Citizenship by investment (2026): Caribbean programmes compared

Visas & Immigration
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Citizenship by investment in the Caribbean still costs from US$200,000 in 2026, the floor four Eastern Caribbean states agreed from 30 June 2024, with Dominica the cheapest single-applicant route and St Kitts and Nevis the dearest. What has changed is the risk: the US, UK and EU have each taken action against these passports since 2023, and a new regional regulator is still not running.

Last checked: October 2026

In short:

  • Donation routes start at US$200,000 in Dominica for one person, US$230,000 in Antigua and Barbuda for a family of four, US$240,000 in Saint Lucia and US$250,000 in St Kitts and Nevis.
  • Since 1 January 2026 the US has suspended visitor, student and immigrant visas for new applicants from Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, citing their citizenship-by-investment programmes.
  • Real processing times run far past the advertised three to six months: IMI Daily’s May 2026 tracker shows about 5 months for St Kitts and 18 months for Saint Lucia.

The five programmes compared

All figures in US dollars. “Family” means main applicant plus up to three dependants unless stated.

Donation (single / family) Real estate Due diligence, main applicant Avg processing (IMI Daily, May 2026)
Dominica 200,000 / 250,000 200,000 approved unit plus 75,000-100,000 government fee 7,500 (4,000 per dependant 16+) 9.3 months
Antigua and Barbuda 230,000 plus 10,000 / 20,000 processing 300,000 8,500 (spouse 5,000) 14.2 months
Grenada 235,000 family of four (IMI Daily) 270,000 (IMI Daily) (verify) 7 months
Saint Lucia 240,000 up to four 300,000, held 5 years (verify) 18 months
St Kitts and Nevis 250,000 up to four 325,000 shared or 600,000 whole unit, held 7 years, plus 25,000 fee 10,000 (7,500 per dependant 16+) 5.1 months

Bigger families pay more. St Kitts charges US$25,000 for each extra child and US$50,000 for each extra adult dependant; Dominica US$25,000 and US$40,000. Saint Lucia’s schedule from 1 July 2024 adds US$10,000 per extra minor and US$20,000 per extra adult, per IMI Daily. Grenada adds US$25,000 for children or parents over 55, US$50,000 for parents under 55 and US$75,000 for siblings, per IMI Daily.

The headline is never the bill. Dominica alone adds a US$1,000 processing fee, US$500 per naturalisation certificate and a US$1,000 interview fee per person aged 16 or over. Antigua charges US$300 per passport. Grenada’s official fee schedule online still shows pre-2024 donation amounts below the US$200,000 floor, so get a current quote from an authorised agent.

Real estate isn’t a cheaper shortcut. In St Kitts, the CIU adds US$25,000 for the main applicant and US$15,000 for a spouse on top of the property. And you can’t sell the unit for five to seven years.

Residence and visit requirements

Per IMI Daily (September 2026):

  • Antigua and Barbuda is the one with a rule in force: five days in the country during the first five calendar years after citizenship. A 2026 bill would raise it to 30.
  • All five signed the ECCIRA agreement in September 2025, which sets 30 days of physical presence in the first five years. It applies only once the regulator starts work, and no start date has been set.
  • Dominica’s prime minister said in June 2026 that applicants must collect and renew passports in person; details are unpublished.

Why these passports are under pressure

The 2024 price floor. Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis agreed a US$200,000 minimum from 30 June 2024, per IFC Review; Saint Lucia raised its own prices from 1 July 2024.

The regulator. ECCIRA, the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority, is meant to set common due diligence and keep regional registers of applicants and agents. Per NTL International, Dominica legislated first in October 2025 and the others followed, but as of August 2026 it was not operational.

United States. The 16 December 2025 proclamation suspends immigrant visas and B, F, M and J visas for nationals of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica from 1 January 2026, saying both “historically had CBI without residency.” Per IMI Daily, the State Department then cut visitor visa validity for both from 10 years to three months, single entry. St Kitts, Saint Lucia and Grenada kept 10-year visas.

