How to obtain Dominica citizenship by investment

To apply for Dominica citizenship, an investor must be 18 years old. It is important that they don’t have a criminal record or serious illnesses.

The applicant also needs to prove that the money for investment under the program was obtained from legal sources. To do this, they provide financial documents that confirm the origin of money: statements, reports, and contracts.

The citizenship by investment unit reviews the application and decides whether the applicant can be issued a Dominica passport.

Caption: What unique opportunities the Dominica CBI program offers

Investors can apply for citizenship not only for themselfes. Family members are added to the application:

• a spouse;

• children under 18;

• parents over 65 who are financially dependent on the investor.

Adult family members need to prove that the applicant financially supports them. Otherwise, they will not be able to get passports.

The Dominica citizenship program provides two investment options: a government contribution and real estate purchases.

A contribution to a state fund. The amount of the contribution starts at $200,000. This is how much an investor will contribute if they apply for citizenship only for themselves. The larger the family, the larger the contribution.

Money from the fund is spent on the development of medicine, infrastructure, education and green energy.

Purchase of commercial real estate. A share in real estate valued at least $200,000 is obligatory to participate in the Dominica program. It can be resold after five years from the date of obtaining citizenship. The amount is fixed and does not depend on the number and age of family members.

Examples of properties in Dominica

Dominica, Portsmouth

$220,000 — $320,000

Share in a five-star resort managed by Autograph Collections (premium branded by Marriott)

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Dominica, Portsmouth

$270,000+

Share in a five-star hotel managed by Intercontinental

Dominica, Roseau

$216,000 — $3,800,000

Share and villas in a six-star resort

1—2

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In addition to investing in real estate, applicants pay a state fee. Starting from the 5th applicant, the investor pays a fee of $25,000 for each family member under 18 and $40,000 for each family member over 18.

The state fee is as follows:

• $75,000 for the main applicant;

• $100,000 for a family of up to 4 people;

• $125,000 for a family of 5 people;

• $150,000 for a family of 6 people.

Both when making a contribution to the state fund and when buying real estate, there are additional costs: Due Diligence, information processing, issuance of passports and naturalisation certificates, and payment for professional services. The total amount depends on the number of family members.

1. Safe haven abroad. An investor with a Dominica passport can freely enter and exit the country at any time, even if the borders are closed. It might be crucial in case of an unstable political situation in the country of residence.

At the same time, it is not obligatory to reside in Dominica to keep the passport.

2. Travel to 134 countries visa-free. A citizen of Dominica can travel without visas to the countries of the Schengen Zone, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Visa issuance to India, Taiwan, and South Korea is simplified: Dominica citizens will need an electronic visa to enter them.

3. Possibility to get a long-term US visa. A holder of a Dominica passport can get a US visa type B‑1 for business or B‑2 for tourism. Both are issued for 10 years and allow its owner to stay in the USA for up to 180 days a year for personal or business goals.

4. Tax benefits. Dominica does not collect global income tax if its citizen does not reside in the country permanently. Also, there are no capital gains and inheritance taxes in Dominica.

Zlata Erlach,

Head of the Austrian office

Investors in Dominica are subject to taxes if they earn income in the country, establish a business, purchase real estate, or become tax residents. The main tax is income tax, which can go up to 35% for individuals and 25% for companies. Legal entities also pay VAT, ranging 10 to 15%.

5. Citizenship for the family. Dominica CBI program allows investors to include family members in the application: a spouse, children under 30 years old, and parents over 65. So not only an investor, but the entire family gets access to all the benefits of being Dominica citizens.

6. Dual citizenship is allowed. There is no need to renounce one’s other passport to get Dominica nationality; unless it is not allowed by the other country.

7. The process is fast and convenient. Getting the passport takes 6 months. The procedure can be done fully remotely. The mandatory interview is also conducted online, via a secure platform.

There are no requirements to stay in Dominica after getting nationality. There are no language or history exams.

