Caribbean citizenship by investment compared
Five Caribbean states grant citizenship in return for an approved investment or contribution: St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Dominica. All five run due diligence on every applicant and family member, none guarantees approval, and the programmes differ in investment routes, processing, family rules and travel access.
Updated
All five apply a common regional minimum investment of USD 200,000 since 1 July 2024. In June 2026 the European Commission asked all five to phase out their programmes by 1 June 2028; no visa suspension has been adopted. Programme rules change often, so every value below is dated and sourced to the government programme it comes from.
| Criterion |  St Kitts and Nevis |  Antigua and Barbuda |  Grenada |  Saint Lucia |  Dominica |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main fund contribution | USD 250,000 (SISC) for a main applicant or a family of up to four | USD 230,000 (National Development Fund) per application | USD 235,000 (National Transformation Fund) for up to 4 family members | USD 240,000 (National Economic Fund) for an applicant with up to 3 dependants | USD 200,000 (Economic Diversification Fund) for a main applicant; USD 250,000 with up to 3 dependants |
| Fund route, further dependants | USD 25,000 under 18; USD 50,000 aged 18 or over | No extra contribution | USD 25,000 or USD 50,000 each; USD 75,000 per sibling | USD 10,000 under 18; USD 20,000 over 18 | USD 25,000 under 18; USD 40,000 aged 18+ |
| Approved real estate | USD 325,000 in an approved development, resaleable after 7 years; private home from USD 600,000 | USD 300,000, no resale for 5 years | USD 350,000 whole unit or USD 270,000 per share; held 5 years | USD 300,000 in an approved project (no new project approvals after 2025-12-01); USD 500,000 built apartment or villa, no sale for 5 years | USD 200,000, held 3 years (5 if resold to a CBI applicant) |
| Other routes | Public Benefit Option from USD 250,000 | Business investment USD 1,500,000 (joint USD 5,000,000); University of the West Indies Fund USD 260,000 for a family of 6 or more | Fund and real estate routes only | National Action Bond USD 300,000, held 5 years; enterprise projects from USD 250,000 | Fund and real estate routes only |
| Processing time | Decision 120–180 days after acknowledgment of a complete file | Not published by the CIU | Approval within 60 business days of submission (IMA) | About 90 days from acceptance for processing (CIP Saint Lucia); 9–12 months in our internal notes (April 2026) | Notification within 3 months of submission (2024 regulations); 3–6 months to approval (CBIU) |
| Interview | Mandatory for the main applicant; dependants aged 16+ if the CIU deems it necessary | May be requested by the CIU | Mandatory, online | Main applicant interview and identity verification since 2023-09-04 | Mandatory for all applicants aged 16+ |
| Children who can be included | Under 18; 18–30 if in full-time education and fully supported | Up to 30 if financially dependent; any age if disabled and supported | Children, as dependants under the IMA rules | 21 or below; up to 30 if fully supported | Under 18; 18–30 in higher education; unmarried daughters under 25 living at home |
| Parents and grandparents | Parents aged 55+ and fully supported, of the applicant or spouse | Aged 55+ and financially dependent | Included; parents and grandparents aged 55 or under cost extra | Parents over 55, fully supported | Over 65 and substantially supported |
| Regional presence rule (pending) | 30 days within the first 5 years after citizenship | 30 days within the first 5 years in the 2026 bill; 5 days in 5 years on the CIU website | 30 days in the first 5 years in the 2026 bill; start deferred by IMA Circular No. 2 of 2026 | Residency and genuine link required from 2026-01-01; detail set by regulation | 30 days within the first 5 years after citizenship |
| UK visits | Electronic Travel Authorisation required since 2025-01-08 | Electronic Travel Authorisation required since 2025-01-08 | Electronic Travel Authorisation required since 2025-01-08 | Visit visa required since 2026-03-05 | Visa required since 2023-07-19 |
| Schengen short stays | Visa-free, up to 90 days in any 180-day period | Visa-free, up to 90 days in any 180-day period | Visa-free, up to 90 days in any 180-day period | Visa-free, up to 90 days in any 180-day period | Visa-free, up to 90 days in any 180-day period |
| US entry | Not covered by Proclamation 10998 | Immigrant, B, F, M and J visas suspended since 2026-01-01 | Not covered by Proclamation 10998; a separate immigrant visa pause ended on 2026-08-21 | Not covered by Proclamation 10998 | Immigrant, B, F, M and J visas suspended since 2026-01-01 |
- Main fund contribution: St Kitts and Nevis CIU (2026-10-02); Antigua and Barbuda CIU; IMA Grenada; CIP Saint Lucia; Dominica CBIU. As of 2026-10-25 unless dated.
- Fund route, further dependants: St Kitts and Nevis CIU (2026-10-02); Antigua and Barbuda CIU, schedule of fees; IMA Grenada, Circular No. 2 of 2024; CIP Saint Lucia; Dominica CBIU. As of 2026-10-25 unless dated.
- Approved real estate: St Kitts and Nevis CIU (2026-09-25); Antigua and Barbuda CIU; IMA Grenada and UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor; Saint Lucia S.I. No. 57 of 2026; Dominica CBIU. As of 2026-10-25 unless dated.
