Dominica: citizenship by investment and banking
DominicaCaribbean- Decision deadline in the 2024 regulations
- Notification within 3 months of submission
- As of 2026-10-25 · [6]
Overview
Dominica appears on our map for two separate reasons. Institutions in our network offer corporate and e-money accounts there, which clients use without any link to citizenship. And its citizenship programme, running since 1993, has the lowest single-applicant price of the five Eastern Caribbean programmes.
The fund route costs USD 200,000 for one person and USD 250,000 for a main applicant with up to three dependants. The 2024 regulations define dependants narrowly: a spouse, children under 18, children aged 18 to 30 in higher education, unmarried daughters under 25 living at home, adult children with disabilities, and parents or grandparents over 65 who are substantially supported.
Integrity rules have tightened. Every applicant aged 16 or over is interviewed, new citizens may not change their name for five years, and in October 2025 Parliament gave the regional regulator agreement the force of law, with biometrics, escrow and residency requirements. The regional 30-day presence rule starts once that regulator operates.
Travel access is where Dominica has paid the highest price. The United Kingdom has required visas from Dominican nationals since 19 July 2023, citing the programme. Since 1 January 2026 the United States has suspended new immigrant, visitor, student and exchange visas for Dominicans under Proclamation 10998, although existing visas stay valid. In June 2026 the European Commission asked all five programmes to phase out by 1 June 2028; Schengen short stays remain visa-free for now.
Authorised agents licensed by the government file every citizenship application, and independent lawyers should advise on the legal and tax side; Redomiciled helps you decide whether you need the passport, the banking, or both.
Dominica citizenship by investment
Dominica'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.
The Economic Diversification Fund finances public and private projects in education, health, tourism and other sectors. The contribution is USD 200,000 for a main applicant, USD 250,000 for a main applicant with up to three dependants, and USD 25,000 or USD 40,000 for each further dependant under or over 18. Payment can be made in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling, provided it equals the US dollar amount.
Real estate means a unit in a government-approved project worth at least USD 200,000, held for three years from the grant, or five years if the next buyer is also a citizenship applicant. The purchase money must sit in escrow until the project has commenced.
Enhanced due diligence can be ordered depending on nationality and circumstances. The regulations require the CBIU to notify the outcome within three months of submission; its own pages cite three to six months to approval.
After approval in principle the investment is due within 90 days, followed by the oath of allegiance and the certificate of naturalisation. New citizens undertake not to change their name for five years, and the regional framework adds 30 days of presence over the first five years once its regulator operates.
Dominica allows its citizens to hold other nationalities, though not every country returns the favour: some withdraw citizenship from nationals who naturalise abroad, so check the rule at home. Authorised agents prepare and submit the file, and qualified lawyers advise on its legal and tax effects.
Who it suits
Single applicants and couples
The single-applicant price is the lowest of the five Eastern Caribbean programmes.
Clients who also need banking
You want corporate or EMI accounts in our Dominica network alongside a second citizenship.
Families with students
Children aged 18 to 30 can be included while they are in higher education.
Holders of a strong first passport
You do not depend on the Dominican passport for UK or US travel, which both now require visas.
Requirements
- Required
Main applicant aged 18 or over
Applications are submitted only through an authorised agent.
- Required
Clean record
No criminal record other than minor offences, no undisclosed criminal investigation, no earlier citizenship refusal elsewhere and no security concerns.
- Required
No EU or UK visa refusal
A refused EU or UK visa, or an uncured refusal by a visa-free partner country, bars approval under the 2024 regulations.
- Required
Interview and medical
Every applicant aged 16 or over is interviewed; all applicants complete a medical examination.
- Required
Name-change undertaking
A written commitment not to change your name for five years after naturalisation.
- Depends on your case
Enhanced due diligence
Ordered for some nationalities and personal circumstances.
Documents
- Passports and identity documentsCertified, apostilled colour copies of every passport held, valid for at least six months.
- Civil documentsApostilled birth certificates and marriage or divorce certificates.
- Police recordsFor everyone aged 16 or over, from countries of citizenship, residence and any country lived in for more than six months in the last ten years.
- Medical resultsMedical form with blood, urine and, from age 12, HIV test results, no older than three months.
- Financial fileTwelve months of bank statements, employment or company documents and a notarised source-of-funds affidavit.
- Dependant evidenceAffidavits of support for dependants aged 18 or over and proof of enrolment for those aged 18 to 30.
- Economic Diversification Fund, main applicant
- USD 200,000As of 2026-10-25 · [2]
- Economic Diversification Fund, main applicant and up to 3 dependants
- USD 250,000As of 2026-10-25 · [2]
- Fund route, further dependants
- USD 25,000 under 18; USD 40,000 aged 18+As of 2026-10-25 · [2]
- Time to approval stated by the CBIU
- 3–6 monthsAs of 2026-10-25 · [1]
- Investment after approval in principle
- Within 90 daysAs of 2026-10-25 · [7]
- Children who can be included
- Under 18; 18–30 in higher education; unmarried daughters under 25 living at homeAs of 2026-10-25 · [6]
- Parents and grandparents
- Over 65 and substantially supportedAs of 2026-10-25 · [6]
- Change of name
- Not permitted for 5 years after naturalisation, except by marriageAs of 2026-10-25 · [6]
- Regional presence rule (pending)
- 30 days within the first 5 years after citizenshipAs of 2026-10-25 · [15]
- Schengen short stays
- Visa-free, up to 90 days in any 180-day periodAs of 2026-10-25 · [17]
Timeline
- 1Authorised agentChoose an agent from the CBIU's list; direct applications are not accepted.
