Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Compared: Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and St Lucia

The table below shows the minimum government contribution for a single applicant or family of up to four, the minimum real estate investment, typical processing, US E-2 treaty status, and any physical presence obligation. All amounts are in US dollars. Government due diligence, processing, passport, and courier fees apply separately for each applicant and dependent.

These figures reflect our legal partners' verified case files as of June 2026, confirmed against each country's official CBI unit. Review contribution minimums with the relevant CBI unit before committing, as amounts and eligible routes change.

The Antigua & Barbuda citizenship by investment programme is administered by the Citizenship by Investment Unit at cip.gov.ag. Four investment routes are available.

National Development Fund (NDF). A non-refundable contribution of $230,000 covers a single applicant or a family. This is the simplest route for investors who do not want property management obligations.

Real estate. A minimum purchase of $300,000 in an approved development, held for at least five years before resale. Two related applicants may pool investments at $200,000 each under the joint-ownership structure.

UWI Fund. Available only when the application includes six or more people. The contribution is $260,000, and one family member under 29 receives a one-year scholarship at the University of the West Indies.

Business investment. A sole investor must commit at least $1,500,000 to an approved project. Joint ventures require a total of $5,000,000, with each participant contributing at least $400,000.

Eligible family members include a spouse, children under 30 (full-time students aged 18–25, or unmarried adults aged 25–30 who are financially dependent), parents and grandparents aged 55 or above, and unmarried siblings under 18.

The programme carries the only physical presence obligation among the five: citizenship holders must spend at least five days in Antigua & Barbuda within the first five years. Antigua & Barbuda allows dual citizenship; no existing nationality need be surrendered.

The Dominica citizenship by investment programme is run by the Citizenship by Investment Unit at cbiu.gov.dm. Two routes are available.

Economic Diversification Fund (EDF). A single applicant contributes $200,000. A family of up to four people pays $250,000 (covering the main applicant with a spouse and two dependants, or three dependants without a spouse). Each additional dependent under 18 adds $25,000.

Real estate. A minimum of $200,000 in an approved project, held for three to five years. At $200,000 for both routes, Dominica has the lowest entry point of any of the five programmes.

Eligible family members include a spouse, children under 30 (financially dependent on the main applicant), parents and grandparents aged 65 or above, and unmarried siblings under 18. Dominica's parent-age threshold of 65 is the most restrictive among the five programmes; investors with parents aged 55–64 should choose a programme where the threshold is lower.

No residency is required. Iranian nationals are not automatically excluded; they face enhanced due diligence fees and documentation requirements.

The Grenada citizenship by investment programme is administered by the Investment Migration Agency Grenada (imagrenada.gd), established under Act No. 15 of 2013. Two routes are available.

National Transformation Fund (NTF). A contribution of $235,000 covers a single applicant or a family of up to four. Additional dependants beyond the fourth add $25,000 each (for parents aged 55 or above and children born within 12 months of the citizenship grant), $50,000 each (for parents under 55), or $75,000 each (for adult unmarried siblings).

Real estate. A minimum purchase of $270,000 in a government-approved development. The Grenada process includes a mandatory bank clearance stage with the Bank of Grenada, which can add two weeks to four months depending on the applicant's circumstances.

Eligible family members include a spouse, children under 30 (financially dependent), parents and grandparents of any age (if fully supported), and unmarried adult siblings with no children of their own.

Grenada is the only Caribbean citizenship by investment programme with an active E-2 Investor Visa Treaty with the United States. Grenada is not subject to US Presidential Proclamation 10998; the treaty remains in effect as of June 2026. Citizens can apply for the E-2 non-immigrant visa to live in the US and operate a qualifying business. The E-2 is not a pathway to US permanent residency.

No minimum stay in Grenada is required before or after naturalisation.

The St Kitts & Nevis citizenship by investment programme has operated since 1984 under Part II, § 3(5) of the Citizenship Act, 1984 — the world's oldest active citizenship by investment programme. Three investment routes are currently available.

Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC). A contribution of $250,000 covers a single applicant or a family of up to four. Each additional dependent under 18 adds $25,000; each additional dependent aged 18 or above adds $50,000.

Public Benefit Option (PBO). Also $250,000, directed to approved national infrastructure projects. The fee structure mirrors the SISC.

Real estate. Units in approved condominium developments start at $325,000. Private home purchases start at $325,000, with some categories qualifying at $600,000 or above. Both real estate options require a seven-year hold before resale.

Eligible family members include a spouse; children under 18 (automatically included); children aged 18–30 who are unmarried and financially dependent; parents and grandparents aged 55 or above; and siblings under 30 who are unmarried and financially dependent. St Kitts & Nevis does not hold a US E-2 treaty.

