Caribbean Citizenship by Investment: Visa-Free Travel and Entry Rules

Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Lucia, Dominica, and St Kitts and Nevis travel freely to more than 160 countries combined:

• St Kitts and Nevis — 167 destinations are available visa-free, with getting a visa on arrival or electronic travel authorisation, eTA;
• Antigua and Barbuda — 165;
• Grenada — 162;
• St Lucia — 162;
• Dominica — 160.

The list of visa-free destinations includes the Schengen states and Singapore. Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and Dominica’s passports provide visa-free entry to China.

UK entry rules for Caribbean citizens

Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and St Kitts and Nevis visit the UK without visas, only with electronic travel authorisation^{[1]Source: The ETA terms and application is available on the UK government website.}. They can stay in the country for 180 days a year: it’s possible because all of them are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The passport must be valid during the whole stay in the UK.

Citizens of Dominica and St Lucia must obtain standard visitor visas to enter the UK.

US visas for Caribbean citizens

Visitor visas. None of the five Caribbean Citizenship by Investment nations participate in the US Visa Waiver Program, so their citizens all need a nonimmigrant visa to travel to the United States for tourism or business^{[2]Source: The list of countries under the Visa Waiver Program is published on the US Homeland Security Website.}. 

Through 2025 and into 2026, however, Washington introduced a tiered set of restrictions tied to scrutiny of the region's CBI programmes, and the five countries are no longer treated equally.

The headline change concerns visitor visa validity. Updated State Department reciprocity schedules cap B-1/B-2 visas for Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda at 3 months and a single entry, down from 10 years with unlimited entries, while Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Grenada retain the 10-year, multiple-entry terms^{[3]Source: US visa terms are published on the US Department of State website.}. 

A bond requirement and a partial travel ban are also in force for some countries.

Business visa. Grenada citizens are eligible for the US E-2 Treaty Investor visa, and Grenada is the only Caribbean CBI nation that holds this treaty with the United States^{[4]Source: Treaty countries are listed on the US Department of State website.}.

The E-2 visa lets a national of a treaty country enter the US to invest in and actively run a qualifying business. It allows the investor to direct and work in that US business, the spouse to work freely anywhere in the US, and dependent children to attend US schools. It is a non-immigrant visa — renewable indefinitely but not a direct path to a Green Card.

One critical caveat for CBI investors, which is easy to overlook: under the AMIGOS Act enacted in late 2022^{[5]Source: The full text of the AMIGOS Act is available on the US Congress website.}, an investor who obtained citizenship through a financial investment must have been domiciled in the treaty country for a continuous period of at least 3 years before they can qualify for an E-2 visa.

There are situations when states close their borders. For example, most countries closed their borders to foreigners due to the pandemic in 2020. But there are categories of foreigners and circumstances that are usually not subject to restrictions, wholly or partially.

The Caribbean passport is ideal for travelling for different purposes. It helps investors solve problems even with closed borders. But countries regularly review entry conditions, so exceptional circumstances can also be added or excluded. 

Immigrant Invest lawyers recommend checking on the consulate websites what rules are in force in the destination country before the trip.

Business trips

Business trips are allowed to resolve urgent issues that require personal presence at negotiations or production. Visiting consulates and government agencies is also an important reason for foreign trips.

You need to present one of the documents at the border: an invitation from a business partner or government agency, contracts, and confirmation of the appointed meeting date.

Family visits

Family reunification is possible if a relative is a foreign country's citizen or resident. Entry is allowed in case of important events or emergencies. These include the birth of children or grandchildren, weddings, funerals, and caring for sick relatives.

At the border, you need to present one of the documents: an invitation from a relative, a marriage certificate, children’s birth certificates, confirmation of the urgency, and the conclusion of the relative’s attending physician.

Studies abroad

International students have the right to return to their country of study if the university requires a personal presence in the classroom. The rule applies to boarding schools, language schools, and colleges.

