Imagine a life with fewer borders and more opportunities. Maybe you dream of escaping political instability or high taxes. The best Caribbean passport might be your answer, offering not just a document, but a chance at a new life.
Our ultimate guide helps you to discover the world of opportunities the Caribbean’s passport can give you. We will go through all the criteria you need to consider to select the best citizenship investment program in the Caribbean. This guide deeply analyzes and compares pros and cons of all 5 Caribbean citizenship programs.
Why Consider a Caribbean Passport?
People consider Caribbean citizenship for a number of reasons. We’ll explore this further below.
Visa-Free Travel and Global Mobility
Visa-free travel is probably the number one reason people pursue second citizenship. Almost all Caribbean island nations are proud to have a high passport index, which opens a door to unlimited global mobility.
The Caribbean islands have strong passport power, which gives visa free access to Schengen Area, the UK, Singapore, China, Hong Kong and other destinations globally.
Access to Business and Investment Opportunities
Caribbean citizenship can open doors to new business and investment opportunities worldwide. Most Caribbean countries are members of CARICOM – regional trade organization promoting a preferential treatment to citizens of Caribbean nations, including access to trade agreements, tax incentives, and investment programs.
By holding a Caribbean passport of one country you can easily set up your business or start employment in another country without a big hassle.
Caribbean citizenship can provide a strategic advantage for entrepreneurs and investors looking to expand their global footprint.
Education Benefits
Caribbean citizens may also be eligible for education benefits in certain countries like Canada, Australia, or the USA. Those benefits may include full scholarships to cover bachelor or master studies in certain universities, preferential access and discounted rates for tuition fees.
Since Caribbean countries are current members of The Commonwealth of Nations, citizens can benefit from various scholarship opportunities to study in the UK as well.
This can be particularly valuable for families seeking access to quality education for their children and themselves.
Tax Benefits and Financial Planning
Most Caribbean nations are known to be a tax paradise for rich investors and high-net worth individuals.
Absence of wealth or inheritance tax makes a huge advantage for some people looking for safe harbor for their wealth, including real estate investment.
Certain Caribbean nations offer no capital gains tax, which is beneficial for real estate owners. Certain Caribbean nations offer appealing tax regimes that lack taxes on global income.
Pathway to Permanent Residency
Some Caribbean nations offer pathways to permanent residency for citizens of other Caribbean islands, provided they meet certain requirements. Permanent residency can provide a stable and secure immigration status for individuals seeking to live, retire or work in the Caribbean.
The enhanced movement of people within the Caribbean countries is possible due to the CARICOM agreement. By virtue of this agreement the member countries create a so-called single market. That means a citizen of one country can easily relocate to another country without getting any previous authorization or visa.
The current members of CARICOM include the islands like St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Grenada, St Vincent and Grenadines, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda and many others.
Investment Protection
The legal system of most Caribbean island states is inherited from English law by virtue of the Empire’s colonial past. It simply means that the right of ownership is absolute, guaranteed by a state and cannot be compromised.
For real estate owners it means 100 % protection of property against third parties, including state expropriation or nationalization.
The number of international and regional trade agreements ensures:
- equality. The property’s rights of citizens and foreigners are protected to the same extent.
- no state protectionism. The foreign investments enjoy the same level of legal protection as national investments.
Comparing the Best Caribbean Passports: Key Factors
Which Caribbean passport really is the best? The answer comes down to your needs. Each nation’s CBI programme has pluses and minuses depending on where your priorities are.
Investment Options and Costs
Costs are an important factor for everyone.
Real Estate Investment
All Caribbean CBI programs offer real estate options. This is the second most expensive investment option after investment into local enterprise.
The minimum investment into property starts from USD 200,000 (Dominica citizenship investment program) and could be up to USD 600,000 (St Kitts and Nevis citizenship investment program).
The investment should be made into government-approved real estate projects only.
If you apply for citizenship by investment via purchase of real estate in St Kitts, Saint Lucia, Dominica or Grenada, once your application is approved in principle you would need to pay an additional government fee. The government fee can vary from USD 25,000 to USD 100,000 depending on the composition of the family and chosen CBI program.
This is not the case, however, for Antigua and Barbuda. This is the only Caribbean passport program where there is no additional government fee for approval of a real estate investment application.
