Caribbean Citizenship Programmes
Investment options, requirements and the 2026 risks for St Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada and St Lucia.
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.
All five programmes grant full citizenship, passed on to future generations, for a non-refundable fund contribution (US$200,000–250,000) or an approved real-estate investment (US$200,000–350,000). None requires you to move, and only Antigua & Barbuda asks for a short stay. What separates them in 2026 is risk: US visa restrictions for Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica, and an EU request to close all five programmes by June 2028.
Jump to: St Kitts & Nevis · Antigua & Barbuda · Dominica · Grenada · St Lucia · Process · Other options
St Kitts & Nevis
The world’s oldest citizenship-by-investment programme, running since 1984. St Kitts & Nevis is an English-speaking Commonwealth federation of two islands with no personal income tax.
- Sustainable Island State Contribution: US$250,000 for a single applicant, non-refundable
- Approved real estate: from US$325,000 in a government-approved development, held for a minimum period
- No residence requirement, no language test; interview required
- Processing from about four months once the file is complete
Antigua & Barbuda
An independent Commonwealth state since 1981, with tourism as its main industry and no personal income tax. In 2026 it is the state most likely to confirm the EU phase-out first.
- National Development Fund: US$230,000 for a family of up to four, non-refundable
- Approved real estate: US$300,000, held for at least five years
- Business investment: from US$1,500,000 in an approved business
- Physical presence: 30 days within the first five years
- US visas: most new visas restricted since 1 January 2026; existing visas remain valid
Dominica
Running since 1993 and written into law, Dominica’s programme is the least expensive in the region. Applicants must be of good character, with no criminal record.
- Economic Diversification Fund: US$200,000 for a single applicant, non-refundable
- Approved real estate: US$200,000 in a government-approved project
- No residence requirement; interview required
- Visa issues: UK visa required since July 2023; most new US visas restricted since 1 January 2026
Grenada
Grenada’s programme started in 2013. Its main draw is the US investment treaty, which lets Grenadian citizens apply for the US E-2 investor visa; since the 2022 AMIGOS Act, citizens by investment must first have lived in Grenada for at least three years.
- National Transformation Fund: about US$235,000, non-refundable
- Approved real estate: from US$270,000 (shares in approved projects, plus a government fee) or US$350,000 for full ownership, held for at least five years
- Wide family definition, including dependent parents and, in some cases, siblings
- Processing officially three to six months; six to nine months is more realistic
St Lucia
St Lucia’s programme dates from 2016 and offers the widest choice of investment options, including interest-free government bonds.
- National Economic Fund: about US$240,000 for a family of up to four, non-refundable
- Government bonds: US$300,000 held for five years without interest, plus a non-refundable fee
- Approved real estate: from US$300,000, held for at least five years
- Enterprise project: from US$3,500,000, rarely used
- Processing officially three to four months; recently often much longer
How the process works
- Free assessment: we check your eligibility, nationality restrictions and the latest EU and US position for each state.
- Choose the programme and option: fund contribution or approved real estate.
- Prepare the file: civil documents, police certificates, medicals, proof of funds and source of wealth.
- Submission and due diligence through a licensed authorised agent, including the interview.
- Approval in principle: pay the contribution or complete the property purchase.
- Oath and passports: certificate of citizenship and passports for the whole family.
Who can be included
A spouse and dependent children in every programme; dependent parents in most, and siblings in some. Age limits and the extra contribution per family member differ by country, so we give you a family-specific quote.
Costs to budget for
On top of the contribution or property price: government processing fees, due-diligence fees per adult, passport fees and professional fees. Real-estate options usually also involve transfer taxes and a minimum holding period. You receive an itemised written quote before you commit.
Who is not eligible
Applicants with a criminal record, previous visa refusals they did not disclose, or funds whose source cannot be documented. Some programmes do not accept certain nationalities, and since 2026 the EU expects stricter checks on people subject to EU restrictive measures.
Caribbean applications are filed through licensed authorised agents located in the Caribbean; Zenturo coordinates your case from Malta.
What changed in 2026
- EU wind-down request: a European Commission letter of 25 June 2026 asked all five states to end their programmes by 1 June 2028, with stricter checks in the meantime. Antigua & Barbuda says it must confirm its position by 12 November 2026, and the Commission is expected to report on the region in December 2026.
- EU visa suspension mechanism: since Regulation (EU) 2025/2441, running an investment-citizenship scheme is itself a ground for suspending visa-free travel to the Schengen Area. A suspension would apply to every holder of that passport, including people who already have it. The EU has already done this to Vanuatu, whose passport holders now need visas for the Schengen Area.
- US restrictions: Presidential Proclamation 10998, in force since 1 January 2026, restricts immigrant visas and most visitor, student and exchange visas for new applicants from Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica. Visas issued before then stay valid; new visitor visas have been limited to three months and a single entry, and visa bonds of up to US$20,000 can apply.
- Earlier visa losses: the UK has required visas from Dominican nationals since July 2023, and Canada withdrew visa-free travel from St Kitts & Nevis in 2014 and from Antigua & Barbuda in 2017, in each case citing concerns about investment citizenship.
- Common regional rules: since mid-2024 the five states apply a US$200,000 minimum, mandatory interviews and shared due-diligence standards. Antigua & Barbuda has also introduced a 30-day physical presence requirement in the first five years.
Caribbean citizenship compared with other options
Minimum amounts for a single applicant; government and professional fees are extra. All five Caribbean programmes side by side: comparison table.
| Programme | Minimum investment | Status | EU rights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caribbean citizenship (five states) | US$200,000–250,000 fund contribution | Citizenship in months | No; Schengen visits under EU review |
| Vanuatu citizenship | From about US$130,000 | Citizenship | No; Schengen visa now required |
| Turkey citizenship | US$400,000 real estate | Citizenship | No |
| Malta Permanent Residence (MPRP) | €99,000 in government fees + property bought from €375,000 or rented from €14,000 a year | EU permanent residence | Residence in an EU state; Schengen travel |
| Malta Citizenship by Merit | Discretionary, assessed case by case | Citizenship in about 12–16 months | Full EU citizenship |
| Portugal Golden Visa | €500,000 fund or €250,000 cultural contribution | Residence; citizenship after 10 years for most | Residence in an EU state |
Want an EU passport instead? Malta’s Citizenship by Merit framework can lead to Maltese (EU) citizenship in about 12–16 months. It is discretionary and assessed case by case, and Malta allows dual citizenship. See Citizenship by Merit: steps and timeline.
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.