Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship: Suspended Minimum Stay Requirement

The country of Antigua and Barbuda has temporarily waived the 5-day visit requirement for passport renewal under the Citizenship-By-Investment Program (CIP) in consideration of investors unable to come to Antigua and Barbuda due to Covid-19 travel restrictions. The suspension will be extended until August 31, 2022.

Interested investors who want to attain the citizenship that gives them visa-free entrance to more than 150 countries around the world may do so without having to travel to Antigua and Barbuda, and they can now do it with the assurance that they won’t have to travel until the Coronavirus outbreak is over.

This makes the investor citizenship program in Antigua and Barbuda easier, more appealing, and more accessible to international investors. So far, the CIP has been the cheapest option for families in the Caribbean. The government has announced significant changes to CIP laws, including broadening the scope of the citizenship scheme and establishing the University of West Indies Fund.

All passports issued under the CIP can now be renewed at any Antigua and Barbuda consulate throughout the world. Passport services, apostille/legalization, and birth and marriage certificates will all be available for a charge at the consulates.

Why choose Antigua and Barbuda as your new home

The English-speaking, two-island state of Antigua and Barbuda is a popular tourist destination located in the Leeward Islands of the Eastern Caribbean. The country has a nice year-round climate, with breathtakingly gorgeous and lush tropical islands.

The government created the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship-by-Investment Program in 2012. The Citizenship-by-Investment Program in Antigua and Barbuda requires an applicant to make a large financial investment in the country in exchange for citizenship for the applicant and his or her family.

The Antigua and Barbuda citizenship program provides a rapid method to obtain a strong second passport in only three months, as well as visa-free travel to 151 countries worldwide including the European Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In addition, there are leniencies on taxes such as no personal income, capital gains, inheritance tax, or tax on foreign income. Applicants can include a spouse, dependent children under the age of 31 (along with their spouse and children), parents and grandparents over the age of 55, and unmarried siblings of the main applicant and/or their spouse of any age, as well as add dependents after they have been granted citizenship.

Antigua and Barbuda is a Commonwealth member, giving its residents access to certain benefits in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. It is also a member of the Caribbean community (CARICOM), which also entitles its citizens to some privileges.

Requirements to obtain Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship

To be eligible for citizenship, the primary candidate must be at least 18 years old, satisfy the due diligence criteria, commit to at least five days of visitation within the first five years of citizenship, and choose one of the following options:

  • The acquisition of real estate from an approved real estate project with a minimum value of USD 200,000. To qualify, two candidates can make a joint investment of at least USD 200,000, with each applicant contributing a minimum of USD 200,000. The property cannot be sold within the five-year time frame.
  • Individual acquisition of an eligible business for a minimum of USD 1.5 million. Alternatively, a combined purchase in which each individual pays at least USD 400,000, for a total of USD 5 million.
  • A non-refundable donation of at least USD 100,000 to the National Development Fund. The National Development Support (NDF) is a non-profit organization created under the Finance Administration Act of 2006 to fund government-sponsored initiatives such as public-private partnerships and approved philanthropic investments. The NDF contribution is USD 100,000 for a single applicant or a family of up to four individuals, plus a USD 30,000 processing charge.
  • A minimum non-refundable donation of USD 150,000 to the University of the West Indies. The University Fund, which starts at USD 150,000 for families with six or more people, is a more cost-effective alternative than the NDF for families with six or more members (inclusive of Government processing fee). A cost of USD 15,000 will be charged for each dependent above the age of six.

Furthermore, the primary candidates and their dependents must have a clean personal history. The Citizenship-by-Investment Unit (CIU) is the government agency in charge of processing and reviewing all applications, as well as conducting thorough due diligence inspections. If an applicant has been denied a visa to a country with which Antigua and Barbuda has a visa-free travel agreement, is regarded as a possible national security risk, a reputational risk, or is the subject of a criminal investigation, citizenship will be rejected.

Those interested in learning more about the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship-By-Investment program can contact Orience, and our legal professionals will provide you with all the information you want.