portfolio, with investment thresholds from roughly €100,000 for residence permits up to €650,000 or more for faster citizenship tracks. Portugal and Greece are the most popular choices for clients who want an EU passport eventually, but the timelines stretch to years, not months.
Turkey requires a $400,000 real estate investment and offers a citizenship timeline of around six months. The UAE track focuses on long-term resident visas tied to property purchases starting at $170,000, though actual citizenship in the UAE is essentially off the table for foreign nationals regardless of investment size.
What you won't find anywhere on the site is MIRBEZVIZ's own fee. The number clients pay the company for its services exists only inside a private consultation. That's common in this industry, but it makes comparing offers between firms nearly impossible without scheduling meetings with each one. And it creates room for fees to shift between the initial quote and the contract signing.
MIRBEZVIZ vs competitors: where does it actually stand
The highlighted column is the company under review. best worst mixed
| Parameter | MIRBEZVIZ ★ | Henley & Partners | Migronis | DIY (no agent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service fee | Undisclosed opaque | From ~$50,000 (on request) | From ~$20,000 (on request) | $0 cheapest |
| Timelines | 1-12 months (stated) | 2-12 months | 2-12 months | 3-24 months slowest |
| Contract type | Consulting (weaker rights) risky | Regulated representation stronger | Representation agreement | No contract |
| Office location | Moscow only limited | 35+ global offices global | 3 offices (Kyiv, Tbilisi, Dubai) | N/A |
| Public pricing | No none | On request only | Partial (on request) | Government fees public transparent |
| Independent reviews | None found zero | Thousands (Trustpilot 4.6) | Hundreds (Trustpilot 4.4) | N/A |
Note: Competitor data based on publicly available information as of March 2026. Always verify current pricing directly with each firm.
What to check before paying MIRBEZVIZ anything
- Legal entity: Confirm which exact LLC (and which INN number) appears on the contract. Two entities with the same name exist. The INN tells you which one you're actually dealing with, and that matters if you ever need to file a complaint.
- Service fee: Get the total cost in writing before the second meeting: government investment plus MIRBEZVIZ's commission plus any third-party fees (local agent, document translation, bank setup). The headline investment figure is just the start.
- Refund clause: Ask specifically what happens to your money if the government rejects your application. Get this in writing in the contract, not as a verbal assurance during the sales pitch.
- License verification: Ask for a physical copy of the Vanuatu (or other program) authorization document, not just a reference to it. If they're a sub-agent, the license is held by another firm and you should know who that is.
- Timeline commitment: Request written milestone dates and what the company's obligation is if those dates slip. "We'll try our best" is not a contractual term.
- Client references: Ask for contact details of two or three past clients who completed the same program you're considering. A company with many successful cases should have no problem with this request.
- Payment method: Confirm that your funds go into a clearly identified bank or escrow account, not a personal card or informal channel. Large transfers to an operating account with no receipts create serious risk.
- Dispute resolution: Check whether the contract specifies a dispute resolution mechanism and which jurisdiction applies. Russian consulting contracts default to Russian courts, which may not be accessible or practical for you depending on where you live.
Frequently asked questions about MIRBEZVIZ
Is MIRBEZVIZ legitimate or a scam?
MIRBEZVIZ appears to be a real operating company. LLC Company ARKADA (INN 9717118919) is a registered Russian legal entity with a confirmed Moscow address. No fraud complaints or client scam accusations turned up in any of the six databases we checked. But a 1.9/5 rating on proverj.com combined with zero independent reviews on Trustpilot, Google, or specialized forums after 6+ years of claimed operations is hard to explain. Proceed with the due diligence steps above before committing any funds.
Who actually owns and runs MIRBEZVIZ?
Andrey Smelkov is the founder and public face of the company, with a documented background at Russian telecoms MTS and Tele2. Oksana Smelkova serves as CEO and is the registered founder of LLC Company ARKADA. Maxim Chernavin is listed as chief lawyer with 25 years of claimed experience in international law. All three are named on the company website and Andrey Smelkov maintains an active public Telegram channel.
