Caribbean Citizenship Comparison Table
St Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada and St Lucia side by side – costs, timelines, visa access and the risks that matter in 2026.
November 2026: the EU has asked all five states to wind down their citizenship-by-investment programmes by 1 June 2028 or risk losing visa-free access to the Schengen Area, and Antigua & Barbuda says it must give its answer by 12 November 2026; its cabinet favours the phase-out. Since 1 January 2026 the US has restricted most new visas for nationals of Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica. All five programmes were still accepting applications at the start of November 2026, but this can change at short notice.
Dominica is the least expensive (US$200,000), St Kitts & Nevis the longest-running, and Grenada the only one with a US E-2 treaty. In 2026 the deciding factors are often the US visa restrictions on Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica and the EU request to close all five programmes by June 2028.
Caribbean programme comparison table
Minimum amounts for a single applicant unless stated; government, due-diligence and professional fees are extra. Details: programme information.
| St Kitts & Nevis | Antigua & Barbuda | Dominica | Grenada | St Lucia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fund contribution | US$250,000 | US$230,000 (up to four people) | US$200,000 | About US$235,000 | About US$240,000 (up to four people) |
| Real estate | From US$325,000 | US$300,000 | US$200,000 | From US$270,000 | From US$300,000 |
| Other options | – | Business from US$1.5M | – | Full ownership US$350,000 | Bonds US$300,000; enterprise US$3.5M |
| Programme since | 1984 | 2013 | 1993 | 2013 | 2016 |
| Physical presence | None | 30 days in five years | None | None | None |
| Processing (typical) | From about 4 months | About 4–6 months | About 4–6 months | About 6–9 months | Officially 3–4 months; often longer |
| UK visits | Visa-free | Visa-free | Visa required since 2023 | Visa-free | Visa-free |
| US visas in 2026 | Normal process | Most new visas restricted | Most new visas restricted | Normal process; E-2 treaty | Normal process |
| Schengen visits | Visa-free, under EU review | Visa-free, under EU review | Visa-free, under EU review | Visa-free, under EU review | Visa-free, under EU review |
| Personal income tax | None | None | Yes, for residents | Yes, for residents | Yes, for residents |
Family: every programme accepts a spouse and dependent children, and most accept dependent parents; age limits and extra contributions differ.
Caribbean vs Malta
| Caribbean (five states) | Malta | |
|---|---|---|
| EU member | No | Yes – EU and Schengen member |
| Right to live and work in the EU | No | Yes, for Maltese citizens; MPRP gives EU residence |
| Schengen visits | Visa-free today, but the EU may suspend this | Unlimited for Maltese citizens; 90 days in 180 for MPRP residents |
| What you get | Citizenship for about US$200,000–250,000 | EU permanent residence (MPRP); EU citizenship possible under the Citizenship by Merit framework |
| Investment | Non-refundable fund contribution or approved real estate | MPRP: €99,000 in government fees + property bought from €375,000 or rented from €14,000 a year |
| Timeline | A few months to a year | About 12–16 months under the discretionary Citizenship by Merit framework |
| Must you live there? | No (Antigua & Barbuda: 30 days in five years) | No published minimum stay for the MPRP |
| Dual citizenship | Allowed | Allowed |
| Political risk | EU wind-down deadline 2028; US restrictions for two states | EU member state; programmes under EU law |
Our view: in 2026 a Caribbean passport is a fast travel document with a visible expiry risk: the EU wants the programmes closed by 2028, and two of the five states already face US visa restrictions. If your goal is a secure plan B in Europe, Malta is usually the better fit. See Malta Citizenship by Merit or the Malta Permanent Residence Programme.
Sources
- Antigua leans toward suspending CIP before EU deadline (IMI Daily, 25 October 2026)
- Antigua weighs halting its CBI programme to protect Schengen access (VisaVerge, 26 October 2026)
- EU visa policy and the visa suspension mechanism (Council of the EU)
- US cuts visa validity for Antigua and Dominica (IMI Daily, February 2026)
- Antigua government urges US to review visa restrictions (Jamaica Observer, August 2026)
- Antigua secures partial relief from US visa restrictions (IMI Daily, December 2025)
- Five countries added to UK visa national list, including Dominica (Lewis Silkin, July 2023)
- St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit
- Antigua & Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Unit
- Dominica Citizenship by Investment Unit
- Grenada Citizenship by Investment
- Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Unit
Checked November 2026. Programme rules and amounts change often; we confirm current figures in writing before you commit. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Talk to a licensed adviser
Tell us your goals, budget and timeline. Caribbean applications are filed through licensed authorised agents located in the Caribbean; Malta applications are handled by our own licensed team. We will also tell you honestly whether an EU option such as Malta fits your goals better.
- Licensed in Malta: Zenturo Ltd. is a licensed agent (Residency Malta Agency licence RES-DALI), company C-39472.
- In business since 2006: one team from first question to approval.
- Fast replies: usually within one hour, by e-mail, phone, WhatsApp, Telegram or WeChat.