Contribution to a state fund, real estate, or business? Comparing investment options for Antigua and Barbuda citizenship
Investors participate in the state citizenship program to get the Antigua and Barbuda passport. The program provides three investment options: a contribution to a state fund, real estate purchase and business investments.
The options differ in the minimum investment amount and additional payments. Let’s compare the costs the investor bears.
Spoke about the benefits of the Antigua and Barbuda CBI program options
Antigua and Barbuda offers investors to obtain second citizenship for investments starting at:
$100,000 — to the National Transformation Fund;
$150,000 — to the University of the West Indies Fund;
$200,000 — to government-approved real estate;
$400,000 — to local companies.
Investors can add family members to their citizenship applications, such as spouses, children under 30, parents over 55 and siblings.
Zlata Erlach,
Head of the Austrian office
Participation of relatives in the citizenship program is charged with additional fees. If the investor chooses the contribution and adds three family members to the citizenship application, the contribution will amount to $100,000. If a family of five or more participates in the program, the contribution will increase to $125,000.
The total expenses depend on the family members’ number and age. We calculate the cost of participation in the CBI program individually for each family. The calculation includes the investment, additional fees, a payment schedule and expenses on support services.
The time frame for obtaining Antigua and Barbuda citizenship is about three months. Passports and naturalisation certificates are issued within four weeks after the applicant transfers the investment. Immigrant Invest forwards the documents to an address convenient for the investor.
Non-refundable fund contributions
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda offers investors two options with contributions to state funds.
$100,000 is the minimum investment in the National Transformation Fund of Antigua and Barbuda. The fund’s money is used to develop agriculture, the service sector and the extraction of precious metals in the country and support tourism. For example, $45 mln was invested in the renovation and expansion of the international airport.
$150,000+ must be invested in the University of the West Indies Fund. The option is only available to families of six or more people. Additionally, one of the family members can receive a scholarship for a year of study at the university.
The lower investment amount is the main advantage of non-refundable contributions. Even though the investment can not be returned, the option cost is one and a half to two times lower than when buying real estate.
The contribution amount depends on the number of family members the investor adds to the citizenship application. For example, if a single investor or a family of four participates in the program, the contribution to the National Transformation Fund is $100,000. If there are five or more participants, the contribution increases to $125,000.
$167,060 is the minimum expense when contributing to the University of the West Indies Fund, considering a family of six participates in the program, including the investor, their spouse and four children under 12 years of age. If such a family invests in the National Transformation Fund, expenses will amount to $202,060.
Minimum expenses on obtaining Antigua and Barbuda citizenship
Buying real estate
$200,000+ must be the price of a property qualifying for the Antigua and Barbuda citizenship program. The country’s government approves all program projects. The investor has the right to buy a property in full ownership or participate in construction. Share participation is available in properties, securities, or trusts.
Minimum expenses on obtaining Antigua and Barbuda citizenship
The investment return is the main advantage of buying real estate. The share in a real estate project can be sold 5 years after the investor has obtained citizenship. The investor also earns additional income from the property rental — 2 to 5% per annum.
Examples of investment properties in Antigua and Barbuda
Investors buy properties in government-approved real estate projects only. The projects mainly are five-star hotels and facilities in the resorts of Antigua and Barbuda.
Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Marys
1—4 
1—3 
56 m² — 619 m²
Investments in local businesses
$400,000 is the minimum investment in business projects approved by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda. The amount is provided for the joint investments that include several main applicants. The option is not popular with investors, as the total cost is $5,000,000.
If an applicant invests alone, the minimum amount is $1,500,000. Collective investments of at least $6,000,000 are possible; each participant’s share is $1,000,000.
The administration fee is $30,000. The Due Diligence and other expenses are the same as the options with non-refundable contributions and the real estate purchase.
Individual cost calculation of the Antigua and Barbuda citizenship
Choosing between a fund contribution and a real estate purchase
Investments in the state National Transformation Fund and real estate are the most popular options for the Antigua and Barbuda citizenship program. Let’s compare participation costs under the two program options for families of four. The calculation includes the investment sum and additional expenses.
Expenses for a family of four with two children aged 12 and 17
A family of four pays $100,000 more to participate in the Antigua and Barbuda citizenship program if they choose the property purchase option. However, they will be able to return the investment after 5 years of property ownership. The fund contribution is non-refundable.
Benefits of Antigua and Barbuda citizenship
Second passports for the whole family. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda allows investors to add their families to the citizenship application:
spouses;
children under 30;
parents over 55;
siblings.
Visa-free travel to 150 countries. The Schengen countries are available without visas as Antigua and Barbuda citizens can stay for 90 days within six months. Investors with Antigua and Barbuda passports also travel to the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore without visas.
Tax optimisation. Antigua and Barbuda tax residents are not charged on wealth, inheritance and capital gains on global income. International business companies (IBCs) can get corporate tax holidays and are exempt from paying customs duties.
Education for children in British universities. Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Therefore, the country’s citizens can get an education at the best British universities on preferential terms, for example, under scholarships from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission or CSC. They can also apply for the Chevening Scholarships.
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