Benefits of Antigua and Barbuda citizenship
Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by investment program was designed for wealthy individuals in 2013. When an investor receives an Antiguan passport, many opportunities open up for him. Here is the list of Antigua citizenship benefits.
Why Antigua and Barbuda is more than a holiday destination and what its investment program offers
Visa-free entry to up to 150 countries. With an Antigua and Barbuda passport, investors spend 90 days out of 180 in the Schengen countries, 180 consecutive days in the UK, 90 days in Hong Kong, and 30 days in Singapore.
Long-stay visa to the USA. Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda receive a B-1/B-2 category visitor visa to the United States for 10 years, and when it expires, they extend it remotely. With this visa, you can spend up to 180 days a year in the USA: travel, be treated in American clinics, and participate in scientific conferences and business meetings.
Conducting international business. With the passport of Antigua and Barbuda, investors can easily open accounts in European banks, thereby solving the issue of currency control: in this way, settlements between counterparties require fewer costs and time.
Real estate income. If an investor obtains citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda for purchasing real estate, this gives them several advantages. While owning real estate, you can rent it out and make a profit. It is not necessary to monitor the condition of the property, the management company does this. The yield of properties in Antigua and Barbuda ranges from 2 to 5% per annum.
In five years, the property can be sold. Thus, the investor can return the money and make a profit, since, during this time, the object will increase in price.
An example of a property for participation in the investment program
Tax optimisation. To optimise the taxation of their company, investors can transfer the business to Antigua and Barbuda. In this country, the global income tax is levied at a rate of 25%, and VAT does not exceed 15% and is not imposed on goods for export. Social contributions make up 6% of the salary of employees.
Individuals can also reduce their tax burden. For this, they need to become tax residents of Antigua and Barbuda, that is, spending at least 183 days a year in the country. There are no taxes on income, salary, inheritance, capital gains, dividends, interest and royalties in Antigua and Barbuda.
“Safe haven” abroad and a place for vacation even during coronavirus restrictions. Whatever happens in the country of residence — a crisis, unrest, natural disasters or an epidemic — with an Antigua and Barbuda passport, an investor will be able to leave the country at any time and fly to the islands.
Retaining first citizenship. Antigua and Barbuda allows their citizens to have more than one citizenship, so there is no need to renounce the first citizenship when obtaining a country's passport.
Disadvantages of owning an Antigua and Barbuda passport
Antigua and Barbuda passport benefits are impressive. But there are some disadvantages compared to other citizenship by investment programs.
Citizenship is not inherited. You can add a new family member — a spouse, children under 18 or parents — only within the first five years after receiving an Antigua and Barbuda passport. Other Caribbean countries like St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and Grenada, allow the inheritance of citizenship obtained by investment.
At the same time, in Antigua and Barbuda, you can obtain citizenship by the soil law. If the investor's grandchildren are born in Antigua and Barbuda, they will receive citizenship.
You must stay in Antigua and Barbuda for five days. During the first five years after obtaining citizenship an investor must come to the country and spend at least five days.
You have to pay taxes in two countries. Antigua and Barbuda only has double tax treaties with the UK and Germany. Suppose an investor is a tax resident of another country and receives income from renting out real estate in Antigua and Barbuda. In that case, they need to declare this income in the country of tax residence and pay taxes on it.
You can't go to the US without a visa. Citizens of Caribbean countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, require a visa for any trip to the United States. To travel to the United States without a visa, you can receive Malta citizenship by naturalisation for exceptional services by direct investment.
It is impossible to go to China without a visa. Among the five Caribbean countries that grant citizenship by investment, Grenada and Dominica have an agreement on visa-free travel to China. Citizens of these countries spend up to 30 days a year in China without a visa.
