All about Antigua and Barbuda: pink sand, black pineapples and the most profitable investment option for a large family

Antigua and Barbuda is an exotic country in the Caribbean Sea and is two of the largest islands in the Caribbean, which gave the name to the state. As a part of the country includes an uninhabited island of Redonda, and a small cluster of tiny islands.

From the discovery of Christopher Columbus in 1493 until independence in 1981, the islands were an English colony. Today Antigua and Barbuda is an independent state and at the same time a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Locals call Antigua the island of tourists. There are historical monuments, shops, shipyards, entertainment establishments and hotels in Antigua.

The main island is home to the densely populated capital of St. John’s and the colonial heritage: buildings of past centuries, the Cathedral of St. John, ancient fortresses and forts.

You can get around Antigua by car in a couple of hours. Driving here is left-hand. To rent a car for $70‑80 per day, you need to present a national or international driver’s license, a credit card and a special driving permit. It is received at the rental office.

Barbuda is the second largest island surrounded by underwater rocks and coral reefs. There were many shipwrecks off its shores: the shallows of the local shelves are studied by divers from all over the world.

Barbuda managed to preserve its pristine nature: only one city of Codrington was built here, the rest is pristine tropics with exotic flora and fauna. Here you can meet wild cats, lizards, turtles and rare birds. Only on this island is the frigate, the national bird of Antigua and Barbuda, inhabited. Another national symbol is the deer.

This tiny uninhabited island of volcanic origin is located 60 km from Antigua. It is just over 2 kilometers long and 500 meters wide. The land is not for sale here, as the island is considered a nature reserve and is protected by the authorities. Tourists come here to see rare plants, listen to birds sing and swim among corals.

The only city that at least a little resembles a traditional metropolis is the capital of St. John’s. There are 30 thousand locals here and there are always many travelers who get to the island through the cruise port of the same name. It can receive four liners at the same time. From the port, guests walk to the main sights of the capital and take pictures against the backdrop of large ships.

Also in St. John’s is the VC Bird International Airport. It got its name in honor of the country’s first prime minister — Sir Vere Co wall Bird.

Antigua and Barbuda has everything you need to relax and live well.

Infrastructure. The main islands have Caribbean and American banks, hotels, restaurants and shops.

Antigua’s marinas are comfortable and attract sailors from all over the world. To save on taxes when buying a yacht, maintain confidentiality and enjoy first-class ports, it is possible to register a vessel under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda.

Economy. Antigua and Barbuda capital develops through tourism, agriculture and investments that the citizenship program brings. To become cosmopolitan and get a second passport, investors donate to the government National Development Fund. It supports the development of construction, ecological tourism, and the economy. Tourism accounts for over half of the national GDP.

Education. Education in the country is free until the age of 16; there are private and public schools with teachers from the United States and Great Britain. Higher education degrees are issued by the American University of Medicine and the University of the West Indies Branch.

Currency of Antigua and Barbuda is the East Caribbean dollar, which is also circulated in other Caribbean countries such as Grenada. Coins of small denomination are not like European ones: they have the shape of polygons with a different number of sides.

Exchange rate. For 1 USD you can get 2.7 East Caribbean dollars. Better to exchange at bank branches.

Taxes. It is profitable to do business in Antigua and Barbuda: there are no taxes on wealth, inheritance and capital gains. Tax residents are not required to pay taxes on profits earned in another country. The purchase of real estate and land is taxable. When buying real estate under the citizenship program, there is no land license fee.

Tax rates in Antigua and Barbuda:

• on corporate income in the country — 25%;

• for the transfer of real estate — from 2.5 to 7,5%;

• for real estate — up to 0,5%.

The medicine. There are few medical facilities on the islands, but offices of general practitioners are common. The country’s main municipal hospital is located in the capital, St. John’s. There are several private clinics. Insurance companies often include medical treatment abroad in medical policies: patients are sent to Miami for serious medical care.

Sport. Like many other former English colonies, cricket is the most popular sport in Antigua and Barbuda.

Specialties. Local restaurants for tourists will prepare local sea bass or giant lobster. It’s easy to find European cuisine like rice with local spices, pasta, salads and co porridge.

From local traditional desserts like fruit cake, ice cream and sweet-cake. There are not as many fruits like in Thailand and Vietnam. The most delicious are local mangoes and pineapples.

Tourists settle in hotels, apartments or villas. Cosmopolitans buy houses in Antigua and Barbuda in order not to pay for rental housing and to earn money from renting out. Antigua real estate costs about the same price in other Caribbean countries.

An example of a property you can invest in to obtain citizenship. Resort complex of villas under the management of a large hotel operator occupies 10 hectares on the island of Antigua.