- Other routes: St Kitts and Nevis CIU (2026-09-17); Antigua and Barbuda CIU; IMA Grenada; CIP Saint Lucia and S.I. No. 57 of 2026; Dominica CBIU. As of 2026-10-25 unless dated.
- Processing time: St Kitts and Nevis CIU (2026-10-02); Antigua and Barbuda CIU; IMA Grenada; CIP Saint Lucia FAQs and our internal notes (2026-04-17); Dominica SRO 8 of 2024 and CBIU. As of 2026-10-25 unless dated.
- Interview: St Kitts and Nevis CIU, Sustainable Island State Contribution; Antigua and Barbuda CIU, how to apply; IMA Grenada; CIP Saint Lucia; Dominica CBIU. As of 2026-10-25.
- Children who can be included: St Kitts and Nevis CIU, eligibility criteria (2026-09-25); Antigua and Barbuda CIU, dependants; IMA Grenada; Saint Lucia Act No. 22 of 2025; Dominica SRO 8 of 2024. As of 2026-10-25 unless dated.
- Parents and grandparents: St Kitts and Nevis CIU (2026-09-25); Antigua and Barbuda CIU, dependants; IMA Grenada; Saint Lucia Act No. 22 of 2025; Dominica SRO 8 of 2024. As of 2026-10-25 unless dated.
- Presence rules: ECCIRA Agreement; Antigua Observer on the bill of 2026-07-14; IMA Grenada, Circular No. 2 of 2026 (2026-08-21); Saint Lucia Act No. 22 of 2025. As of 2026-10-25 unless dated.
- UK visits: GOV.UK, Appendix ETA National List; explanatory memorandum to HC 1691 (Saint Lucia); written statement HCWS979 (Dominica). As of 2026-10-25.
- Schengen short stays: EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, Annex II. As of 2026-10-25.
- US entry: Federal Register, Proclamation 10998; US Department of State, immigrant visa processing updates. As of 2026-10-25.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Approval always rests with the institution or authority.
Our take
The programmes differ more than their similar thresholds suggest. Dominica asks the lowest fund contribution for a single applicant; St Kitts and Nevis, the oldest programme, offers the widest range of routes; Antigua and Barbuda covers the whole family with one fund contribution; Grenada gives access to the US E-2 treaty after three years' domicile; Saint Lucia adds a government bond route.
Travel access has diverged too: Saint Lucia and Dominica nationals need a UK visa, and US visa issuance is partly suspended for Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica. The right programme depends on your family, the route you prefer and the countries you need to visit. Citizenship by investment is not a tax solution on its own: your tax position follows where you live and the rules of the country you leave.
Questions
Which Caribbean citizenship by investment programme is best?
There is no single best programme. They differ in investment routes, family rules, processing and travel access, so the right one depends on your family, your timeline and the route you prefer.
Which Caribbean passports still visit the UK without a visa?
Nationals of St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada can visit with an Electronic Travel Authorisation, required since 8 January 2025. Dominica nationals have needed a visa since 19 July 2023, and Saint Lucia nationals a visit visa since 5 March 2026.
Do I have to live in the country?
Not yet in most programmes, but presence rules are coming. A regional rule of 30 days within the first five years is pending, Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada have bills with the same figure, and Saint Lucia requires residency and a genuine link from 2026, with the detail set by regulation.
Does citizenship by investment change where I pay tax?
Not by itself. Tax generally follows residence, not passports. A second citizenship can support a relocation, but your tax position depends on where you live and the rules of the country you leave.
Is approval guaranteed?
No. Each government runs its own due diligence on the applicant and every family member, and can refuse an application. Authorised agents file the application; we coordinate the process.
The jurisdictions in this comparison
- St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investmentCitizenship by investment in St Kitts and Nevis is a discretionary grant of citizenship to applicants who pass due diligence and an interview and then make a qualifying investment. In 2026 the main routes are a USD 250,000 Sustainable Island State Contribution, the Public Benefit Option and approved real estate from USD 325,000.Learn more
- Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by investmentAntigua and Barbuda citizenship by investment is a grant of citizenship, decided by the government after background checks, in return for a qualifying economic contribution. In 2026 applicants choose between the National Development Fund from USD 230,000, approved real estate from USD 300,000, a business investment or the University of the West Indies Fund.Learn more
- Grenada citizenship by investmentGrenadian citizenship by investment is a discretionary grant of citizenship by the Minister, on the recommendation of the Citizenship by Investment Committee, after due diligence and an interview. In 2026 qualifying investments are a USD 235,000 National Transformation Fund contribution or an approved real estate project from USD 270,000.Learn more
- Saint Lucia citizenship by investmentSaint Lucian citizenship by investment is granted by the Citizenship by Investment Board after law-enforcement and third-party due diligence and an interview. In 2026 the qualifying investments are a USD 240,000 National Economic Fund contribution, USD 300,000 in non-interest-bearing government bonds held for five years, approved real estate or an approved enterprise project.Learn more
- Dominica citizenship by investmentDominica's citizenship by investment programme grants citizenship, at the government's discretion, to applicants who pass due diligence and an interview and then invest. In 2026 the two routes are a non-refundable Economic Diversification Fund contribution from USD 200,000 and approved real estate from USD 200,000.Learn more
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