Drawbacks of Dominica investment citizenship. However, there are some aspects of Dominica passport one should consider before making a decision:

1. Residents who stay in the country for more than 183 days a year must pay both local and global income taxes.

2. Dominica has a hurricane season lasting from June to the end of November, which poses a risk to property and infrastructure.

3. There is a new rule that obliges Dominica citizens to get a visa to enter the UK.

To obtain Dominica investment citizenship, the main applicant and their family members need to provide a list of documents. It includes:

• a fingerprint and photograph verification form, D2;

• a medical questionnaire and certificate, form D3;

• 2 notarised copies of an application form 12;

• copies of all passports held;

• a birth certificate;

• a marriage or divorce certificate, if applicable;

• for applicants of 16 years old or older: a police record from a country of birth, citizenship, residence, and any other country in which the applicant has resided for more than half a year in the past 10 years;

• for children aged 12 to 15 years old: a sworn affidavit by a parent that a child does not have a criminal record;

• a copy of a driving licence;

• copies of all identity documents;

• copies of military service and discharge documents if applicable;

• copies of all documents evidencing a name change other than through marriage, if applicable;

• eight passport-size photos;

• proof of residential address;

• copies of university or college diplomas;

• for children of 12 to 18 years old: a letter of recommendation from a head of the school or university;

• for children over 18: an official transcript from a current college or university or a letter from a competent authority that confirms enrolment;

• for all applicants of 12 or older: HIV test results;

• routine medical test results.

There are some documents only an investor has to provide. These documents are:

• a disclosure form, D1;

• for a fund contribution option: an investment agreement;

• for a real estate option: a sales and purchase agreement;

• a notarised affidavit of support for each dependant over 18, other than a spouse;

• one professional reference;

• a letter of employment or a financial statement;

• bank statements of the past 12 months;

• a notarised affidavit of the source of funds;

• detailed business background reports or CV;

• proof of payment of relevant fees;

• a letter to the Minister;

• proof of payment of relevant fees.

All copies should be in colour, translated to English, and notarised. The main applicant and adult dependants must sign forms where a signature is required. For minor children, forms must be signed by both parents or by the child’s legal guardian.

To proceed with the investment, an investor must provide a bank in Dominica with their bank reference and audited financial reports for the two recent years.

Dominica granted 34,596 passports to investors and their family members between 2018 and 2022. This is one of the highest results among the Caribbean citizenship by investment programs.

For comparison, St Kitts and Nevis granted 35,577 passports over a longer period — from 2015 to 2022. During this time, Antigua and Barbuda issued only 7,205 passports, while Grenada issued 6,479.

Recent statistics show that in 2023, Dominica granted 9,539 passports to investors and their families, while in the first half of 2024, the number reached 5,484.

Dominica received 13,161 applications from investors between 2015 and 2022. In 2023, the number reached 4,068, while the first half of 2024 saw 2,981 applications.

1. There are several ways to obtain Dominica nationality. A person born in Dominica or to a Dominican parent automatically becomes a citizen of Dominica. It is possible to get citizenship by naturalisation or by marriage, and it takes seven and three years of living in the country accordingly.

2. The fastest way is to participate in the Dominica citizenship by investment program. To qualify, an investor must be over 18 years old, have legal income, no criminal record, and no serious illnesses. A spouse, children under 30, and parents over 65 can be included in the application.

3. There are two investment options. The first option is a non-refundable contribution of at least $200,000 to a state fund. The second option is to purchase real estate or real estate shares worth a minimum of $200,000 with the possibility of selling it three years later.

4. The Dominica CBI program gives its participants various advantages. A Dominica citizen gains a safe haven abroad, gets to travel to 145 countries without visas, and may get a US 10-year visa. It is allowed to have dual citizenship in Dominica.

5. To get Dominica citizenship, an investor takes several steps. They are preliminary Due Diligence, collecting and submitting documents, Due Diligence, and investment. The process takes at least six months.