Standard processing takes approximately four months from document submission. The Accelerated Application Process (AAP) reduces this to 45–60 days at an additional fee. A mandatory interview for each main applicant has been in place since July 2023; dependants aged 16 or above may also be required to attend.

St Kitts & Nevis imposes no personal income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, or gift tax on persons who are not resident in the country.

The St Lucia citizenship by investment programme was established under the Citizenship by Investment Act No. 14 of 2015, administered by CIP Saint Lucia at cipsaintlucia.com. Three routes are currently available.

National Economic Fund (NEF). A non-refundable contribution of $240,000 covers the main applicant and up to three qualifying dependants. Each additional dependent under 18 adds $10,000; each additional dependent aged 18 or above adds $20,000. The NEF is the most used route, typically processing in three to four months.

National Action Bond (NAB). An investment of $300,000 in non-interest-bearing government bonds, held for five years. The government repurchases the bonds at face value after five years. A non-refundable administration fee of $50,000 applies, bringing the total minimum outlay to $350,000 before additional government fees.

Enterprise projects. A sole applicant must invest a minimum of $3,500,000 in a CIU-approved project in an eligible category such as hospitality, agriculture, or infrastructure.

The real estate route under the St Lucia programme is currently suspended: the CIU lists no approved projects. Investors who want Caribbean property as part of their citizenship application should consider the Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada, or St Kitts & Nevis real estate options.

Eligible family members include a spouse, children under 21 (automatically eligible), children aged 21–30 who are financially dependent, parents aged 55 or above, and unmarried siblings under 18.

One eligibility rule specific to St Lucia: under Article 36(3) of the Citizenship by Investment Act, applicants who have been refused a visa to a country where St Lucia passport holders enjoy visa-free access — and who have not since obtained that visa — are ineligible. Applicants with a recent Schengen refusal, for example, must obtain a new Schengen visa before applying.

St Lucia does not hold a US E-2 treaty.

Budget is the first filter. Dominica offers both fund and real estate routes at $200,000, making it the lowest entry point of the five for any family of up to four. St Kitts & Nevis requires $250,000 for its fund routes.

Family profile matters as much as the numbers. Grenada includes parents and grandparents of any age if fully supported, and adult unmarried siblings with no children. St Kitts & Nevis allows siblings up to age 30; most other programmes stop at 18. Antigua & Barbuda covers children up to 30 and grandparents from 55, and uniquely offers a university scholarship for large families. Dominica's parent-age floor of 65 means investors with parents between 55 and 64 need a different programme.

US business access is Grenada's clear differentiator. No other Caribbean citizenship by investment programme grants citizens the ability to apply for a US E-2 Investor Visa. For investors planning to operate a US business, this distinction typically outweighs the $35,000 premium over Dominica's fund contribution.

Processing speed only matters if timing is genuinely pressing. St Lucia's NEF typically processes in three to four months, the fastest standard track. St Kitts & Nevis offers 45–60 days under the AAP. Most other routes run four to six months.

Antigua & Barbuda's five-day stay requirement is a minor constraint for most investors, but worth noting for those who plan to use the citizenship purely as a travel document without visiting the country.

For a broader view of citizenship by investment options outside the Caribbean, our complete guide to citizenship by investment covers the programmes My Golden Visa works with across Europe and the Caribbean.

Approval is not guaranteed. Submitting an application does not create a right to citizenship. All five CBI units retain full discretion to refuse applications, and rigorous background checks are standard across every programme. The qualifying investment (the fund contribution or real estate purchase) is committed only after the CBI unit issues approval; no investment funds are at risk during the application itself.

St Lucia real estate is suspended. No approved projects are currently listed by the St Lucia CIU. Investors who need a property-backed investment should look at Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada, or St Kitts & Nevis instead.

Caribbean citizenship does not automatically change tax residence. Tax residence depends on physical presence, local registration, and substance, not on the nationality you hold. Caribbean nations generally impose no personal income tax, capital gains tax, or inheritance tax on non-residents. Whether your existing home-country obligations change when you obtain a Caribbean certificate of naturalisation is a separate legal question that requires advice from a qualified tax professional before you commit to any programme.

Timelines are estimates. Processing times reflect typical cases. Applications with complex source-of-funds histories, prior visa refusals, or politically exposed persons take longer. St Kitts' AAP shortens the government review stage but does not eliminate due diligence.

Programme rules change. All five programmes have adjusted contribution minimums, dependent-age rules, and eligible routes in recent years. The figures in this guide reflect verified case files as of June 2026. Confirm the current schedule with the relevant CBI unit before making a financial commitment.

If you want to discuss which programme suits your specific family profile and budget, speak with a My Golden Visa investment migration adviser. Our lawyers work across all five Caribbean programmes and can run a preliminary assessment before you commit.