Contribution into Government Fund
All five Caribbean CBI programs offer an acquisition of the citizenship through non-refundable one-time contribution to the island’s national fund. This is the second most popular investment option after real estate purchase.
This investment option is considered the most straightforward, less expensive and hassle free way to get a second passport. Once the contribution is made, the government would direct money to important social-economic and infrastructure projects in order to support the country’s economy.
The amount of contribution varies between USD 200,000 and USD 250,000. St Lucia and St Kitts CBI programs have the highest investment threshold – USD 240,000 and USD 250,000 respectively.
Public Benefit Project
The investment through donation to public benefit projects is offered by St Kitts and Antigua & Barbuda only. Donations are used for financing important development projects for the island, developing certain new industries or other projects for the benefit of people.
For instance, Antigua gives investors an opportunity to acquire citizenship via donation of USD 260,000 to the institution of higher education. On the other hand St Kitts offers a wide selection of various benefit projects investors can pick up from. The minimum threshold is USD 250,000.
The citizenship program of Antigua grants one free year of education in the University of West Indies for an applicant or one of their family members.
According to the St Kitts citizenship investment program, in case the application is approved, an applicant would be required to pay an additional government fee on top of the donation sum. The amount of government fee depends on the composition of the applicant’s family and varies from USD 25,000 and USD 60,000.
Other Investment Options
St Lucia provides investors with an opportunity to acquire citizenship through investment into government bonds. The minimum investment amount is USD 300,000 and the holding period is 5 years. An investor would be able to sell the bonds only after expiration of the 5 years’ period since becoming a citizen.
Another investment option offered by St Lucia is investment into approved enterprise project. This investment route is aimed to support the agro- and tourist industry of the island, as well as to create new jobs. The minimum investment starts from USD 250,000.
Antigua and Barbuda citizenship program gives investors an opportunity of investment into the business enterprise project as well, including development of luxury hotels. Unlike in St Lucia, the minimum investment in Antigua starts from USD 1,500,000.
One more country offering citizenship via investment into business enterprise is Grenada. Such an investment route is called “significant investment“. You can acquire Grenada citizenship via a significant donation in the amount of at least USD 5,000,000.
Visa-Free Countries and Travel Perks
A key reason people pursue Caribbean citizenship is the draw of freedom of movement and visa-free access to the following key destinations worldwide:
- Schengen Area and the UK;
- Asia, including Hong Kong, China, Singapore and South Korea;
- Latin America, including Argentina or Brazil;
- African continent, including South Africa.
By having a Caribbean passport you can apply for B-1/B-2 visa to the United States.
Depending on the passport power of each Caribbean country, the exact list of visa-free destinations differs. For instance, while St Kitts and Nevis has 180 days of visa free stay in the UK, Dominica passport holders need to apply for a visa to visit this country.
Even if several Caribbean citizenship programs offer a visa-free stay in a certain country, the duration of such a stay may differ. For example, citizens of Antigua and Barbuda can stay in China up to 90 days, while citizens of Grenada or Dominica can enjoy only a 30-day period of visa-free stay.
It is essential to check the list of visa-free countries before applying for citizenship to make sure that the new passport is able to meet your global mobility needs.
St Kitts and Nevis has the strongest passport power compared to other Caribbean CBI countries and offers visa-free travel to more than 155 destinations.
Family Inclusion and Requirements
Eligibility requirements for family members is essential criteria to consider while comparing between investment programs. First, certain CBI programs may allow inclusion of certain categories of family members, while others not. Second, additional family members may involve paying additional processing, application or due diligence fees.
All Caribbean citizenship programs allow you to include the following immediate family members without any limitation:
- spouse (no same-sex marriage);
- children under 18 years of age;
- children of any age who are physically/mentally;
- parents below 55 years of age.
When it comes to siblings or grandparents their inclusion varies depending on the selected citizenship program. For instance, Dominica and St Kitts are two CBI programs which do not allow inclusion of siblings. On the other hand, St Lucia and St Kitts are the countries which do not allow inclusion of grandparents.
The composition of the family significantly affects the costs. In most CBI programs adding 5th and next family members into application would involve paying additional fees.