How much does investment citizenship actually cost through MIRBEZVIZ?
Government minimums start at $130,000 for Vanuatu, $200,000 for Dominica, $240,000 for Saint Lucia, and $400,000 for Turkey. MIRBEZVIZ's own service fee is never listed publicly and is only disclosed during private consultation. That means you won't know your true total cost until after you've made contact. Always ask for a written total before proceeding.
How long does the citizenship or residence permit process take?
Vanuatu is marketed at roughly one month. Caribbean programs (Grenada, Saint Lucia, Dominica) typically run two to six months. European residence permits take six to twelve months. EU citizenship pathways through countries like Portugal require several years of residency before naturalization. These are government-controlled timelines and any agent can only estimate them, not guarantee them.
What happens if my application gets denied? Can I get a refund?
No public refund policy exists on the MIRBEZVIZ site. Because contracts are structured as consulting agreements under Russian OKVED 70.22, your legal position in a refund dispute is weaker than it would be under a direct legal representation contract. Denial rates vary by program and applicant background. Ask for explicit written terms covering denial scenarios before you sign anything.
Is MIRBEZVIZ actually a licensed Vanuatu agent?
MIRBEZVIZ claims licensed agent status for the Vanuatu Development Support Programme on one part of their site. A different page on the same site states that documents are transferred to a "local agent holding the relevant license." That's sub-agent status, not a direct license. The practical difference is that your relationship is with MIRBEZVIZ, not the licensed entity. Ask for a copy of the actual license document before proceeding.
Where can I read or leave a review about MIRBEZVIZ?
Client reviews about MIRBEZVIZ are collected at proverj.com/mirbezviz/. You can also find in-depth coverage of investment citizenship firms, including this investigation, at migration.us.com. If you've used MIRBEZVIZ, sharing your experience on independent platforms helps future clients make informed decisions.
Expert verdict: what I actually think about MIRBEZVIZ
I've been tracking investment citizenship agencies operating out of Russia and the CIS since 2011. I built my own network across 50+ offices helping Russian-speaking clients relocate. So I know this market from the inside, and I know the patterns.
MIRBEZVIZ sits in a genuinely difficult spot. The investigation found no fraud, no blacklist entries, a real legal entity, and publicly verifiable leadership. Andrey Smelkov's telecom background is legitimate - he's not some anonymous figure running a pop-up operation. That matters.
What concerns me is the combination of factors rather than any single red flag. Zero independent client reviews after 6+ years of claimed operations is the one that stands out most. In my experience, firms that genuinely deliver results at this price level generate organic testimonials. You don't have to hunt for them. Here, there's nothing on Trustpilot, nothing on Google, nothing on immigration forums. That silence needs an explanation the company hasn't provided.
The consulting contract structure is also worth your attention. I've seen clients in this space lose serious money because their contracts were written as consulting agreements rather than direct legal representation. When a government denies an application, the company can often argue it fulfilled its consulting obligation regardless. The refund language you get verbally during the pitch and the language that actually appears in the contract are sometimes very different things.
On the positive side: the programs MIRBEZVIZ sells are real and legitimate. Vanuatu citizenship, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Turkey - these are all active, legal investment citizenship programs. The question isn't whether the programs work. It's whether this specific company will deliver on its commitments, and without a track record of public reviews, you're working with less information than you should have before writing a check this size.
My recommendation: use the pre-payment checklist above before signing anything. Get the INN on the contract, get refund terms in writing, and ask for direct client references. If those requests are met without hesitation, that's a good sign. If they're deflected, take that seriously.
Don't get burned
Investment citizenship is a six-figure decision. Marketing claims don't always match what clients actually experienced. Read what real clients have to say before you commit.
Read real reviews about MIRBEZVIZ