As of 2024, the Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programs are the industry leaders thanks to a large number of visa-free destinations that Caribbean passports offer. The countries in the region that issue passports to foreign investors find themselves under pressure from the EU and Great Britain but they keep fighting back. What major changes have occurred in the Caribbean citizenship-by-investment program in recent time? Probably the most notable change has been the introduction of a personal interview requirement. However, personal interviews can be held online.

The ‘price’ of Caribbean citizenship is expected to rise
At the end of March 2024, four Caribbean states signed a memorandum of standardization of their rules pertaining to their economic citizenship programs. Obviously, this was done under pressure from the EU. The EU authorities have threatened many times to cancel visa-free arrangements with the Caribbean countries administering citizenship-by-investment programs.

Therefore, Antigua and Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, and Dominica have decided to act together to convince the EU authorities and the international community as a whole that their economic citizenship programs are totally transparent and totally safe.

They have spelled out some of their intentions that are certainly going to please the EU officials. If particular, they intend to raise the minimum required donation amount to US$ 200,000 by the end of June 2024. We would like to remind you that St Kitts and Nevis raised the amount to US$ 250,000 in summer last year. At the moment, Grenada charges US$ 150,000 while Dominica and Antigua would be happy with US$ 100,000. The fifth country in the region with a citizenship-by-investment program – St Lucia – has not signed the memorandum as of today.

Where can you go with a Caribbean passport?
A Caribbean passport gives visa-free access to the Schengen Zone: its holder can stay there for 90 days within 6 months. In addition, with a Caribbean passport (with the exception of a passport of Dominica) you can stay in the UK without a visa for up to 180 days per year.

Caribbean citizens have to apply for visas to enter the USA. However, long-term (for up to 10 years) visas are available to them.

We must also make a special note of the fact that holders of Dominican and Grenadian passports can visit China without visas and stay there for 30 days. If you would like to apply for Caribbean citizenship, please bear in mind that Offshore Pro Group practices an individual approach to customers seeking foreign citizenship.

Citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis
St Kitts and Nevis economic citizenship program has seen the most dramatic changes recently and we will dwell on it in some detail. After that, we will briefly mention other citizenship-by-investment opportunities available in the region.

St Kitts and Nevis has doubled the price of its passport. The required donation amount used to be US$ 125,000 and it has been US$ 250,000 since February 2024. The minimum amount of a returnable investment into a Government-approved development project is now US$ 400,000.

It has been possible to ‘buy’ citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis, a former British colony, since 1984. The country has one of the most reputable citizenship-by-investment programs in the world. It is also one of the best structured and best managed such programs.

In addition to raising the prices, the authorities of St Kitts and Nevis have introduced a personal interview requirement and stopped sending passports with couriers. In addition, accelerated application processing is not available any longer.

St Kitts is among the leaders in the Caribbean as far as the number of applications for citizenship is concerned. This is attributable to an efficient application processing system.

Nevertheless, the refusal to accept applications for citizenship from Russians and Belarussians beginning March 2022, changed the statistics. Grenada was the country that attracted the largest amount of foreign investments because it introduced no such restrictions until March 2023.

A passport of St Kitts and Nevis gives visa-free access to126 countries and territories including Singapore and Hong Kong. Besides, citizens of the country can easily get US visas.

Investment opportunities in St Kitts and Nevis
A non-returnable donation to the state fund
US$ 250,000 for a single applicant.
An investment into a socially significant project
US$ 250,000 for a single applicant.
A returnable investment in a detached house
US$ 800,000 for a family.

Advantages of applying for citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis
● All application documents can be submitted remotely. However, you have to visit St Kitts and Nevis or a diplomatic mission of the country in other countries to pick the passport.

● The process of acquiring citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis takes 6 months on average.

● Neither personal nor corporate income tax is charged in St Kitts on incomes made in other countries.

● No inheritance tax is charged in the country either.

Citizenship of Dominica
Dominican passport holders lost visa free access to Great Britain in 2023 but they can still enter the Schengen Zone without visas. Under pressure from the UK, Dominica now disallows economic citizens to change their personal names. The country would not accept applications for citizenship from those individuals who have been denied a visa to the EU, UK, or USA. There is a chance that the Dominican visa-free arrangements with Great Britain will be restored. The minimum amount of money required to become a citizen of Dominica is US$ 100,000.

Citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda
The minimum donation amount is US$ 100,000. There is a more interesting option, however. You can put US$ 200,000 into a functional 5-star hotel and sell your ownership share after 5 years and 6 months. The developer guarantees to buy your share back from you for US$ 135,000.

Citizenship of Grenada
The application processing time has increased in Grenada because it was the last country in the region to stop accepting applications from Russians and Belarussians. Some of their applications are still being processed.

The minimum donation amount is US$ 150,000 and the minimum investment amount is US$ 220.000. The most popular development project is currently Intercontinental Grenada.

Citizenship of St Lucia
The country has a unique offer to make. Namely, you can make a 5-year returnable investment in Government bonds. We have to point out a key change that has been introduced: now the applicant family can have an unlimited number of members while the investment amount will remain the same. Besides, the investment amount into Government approved development projects has been reduced to US$ 200,000. The sad news, however, is that there are currently no Government approved development projects in St Lucia.

Acquiring foreign citizenship is a wonderful opportunity but it is a rather complicated procedure and some professional support is certainly required.