You need to present one of the documents at the border: a student residence permit, an agreement with a university or school, and confirmation of full-time education.

Healthcare

Scheduled or emergency medical treatment is generally permitted in case of severe illness, elective surgery, or accidents. A guardian, caregiver or child may travel with the patient to the country of treatment.

You need to present one of the documents at the border: an agreement with a medical institution, a confirmation of the need for planned or urgent treatment, and an employment contract for a nurse.

Travel for representatives of certain professions

Entry restrictions usually do not apply to:

• medical professionals and researchers in the field of medicine;
• caregivers for children, the disabled, and the elderly;
• suppliers of medicines, medical equipment, and food;
• diplomats and employees of humanitarian missions;
• employees of international organisations, such as UN agencies;
• military;
• border area workers and seasonal workers;
• transport drivers.

You need to present one of the documents at the border: an employment contract, a confirmation from the employer, a work permit, a diplomatic passport, a military ID, a driver’s licence, or a pilot’s licence.

Investors face practical issues after obtaining citizenship. For example, whether a Caribbean passport is suitable for travelling, how to use the new passport, to whom and what document should be presented when crossing the border.

Let’s simulate the situation: an Azerbaijani citizen got Grenada citizenship. They are planning a trip to Germany. There can be any other passport instead of the Azerbaijani one, e.g., a Turkish, Egyptian, or Chinese passport.

Which passport to present at the airline counter? A passenger usually presents a ticket and a visa that gives the right to enter Germany. Caribbean citizens have the right to visit Germany without a visa, so they present a Grenada passport at the airline counter.

Which passport to present at the passport control when leaving Azerbaijan? A citizen of Azerbaijan must leave the country with their Azerbaijani passport. They also present the boarding pass.

Which passport to present at the passport control in Germany or any other EU country? When entering Germany, you need to present a Grenada passport, as it replaces a visa when visiting the EU countries.

Which passport to present when returning to Azerbaijan? The investor needs to show their Azerbaijani passport to the border guards. The second Caribbean passport is not used until a new trip.

Five Caribbean countries offer to obtain second citizenship by investing in the country’s economy:

• Antigua and Barbuda — $230,000+;
• Dominica — $200,000+;
• St Lucia — $240,000+;
• Grenada — $235,000+;
• St Kitts and Nevis — $250,000+.

Different investment options include a non-refundable contribution, purchase of real estate or bonds, or financing local businesses.

Obtaining a Caribbean passport takes 6+ months. The requirements for applicants are similar under all Caribbean citizenship by investment programmes. Learn how to choose a country and get its citizenship from an interview with an Immigrant Invest CBI programme expert.

1. Caribbean passports from the five citizenship-by-investment countries — Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Lucia, Dominica, and St Kitts and Nevis — give visa-free access to over 160 destinations, including the Schengen states and Singapore. Three of these passports also allow visa-free entry to China.
2. UK rules differ by country. Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, and St Kitts and Nevis citizens visit without a visa using only an electronic travel authorisation, staying up to 180 days a year. Dominica and St Lucia citizens still need a standard visitor visa.
3. None of the five countries are in the US Visa Waiver Program, so all their citizens need a B-1/B-2 visa to enter the United States.
4. Grenada is the only Caribbean CBI nation with a US E-2 Treaty Investor treaty, but financial-investment citizens must be domiciled in the country for at least 3 years before qualifying under the AMIGOS Act.
5. A Caribbean passport can ease travel even when borders close — for business, family emergencies, studies, or medical treatment — provided the traveller carries supporting documents and checks current consular rules.
6. When using two passports, the rule is consistent: exit and re-enter the home country on its passport, and present the Caribbean passport to airlines and at the destination's border where it replaces a visa.
7. Obtaining Caribbean citizenship starts at $200,000 in Dominica and takes roughly 6 months, with options including non-refundable contributions, real estate, bonds, or business investment.