The main sights of the country were created by nature.

The Devil’s Bridge made of limestone is in the same name national park in the southeast of Antigua. According to legend, from the bridge, runaway slaves often threw themselves into the ocean and took their lives in order to gain ete al freedom in another world. It was believed that thoughts of suicide are the tricks of the devil, hence the name.

Antigua beaches. The Long Beach, an eight-kilometer beach in Barbuda with soft pink sand, is one of the top most beautiful beaches in the world. Tourists note that there is a calm sea with a welcoming, soft entrance.

English Harbor on the island of Antigua is the main historical monument of the country. The harbor is located in the southern part of the island, 15 kilometers from the capital of the state. In the 18th century, the ships of the British fleet stood here, now it is a national park, which provides information about the naval war between England and France in the early 19th century.

Tourists are not afraid to go to the country, as there are strict safety protocols and there is not a large increase in the incidence. In July 2021, the tourist flow slightly exceeded the pre-pandemic level. The country was visited by 23,405 people, which is 374 more than in July 2019.

Guests entering the country present a certificate with a negative PCR test for coronavirus (COVID‑19). Children under 5 years of age do not need the test. To avoid quarantine, you must show a reservation in an approved hotel.

All changes in the rules of entry for tourists are published on the official website of the government of Antigua and Barbuda.

Here are some interesting facts about the country that local guides like to retell.

365 sandy beaches. The islanders laugh at the fact that you can swim on a new beach every day.

Black pineapples. Only in Antigua and Barbuda pineapples grow in an unusual color. It is the sweetest species in the exotic fruit family.

There are no fresh water bodies. There are no lakes or rivers with fresh water on the island, however, the archipelago is made up of special rocks that retain moisture. Groundwater is the main source of fresh water.

Cavalier rum. The strong drink went down in history as the drink of the pirates who loved the Caribbean. The world famous rum is made according to the Caribbean recipe from processed sugar cane.

It is prestigious to have a house on the paradise islands as wealthy people buy villas here. Just walking along the beaches, you can meet world famous celebrities.

American TV presenter and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey has vacationed several times at the Jumby Bay Rosewood Resort in Antigua. The TV personality liked the place so much that she bought a house in Antigua.

British musician Eric Clapton bought his own house on the islands to visit a place that gives inspiration for creativity more often.

Famous fashion designer Giorgio Armani. Presumably, more than one of his collections were inspired by the beauty of the picturesque Galley Bay on the island of Antigua. Here, the designer owns a house.

If you’re lucky, you can run into other celebrities in Antigua and Barbuda. They are the likes of Ukrainian footballer Andriy Shevchenko, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, American actress Cameron Diaz and others.

Antigua and Barbuda is mainly relocated by senior citizens of the European Union, the USA and Canada. They want to spend the rest of their days by the ocean, in a warm climate, among tropical nature. In addition to a comfortable living environment, citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda provides other important benefits.

150 countries allow entry without a visa for citizens of Antigua and Barbuda. Most often, citizens of a Caribbean country enter the European Union, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Visa Free Countries for Antigua and Barbuda Citizens

Visa to the United States. Citizens of the island state can apply for a visa to America for 10 years without much delay. This usually takes no more than two weeks.

Open an account in any of the European banks without problems in Antigua and Barbuda. This allows you to store money in hard currency and quickly carry out foreign exchange transactions.

Individual cost calculation for Antigua and Barbuda citizenship

Get the cost calculation

Citizenship of the country can be obtained, for example, by naturalization, through marriage or if there are family ties. The fastest way to get a passport under the state program for investors is to choose one of the investment options depending on the goals and budget of the cosmopolitan.

Investment options

1. $100,000+ — non-refundable contribution to the National Transformation Fund. The funds go to the development of medicine, education, and agriculture.

2. $200,000+ — investments in government-approved real estate. Opt for apartments and shares in hotels, condominiums. The minimum period of property ownership is 5 years.

3. $1,500,000+ — investment in a business project approved by the government. You can invest in hotels, restaurants, cruise ports, bridges, roads, and healthcare.

Families with six or more members are invited by the authorities to make a contribution to the University of the West Indies Foundation. The minimum investment amount is $150,000. If the cosmopolitan chooses this option, one child can study for one academic year at the University of the West Indies for free. This right must be exercised within the first five years from the date of obtaining citizenship.

Citizenship by real estate investment. The Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship Program invites investors to purchase a stake in tourist infrastructure like hotels. During ownership, real estate can be rented out and receive income from 2 to 5% per annum. After 5 years, the property can be sold profitably.

Investors buy resort properties because they are in demand all year round. Within 5 years, the object can be sold at a much higher price. The cost of a villa or apartment grows by at least 4% per year.