Why is Caribbean citizenship so popular?

Holders of a Caribbean passport can travel freely around more than 140 countries, including the Schengen zone, the UK and Singapore. The passport of Grenada allows visa-free entry to China. In some cases, a Caribbean passport helps to enter a country of choice even if its borders are closed.

Grenada citizenship gives additional opportunities for visa-free travel and living in the USA: investors can get the E‑2 business visa for themselves and their family. This visa allows to enter the country unlimited amount of times, live and work in the States, send children to study in American schools and universities. Holders of the passport of Grenada are given the E‑2 visa to the USA for up to 5 years.

Citizenship of the Caribbean countries also allows to get a US visitor visa faster and for 10 years. The visa can be obtained in a US consulate for 2 or 3 weeks. For comparison, foreigners can wait for half a year or longer to get a US visa.

In addition to the freedom to travel visa-free, the investor gets a lot of new opportunities:

• move to another country under unforeseen circumstances;

• obtain citizenship immediately for the whole family;

• register a company and do business in another country;

• optimize taxes;

• quickly open an account with an international bank;

• give children a prestigious British education. Citizens receive benefits when applying to some UK universities as Caribbean countries are part of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Practical Guide

Practical Guide

The total comparison of the Caribbean and Vanuatu programs

Download practical guide

Caribbean citizenship can be obtained in various ways, e.g. by naturalisation or by marriage with a citizen. But the fastest path is by investment.

The minimum investment sum depends on the chosen program and investment option. For example, Dominica and Saint Lucia offer the lowest investment amount for single investors: they can get citizenship for a contribution of $100,000 to a state fund.

Investor’s family members can obtain citizenship under one and the same application: a spouse, children, parents, grandparents and siblings. The cost of their participation in an investment program also depends on the country and investment option.

The investor and his family doesn’t need to hold an exam on language or history, get a residence permit or visit the country to receive passports. The only exception in Antigua and Barbuda: investors are to visit the island state for at least 5 days during the first 5 years. The programs of all the countries imply passing a mandatory Due Diligence check.

Step-by-step procedure of obtaining citizenship in the Caribbean

1

1 day

Preliminary Due Diligence

To get ready for a Due Diligence check in the CBI unit, Immigrant Invest conducts a preliminary check of investor’s diligence

2

+ 2 to 4 weeks

Preparation of documents

Immigrant Invest lawyers prepare a set of documents required to apply for citizenship

3

+ 2 to 6 months

Due Diligence

Experts of the CBI unit process investor’s documents, check the background information on the investor and his family in international databases

4

+ 1 to 3 months

Approval and fulfilment of investment condition

The investor fulfills an investment condition: makes a contribution to a fund, buys real estate or government bonds, invests in business

5

+ 2 to 4 weeks

Receipt of a passport

The CBI unit issues a passport and a certificate of naturalisation, then sends the documents to the investor’s address

1

1 day

Preliminary Due Diligence

To get ready for a Due Diligence check in the CBI unit, Immigrant Invest conducts a preliminary check of investor’s diligence

2

+ 2 to 4 weeks

Preparation of documents

Immigrant Invest lawyers prepare a set of documents required to apply for citizenship

3

+ 2 to 6 months

Due Diligence

Experts of the CBI unit process investor’s documents, check the background information on the investor and his family in international databases

4

+ 1 to 3 months

Approval and fulfilment of investment condition

The investor fulfills an investment condition: makes a contribution to a fund, buys real estate or government bonds, invests in business

5

+ 2 to 4 weeks

Receipt of a passport

The CBI unit issues a passport and a certificate of naturalisation, then sends the documents to the investor’s address

Participants of the Antigua and Barbuda program pass another step before obtaining citizenship: the investor and all the adult family members take an oath during a video conference, in a consulate or when visiting the country.

Citizenship in the Caribbean can be obtained for at least $100,000 and in 3 to 6 months. This way is fast and inexpensive: for comparison, to become a citizen of Malta, investors spend €690,000+ and hold a residence permit for 1 to 3 years.

Participants of the Antigua and Barbuda citizenship program can invest in business less if there is a collective investment of more than 5 mln dollars. In this case, each investor gives at least $400,000 instead of $1,500,000.

Kiran and Dasya,

Founders of the portfolio investment fund

Kiran and Dasya are brothers and professional brokers. They applied to Immigrant Invest to obtain second citizenship to travel visa-free around the world. They were familiar with conditions of purchase and sale of bonds, so they chose to buy Saint Lucian government bonds.

Investors understood that they could have invested a smaller sum to get a Caribbean passport. But their expenses would have been cut in half only in case of a non-refundable contribution which meant a loss of money.

Covid-19 Relief Bonds are interest-free but an investor can return the money in 5 or 7 years depending on the purchase sum. The return is guaranteed: the state is to buy out the bonds after the ownership period expires.

Learn a case

An investor additionally pays state and administrative fees, cost of Due Diligence and services of documents preparation. Expenses differ depending on the program, number of applicants and their age.

Individual cost calculation of the Caribbean passport

Get the cost calculation

Let’s see an example of cost calculation for participation in the Antigua and Barbuda citizenship program.

If an applicant chooses a contribution to the state fund, fees will amount to $30,000 for a single investor and a family of up to four people. Each additional family member will cost $15,000.

Due Diligence fee is $7,500 for the spouses, $2,000 for each kid from 12 to 17 years old, $4,000 for each family member older 18. Administrative fees amount up to $600 for each applicant.

To obtain Caribbean citizenship, one can invest in government-approved real estate. Typically, applicants are asked to buy shares or apartments in hotel complexes.

The exception is the St Kitts and Nevis program: the country’s government allowed investors to buy any housing but only until the 1st of November, 2022. The cost of real estate beyond the list of approved projects must be not less than $400,000.

Examples of Caribbean real estate

Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Marys

$200,000 — $1,500,000

Share and full ownership of villas in a residential complex

92 m² — 156 m²

2

2

St. Kitts & Nevis, Basseterre

$1,875,000 — $7,000,000

Yacht mooring at Christophe Harbor Resort

14 m² — 37 m²

1

1

Grenada, St. David

$220,000

Share in a new resort complex managed by the Intercontinental group

472 m² — 632 m²

1

A share in Caribbean real estate may be in a physical object, trust or in bonds. Prices on shares range between $200,000 and $400,000. Apartments cost more, up to several millions of dollars. A square meter of an apartment in a hotel costs $5,000—8,000.

Under the terms of citizenship by investment programs, real estate must be owned for 3 to 7 years. After that, it can be sold with the investment returned.

Dominica allows to sell real estate after 3 years of ownership. But such real estate cannot be bought by other investors: an object can re-enter the program only after 5 years. That’s why in practice investors sell real estate in Dominica after 5 years as well.