It is not possible to obtain an E-2 business visa to the USA, which allows you to live, study and do business in the USA. The visa is issued for 2—5 years, renewable an unlimited number of times and is available to citizens of Grenada.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Antigua and Barbuda investment program
| Category | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Requirements for investors | Any law-abiding citizen over 18 can participate in the Antiguan citizenship program. To obtain citizenship, you do not need to pass exams on knowledge of the language and culture of the country. | The passport will be refused if the investor cannot confirm the law-abidingness and legality of income. |
| Remote acquisition of citizenship | The passport of Antigua and Barbuda is received completely remotely: you can take the oath via video conferencing, and take your fingerprints at home. All necessary documents are sent to the citizenship by investment unit by mail. In the same way, the investor receives a passport. | You will not be able to apply for citizenship on your own: applications are only accepted from licensed agents. These are legal companies that accompany investors on their way to a new status. Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent for the Antigua and Barbuda citizenship program. |
| Residence in Antigua and Barbuda | The investor is not obligated to reside in Antigua and Barbuda before obtaining citizenship. | After obtaining an Antigua and Barbuda passport, an investor needs to spend five days in the country during the first five years. If you violate this rule, citizenship can be lost. Under the terms of other Caribbean countries' programs, there is no requirement to visit them. |
| Investment options | Antigua and Barbuda offers investors three investment options: - a non-refundable contribution to the fund from $100,000 - purchase of a real estate for at least $200,000 - an investment in a business project from $400,000 | Citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda cannot be obtained by investing in securities. Among the Caribbean countries, citizenship by purchasing bonds can only be obtained in Saint Lucia. |
| Participation of family members | The investor may include a spouse, children, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters in the application. There are no age limits for siblings. | Participation of parents and grandparents is age-restricted: they must be over 55 years of age. |
| Cost | Antigua and Barbuda citizenship is best obtained by families of four. In this case, the investor's expenses for the options “non-refundable contribution to the state fund” and “purchase of real estate” will be minimal compared to the expenses for other Caribbean programs. There is a special option for large families of six people: a contribution to the fund of the University of the West Indies. The investment will be from $150,000. One of the family members will be able to study at this university for free for a year. | If an investor obtains citizenship only for himself, then a Dominica or Saint Lucia passport will cost less. Antigua and Barbuda is the only country that charges a government fee of $30,000 or more on fund contributions and real estate purchases. When participating in the programs of other Caribbean countries, the state fee must be paid only when choosing the real estate option. |
Frequently asked questions
With an Antigua and Barbuda passport, you can travel visa-free to 150 countries, including all 26 Schengen countries, the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong. Also, citizens of Antigua and Barbuda receive a tourist visa to the United States for 10 years and extend it remotely.
It is easier for companies registered in Antigua and Barbuda to open accounts in European and American banks in order to solve the currency control problem.
Both individuals and companies can optimise taxes. For legal entities, the value-added tax does not exceed 15%, and social contributions amount to 6% of employees’ salaries. Individuals do not pay taxes on income, salary, inheritance, capital gains, dividends, interest and royalties.
If a foreigner obtains citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda, he has obligations to pay taxes in two countries at once, since Antigua and Barbuda has a double taxation agreement only with the UK and Germany. However, there is no income tax in Antigua and Barbuda, so if a foreigner makes a profit from renting out property in Antigua and Barbuda, the tax will need to be paid only once in the country of tax residence.
You can obtain citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda within 3 to 6 months. If you need a second passport faster, you can take part in Vanuatu or St Kitts and Nevis and get a new status in up to 2 months.
No, citizens of Antigua and Barbuda are not prohibited from having second citizenship. It is only necessary to give up the first passport if the country of the first citizenship prohibits having several passports.
Yes, if you spend more than 183 days a year in the country. Tax residents of Antigua and Barbuda do not pay taxes on income, salary, inheritance, capital gains, dividends, interest and royalties.
Investors receive citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda for life, but can not pass it on by inheritance. The passport must be renewed periodically: the first passport is issued to the investor for five years, and subsequent ones for ten. Citizenship can be revoked in the first five years after receiving it if you violate the terms of the program. For example, do not come to the country for five days or sell investment property ahead of time.
