Comparison of Dominica and St Lucia passports: opportunities and investment conditions

The foremost opportunity for wealthy people is to get travel freedom by investing in the countries’ economies.

How to get Caribbean citizenship by investing

To obtain passports of St Lucia or Dominica in 3 to 6 months, investors participate in state citizenship programs with a minimum investment of $100,000.

Investors can obtain second citizenship with their families, relocate to the country at any moment and stay there indefinitely. They may live, study, and get treatment like other St Lucia and Dominica citizens.

The Dominica and St Lucia programs have similar conditions; for example, an investor contributes to a state fund over $100,000 or buys real estate for $200,000.

The St Lucia program has two additional options:

• buying government bonds for at least $300,000;

• business investment of over $1,000,000.

Contributions to government funds of Dominica and St Lucia are non-refundable, but investments in properties or state bonds can be returned after 5 years of ownership.

Investors who want to return their money often choose the St Lucia program and option with bond purchase.

Kiran and Dasya,

Founders of the portfolio investment fund

St Lucia citizenship by investment in government bonds

The brothers Kiran and Dasya obtained second citizenship for visa-free travelling. They chose St Lucia’s program because they wanted to return on investment and avoid buying real estate. So, they purchased state bonds of St Lucia.

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Also, when investors select a program, they will calculate extra investments and fees for their relatives who will get Caribbean citizenship with the principal applicant.

If the investor adds to the application their big family, extra charges may increase to 1.5 times. For example, extra investment for spouses under contributions in government funds is the following:

• +$50,000 under the Dominica program;

• +$40,000 under the St Lucia program.

Individual cost calculation for Dominica citizenship

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Comparing passports shows that Dominica citizens renew their documents less often than St Lucia’s.

Passport expiration dates are the following:

• every 10 years for holders of Dominica passports over 16;

• every 5 years for holders of Dominica passports under 16 and for all holders of St Lucia passports.

To renew the document, investors apply at the nearest country’s consulate. We recommend contacting the consulate two months before the passport expiration.

If investors get passports with government licensed agent Immigrant Invest, our lawyers will obligatorily remind them about the passport renewal. Lawyers help to obtain a new passport quickly, and investors don’t contact the consulate personally.

Individual cost calculation for St Lucia citizenship

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Visa-free travelling is the most important benefit for investors with second passports of Dominica and St Lucia. Visa-free countries for citizens of both states are nearly the same, excluding two popular destinations, China and Taiwan.

From 2022, Dominica passport holders can stay in China for up to 30 days, and investors with St Lucia passports can’t. And inversely, St Lucia citizens enter Taiwan visa-free for up to 30 days, but Dominica’s have to get visas.

We recapitulate visa-free countries for both passports in the tables and highlighted different destinations with icons:

• ❌ means visa-free countries for the Dominica passport with restricted entry for St Lucia citizens or the other way round;

• ⚠️ means that the entry conditions are a little bit different. For example, visa-free countries for citizens of the first state require visas on arrival from holders of another state’s passports.

If an arrival country doesn’t list, St Lucia and Dominica citizens will have to get visas for entry.

Visa to the US. It is not a visa-free destination for St Lucia and Dominica citizens, but a 10-year B‑1/B‑2 visitor visa is available. Investors apply to the nearest consulate of the US, for example, in the Bahamas, and get visas in 2一3 weeks.

Under visa conditions, Dominica and St Lucia citizens stay in the US for up to 180 days a year and travel and attend business meetings, conferences, and events. Also, they get medical treatment in the country.

Benefits in the UK. After St Lucia and Dominica had gained independence from the UK in the 1980s, they became members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Today countries’ citizens study at some British universities on scholarships and get benefits for their businesses in Great Britain.

Right to retain first citizenship. Wealthy people who get Dominica or St Lucia passports by investing can retain their other citizenships, including the first one.

Relocation to the Caribbean. Investors with St Lucia and Dominica passports can move to these states or any country of CARICOM, the Caribbean commonwealth. They are eligible to live, work, do business, study, and get treatment there.

15 Caribbean countries of CARICOM are the following:

1. Antigua and Barbuda.

2. The Bahamas.

3. Barbados.

4. Belize.

5. Dominica.

6. Grenada.

7. Guyana.

8. Haiti.

9. Jamaica.

10. Montserrat.

11. St Kitts and Nevis.

12. St Lucia.

13. St Vincent and the Grenadines.

14. Suriname.

15. Trinidad and Tobago.

Investors who stay in Dominica or St Lucia 183 days a year or more become tax residents of the countries and must get tax IDs. They apply online on the Inland Revenue Department website and obtain the tax ID after 10一14 days.

We compare Dominica and St Lucia tax rates in the table below for your convenience.

Systems of taxes in Dominica and St Lucia are comfortable for wealthy people. Thus, they often relocate to the Caribbean states to reduce their tax costs.

Mainly, St Lucia’s taxes are less than Dominica’s.

Bill, 37 years old

Online sales entrepreneur

St Lucia citizenship to reduce taxes

Bill has a network of intimate apparel online stores in the UK, France, Italy and Portugal. When his expenses doubled in 2021, Bill considered reducing the tax burden. So, he decided to relocate to St Lucia.

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Before deciding to move to the Caribbean, knowing about some moments is essential.

The national currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar, costing 37 US cents. Interestingly enough, different state money transactions may be done in different currencies. For example, taxes are paid in Eastern Caribbean dollars, but participation in citizenship programs is paid in US dollars.

There is a middle-life level in St Lucia and Dominica, but investors’ children can study at the best schools, colleges, and universities. For example, alumni of the St George’s University and the University of the West Indies, where all CARICOM citizens can study, get international diplomas. They can work in the US, UK, and EU. Also, high-quality treatment is available for wealthy people.

St Lucia and Dominica are tropical countries; thus, the air and water are warm or hot there all year round. Wealthy people prefer to vacation in Dominica or St Lucia during winter, the best Caribbean season, including the New Year holidays. Air and water temperature at this time fluctuates from +25℃ to +30℃.

There is no Caribbean nationality. 90% of the population is of African descent, and only 10% are Caribbean Indians and Europeans. The main religion in the Caribbean is Christianity.

The Dominica and St Lucia programs are similar, so let’s highlight the main points.

Visa-free China. If the investor does business in the country, often meets with business partners from China, or needs to visit the state regularly, they get a Dominica passport.

Fast-track procedure. Dominica and St Lucia’s Due Diligence lasts at least 3 months; about a month is required to prepare documents and receive passports. It is one of the fastest ways to obtain second citizenship in the world. In comparison, getting citizenship in European countries takes 5 to 10 years by naturalisation.

Return investment. If the principal applicant decides to refund their investment, they choose to buy real estate or bonds. Although the bond costs 1.5 times higher than real estate, we recommend selecting a bond buy. The thing is, the investor will not have hassles as the property owner.