United Kingdom. The UK imposed visas on Dominica and Vanuatu on 19 July 2023, citing “clear and evident abuse” of their CBI schemes. Saint Lucians have needed a visa since 5 March 2026, though the UK cited asylum claims, not CBI.

European Union. Vanuatu is the precedent: its visa waiver was suspended in 2022 and in December 2024 the Council moved to remove it entirely over its investor citizenship schemes. Regulation (EU) 2025/2441, in force since 30 December 2025, lets the EU suspend visa-free access simply because a country runs CBI, per NTL International. NTL also reports Commission letters of 25 June 2026 asking the five to phase out by 1 June 2028. Saint Lucia’s government confirmed the June 2028 request after Prime Ministers Pierre and Browne met Commissioner Magnus Brunner on 24 September 2026, with no change to the deadline; per IMI Daily, the Commission’s next visa suspension mechanism report is due in December 2026.

Outside the Caribbean

Turkey grants citizenship for property worth at least US$400,000, with a three-year no-sale annotation on the title, a threshold in force since 13 June 2022, per a Turkish government development agency page. Deposit and bond routes start at US$500,000. In September 2026 it moved to revoke 1,070 more citizenships over sham, over-valued sales, after 687 in August (Turkey to revoke 1,070 more investor citizenships over sham sales).

Sierra Leone added a US$95,000 solo route on 1 October 2026, per IMI Daily (Sierra Leone launches $95,000 solo citizenship route, lifts heritage price).

Argentina announced its programme on 2 October 2026: a non-refundable US$350,000 Treasury contribution or US$800,000 in bonds, with no residence required and applications due to open in the fourth quarter of 2026. Details in Argentina citizenship by investment (2026): the new golden passport.

Tax: a passport is not a tax residence

Buying citizenship doesn’t change where you’re tax resident; that depends on where you live and the rules of each country. For Americans it changes nothing at all: the IRS taxes US citizens on worldwide income “from all sources” wherever they live, and only renunciation ends that. If you plan to keep two passports, check Dual citizenship (2026): which countries allow it and which don’t.

Related guides: Second passport (2026): how to get one by descent, residency or investment · Golden visa countries (2026): which are open, closed and the cost · Dual citizenship (2026): which countries allow it and which don’t · Argentina citizenship by investment (2026): the new golden passport · Turkey to revoke 1,070 more investor citizenships over sham sales · Sierra Leone launches $95,000 solo citizenship route, lifts heritage price

Quick answers

Q: What is the cheapest citizenship by investment in 2026?
Dominica, at US$200,000 for a single applicant through its Economic Diversification Fund, or US$250,000 with up to three dependants. Fees add at least US$10,000 more. Since January 2026, though, the US has suspended most visas for new Dominican applicants over its CBI programme.

Q: Do I have to live in the Caribbean country to keep CBI citizenship?
Mostly no, for now. Antigua and Barbuda requires five days in the first five years after citizenship. All five Eastern Caribbean states agreed in September 2025 to a 30-day presence rule in the first five years, but it starts only when the regional regulator ECCIRA begins work.

Q: Does a Caribbean passport still give visa-free travel to Europe?
Yes in 2026, but it is at risk. Since 30 December 2025 the EU can suspend visa-free access because a country runs CBI, and it removed Vanuatu’s waiver over its scheme. The UK already requires visas from Dominica and Saint Lucia nationals.

Sources

This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not immigration, tax or legal advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before applying.

Over to you: If you’ve completed a Caribbean CBI application since the 2024 price changes, which country, how long did it take from submission to passport, and what did the total bill come to after fees? Have Antigua or Dominica passport holders here run into the new US visa limits yet?

Turkey to revoke 1,070 more investor citizenships over sham sales
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Argentina opposition files bills to ban its new citizenship by investment
US dual citizenship (2026): what the US allows, taxes and renunciation
Bahamas residency (2026): permits, $1M permanent route, BEATS and tax
Argentina citizenship by investment (2026): the new golden passport