- 2Collect documentsUsually two to six weeks, depending on the family and the countries involved.
- 3Submission and due diligenceThe CBIU and the Financial Intelligence Unit review the file; enhanced checks where required.
- 4InterviewMandatory for each applicant aged 16 or over.
- 5Approval and investmentApproval in principle, then the contribution or property purchase within 90 days.
- 6Oath, certificate and passportSign the oath of allegiance, receive the certificate of naturalisation and apply for the passport.
Tax notes
- The CBIU states that Dominica levies no tax on foreign income, wealth, gifts, inheritance or capital gains. That describes Dominica's own system and only matters if you actually become resident there; citizenship alone does not make you tax resident.
- Wherever you live today keeps taxing you under its own rules, and Americans remain subject to US tax on worldwide income regardless of a second passport.
- Anti-avoidance, exit and reporting rules in your home country continue to apply, so obtain tax advice before restructuring around a new nationality.
General information, not tax advice. Your position depends on your circumstances.
Banking fit
- The institutions in our Dominica network serve companies more than individuals, and citizenship is not a condition for applying.
- Some banks ask Dominican investor citizens extra questions; prepare residence evidence and the source-of-wealth file used for the CBIU.
Questions
What is the cheapest Caribbean citizenship by investment in 2026?
For a single applicant, Dominica: the Economic Diversification Fund starts at USD 200,000, equal to the regional floor. For families the gap narrows because other programmes price per family or per application, so compare totals.
How much does Dominica citizenship cost for a family of four?
The fund contribution is USD 250,000 for a main applicant with up to three dependants.
Can my family be included?
Yes, within the 2024 definitions: a spouse, children under 18, children aged 18 to 30 in higher education, unmarried daughters under 25 living at home, adult children with disabilities, and parents or grandparents over 65 who depend on you.
Is an interview required for Dominica?
Yes. Every applicant aged 16 or over attends a mandatory interview, and the CBIU weighs it together with the due diligence report before recommending a decision.
How long does the Dominica process take?
The 2024 regulations require the CBIU to notify the outcome within three months of submission, and its website cites three to six months to approval. The investment is then due within 90 days, before the oath and certificate.
Does a Dominica passport still help with travel?
Less than it did. Schengen short stays remain visa-free while the EU reviews investor citizenship schemes, but the UK has required visas since 2023 and the US suspended new visitor and student visas for Dominicans in January 2026.
Banking in our network
We do not publish institution names: the right partner depends on your profile, and each institution keeps its own view on who it will serve.
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Banking partners
- Our Dominica network covers corporate and EMI institutions, used mainly for international companies and payment flows. Each institution runs its own due diligence.
- Dominican citizenship does not open accounts by itself, in Dominica or elsewhere. Banks look at tax residence, source of wealth and business activity, and some add questions for investor citizens.
- You can bank through our Dominica network without becoming a citizen; begin with the banking assessment and decide on citizenship separately.
Questions
Can I bank in Dominica without becoming a citizen?
Yes. The corporate and EMI accounts in our Dominica network do not require citizenship. Each institution decides after its own checks on the company, its owners and its business model.
How long has Dominica offered citizenship by investment?
Since 1993, which makes it the second-oldest programme in the region after St Kitts and Nevis. The current rules come from regulations gazetted in June 2024, amended since, and from the regional framework adopted in 2025.
Can Dominican citizens travel to the UK and the US?
Both now require more. The UK has demanded visas from Dominicans since July 2023. Since January 2026 the US has suspended new visitor, student, exchange and immigrant visas for Dominican nationals; visas issued before then remain valid.
Sources
- 1.Dominica Citizenship by Investment Unit: Investment options, retrieved 2026-10-25
- 2.CBIU: Economic Diversification Fund (contribution and fees), retrieved 2026-10-25
- 3.CBIU: Real estate investment (minimum, holding period, government fees), retrieved 2026-10-25
- 4.CBIU: Dominica Citizenship by Investment Programme (requirements, interview), retrieved 2026-10-25
- 5.CBIU: How to apply and required documents, retrieved 2026-10-25
- 6.Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment Regulations 2024 (SRO 8 of 2024), retrieved 2026-10-25
- 7.CBIU: Application process guide 2025, retrieved 2026-10-25
- 8.Office of the Prime Minister: Parliament passes the ECCIRA Agreement Bill (15 October 2025), retrieved 2026-10-25
- 9.Office of the Prime Minister: statement on engagement with the United States after the 16 December 2025 proclamation, retrieved 2026-10-25
- 10.Federal Register: Proclamation 10998 restricting entry (16 December 2025), retrieved 2026-10-25
- 11.UK Parliament: Written statement HCWS979, visa regime for Dominica (19 July 2023), retrieved 2026-10-25
- 12.Office of the Prime Minister: statement of the five Heads of Government on engagement with the EU (10 July 2026), retrieved 2026-10-25
- 13.EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2025/2441 revising the visa suspension mechanism, retrieved 2026-10-25
- 14.OECS: Implementation of the CBI Memorandum of Agreement (USD 200,000 minimum from 1 July 2024), retrieved 2026-10-25
- 15.ECCIRA: Agreement establishing the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority, retrieved 2026-10-25
- 16.Government of Antigua and Barbuda: response to the European Commission letter of 25 June 2026, retrieved 2026-10-25
- 17.EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2018/1806, visa-exempt third countries (Annex II), retrieved 2026-10-25
Reviewed by the Redomiciled team on .
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