How much does an Antigua and Barbuda passport cost?

Antigua and Barbuda accepts investments from foreigners over 18 years old who have legal sources of income, no criminal record, and no serious illnesses such as HIV.

The minimum cost for an investor, excluding legal services and taking the citizenship oath, is $250,900. The family composition affects the additional costs: the more people participate in the citizenship program, the more fees they need to pay.

If an investor wants to get Antigua and Barbuda citizenship with their close relatives, they can include in the citizenship application:

• a spouse;

• children under 30;

• parents and grandparents over 55;

• unmarried siblings.

Adult family members must financially depend on the investor to qualify for the Antigua and Barbuda citizenship program.

Contributing to the state fund is the least expensive option for individual investors and families of up to four people. The investment amount in both cases is $230,000.

The contribution is non-refundable and does not generate any income.

Together with the contribution, the investor pays a state fee of $10,000 for a single applicant and $20,000 for families of up to four people. If more family members are included in the application, an additional $10,000 is required for each member, starting from the fifth.

The additional fees include the cost of due diligence: $8,500 for the investor, $5,000 for their spouse, $2,000 per child aged 12 to 17, and $4,000 per adult family member. Other fees require at least $2,400 for a single applicant or $3,300 for a family of four.

In 2020, Antigua and Barbuda offered investors a new investment option: a contribution to the University of the West Indies Fund. It can only be chosen by large families of at least six people.

The contribution is non-refundable, as in the case with the National Development Fund.

A family of six contributes $260,000. An additional $10,000 must be paid for each additional member included in the Antigua and Barbuda passport application. The contribution amount includes the application processing fee.

The option also offers a free year of study at the university for one of the family members included in the application. The benefit can be used within five years from the date of obtaining citizenship.

Investors can buy shares in government-approved real estate projects. These are usually five-star hotel complexes along the coastline. The minimum purchase price is $300,000.

A property must be owned for at least five years, according to the citizenship program terms. After five years, the investor can sell the property and return the invested money.

During this five-year period of ownership, the investor receives rental income. It ranges 3 to 8% per annum.

Examples of properties in Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Philip

$350,000 — $750,000

Apartments in a hotel complex by the sea

1—2

1—2

Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Philip

$300,000 — $2,850,000

Share, apartements, townhouse or villa in a resort on the coast of the island

56 m² — 619 m²

1—5

1—5

Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Mary

$2,500,000+

Villa in a 5-star hotel complex

250 m²

3

3

The investment amount doesn’t depend on the number of family members in the citizenship application.

A real estate purchase comes with a processing fee of $10,000 for a single investor and $20,000 for families of up to four people. Investors also pay Due Diligence and legal fees.

If there are more participating members, an additional $10,000 is paid for each additional member included in the application, starting with the fifth.

To obtain Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by investment in a business, the applicant needs to invest at least $1.5 million in a local company that the government has included in the citizenship by investment program.

Investors can team up and contribute $5 million together. In this case, each applicant’s share must be at least $400,000.

The Antigua and Barbuda passport cost increases by $150,000 if the application includes more than four family members.

In addition to investing in the business, applicants pay a government fee of $50,000 for a family of up to four. For each additional applicant, an additional $15,000 must be paid, starting with the fifth one.

Besides the investment itself, applicants pay for the services of lawyers, bank and passport fees, and the charges for taking the citizenship oath.

The cost of legal services depends on various factors, including the composition of the family and the number of documents required.

The government and bank fees are fixed.

Fees and commissions. Each applicant has to pay a passport fee of $300 and a bank fee of $600 per person.

Due Diligence fee. The largest additional fee is for Due Diligence. This is a mandatory stage of the program: the Government checks the reputation and solvency of the applicants.

Oath of allegiance. Each applicant must take the citizenship oath in order to obtain an Antigua and Barbuda passport. Investors have three options:

• fly to Antigua and Barbuda and take the oath there;

• choose one of 15 representative offices in different countries of the world;

• take the oath online via Skype or Zoom in the presence of a notary.

The oath cost varies in different countries. It costs $725 for the investor to take the oath online and $225 for each additional adult member included in the citizenship by investment application.

Lyle Julien,

Investment programs expert

The oath of allegiance ceremony usually takes 20—30 minutes. Each new citizen aged 18 or older is required to recite or repeat the oath in English in the presence of a notary to complete the citizenship process. Participants should wear office or formal business attire.

Antigua and Barbuda has received 5,203 applications since the citizenship by investment program started in 2013. So far, the country has issued 9,018 passports to investors and their families.

In the first half of 2024, Antigua and Barbuda received 739 applications and issued 622 passports. The majority of investors were from China, the USA, and Nigeria.

The National Development Fund contribution remains the most popular option. Between January and June 2024, 611 out of 739 applicants selected this route. In contrast, only two investors opted for the business investment option.

1. Antigua and Barbuda’s citizenship by investment program offers four options: contributing to the National Development Fund or to a higher education institution, purchasing real estate, and investing in a local business.

2. The non-refundable contribution requires at least $230,000 for a single applicant or a family of up to four, excluding additional fees.

3. Investors can obtain Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by buying government-approved real estate for at least $300,000. The property must be owned for at least five years and can generate 3—8% rental income per year.

4. Families of six or more can contribute $260,000 to a higher education institution. This option includes one year of free university tuition for one family member.

5. Applicants also pay government fees, legal fees, and Due Diligence costs. Due Diligence fees range $2,000 to 8,500 per person. The processing fee is $10,000 for a single applicant and $20,000 for a family of up to four.