This is where Antigua and Barbuda citizenship programs shines. This program is considered ideal for big families since it does not impose any additional contributions for adding more family members.
Long-Term Goals
Think about your long term needs and goals property while selecting perfect investment program.
- If you plan to live in a country, consider carefully tax implications. For example, some countries like St Kitts do not have personal income tax. Therefore if you plan to live and receive a certain income at the same time, such an income won’t be taxed.
- If you plan to make a real estate purchase, consider annual property tax rates or capital gains tax in advance.
- If you plan to travel a lot, consider only Caribbean countries offering the highest mobility score like St Kitts or Antigua.
Processing Times and Due Diligence
The average timeline for citizenship by investment application process lasts between 5 to 10 months.
Caribbean CBI programs do not offer fast-track application process, compared to CBI programs in Oceania, like Vanuatu citizenship by investment program.
For instance, the Grenada citizenship application process is considered the fastest one in the Caribbean and takes up to 5 months. Contrary to that, St Kitts and Nevis application process can last between 10 and 12 months.
The following two factors influence critically the duration of application process:
- legal regulation of selected citizenship program.
The St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Act stipulates that the citizenship unit has up to 180 days to consider each application. While Dominica Citizenship by Investment Act prescribes only a 90 days period to review each application.
- readiness to submit requested documents on time.
Preparation of documents for the application is a time consuming process. Usually, translation and legalization of certain types of documents may take a long time. When it comes to producing certain documents like a criminal record certificate, be ready to wait for it from a few days to a few months.
Inheritance of Citizenship
The possibility to transfer citizenship through generations could be a vital criteria for many investors. Apart from investment, there are plenty of ways on how you can acquire Caribbean citizenship – by birth, by registration, by naturalization, by descent or by marriage.
Below we will consider only inheritance of citizenship by birth and by descent, since they are closely related to citizenship by investment.
Citizenship by Birth
Most of the Caribbean CBI countries give their citizenship to everyone who are physically born on their territory. Even though the parents of a newborn are not citizens of the country, a child automatically becomes a citizen by birth.
Citizenship by descent
Another way to inherit Caribbean citizenship is by descent. This is when a newborn child has a right to acquire citizenship because either or both of their parents are citizens of a country.
Only the descents of Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis can acquire the citizenship of those countries, provided at least one of their parents is already a citizen.
Reputation of Citizenship Program
The reputation of the citizenship investment program remains a key element of the selection process for the best Caribbean passport.
Here is the short list of things to help you evaluate the reputability of the selected CBI program:
- number of issued passports;
- year of establishment; or
- choice of friends or family members.
As for the number of issued passports, in 2024 Dominica became the first compared to the rest of the Caribbean CBI countries.
When it comes to the year of establishment, the program of St Kitts and Nevis is considered the world’s first and the most renowned CBI program.
Top Caribbean Passport Options for 2025
Digging a little deeper, let’s shine a light on a few nations offering well-regarded CBI programmes right now.
They each give investors opportunities worthy of serious consideration. Each CBI program has its own minimum investment.
St. Kitts and Nevis
With the strongest passport, St. Kitts and Nevis also has the longest-running CBI programme and is considered to be the most renowned and reputable. It is known to be a pioneer program of the industry.
Application process for St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment is the longest one and could take up to 10 months. The country’s government pays extreme attention to the due diligence process of all applicants to make sure they have a good reputation and clean criminal record.
Year of Establishment: 1984
Key Benefit: biggest number of visa-free countries
Available Investment Options: real estate investment, non-refundable contribution, public benefit project.
Minimum Investment: USD 250,000
Antigua and Barbuda
The “family friendly” choice, an Antigua and Barbuda citizenship is well known to be a family friend choice.
Antigua is considered to be the second strongest Caribbean passport after St Kitts and Nevis.
The country has a low annual property tax and no personal income tax, which attracts high-net worth individuals worldwide.
Year of Establishment: 2013
Key Benefit: ideal choice for big families
Available Investment Options: real estate investment, fund contribution, investment into institution of higher education or business enterprise.
Minimum Investment: USD 230,000
Dominica
Dominica’s CBI is known to be the cheapest investment program in the Caribbean. Dominica’s natural beauty attracts tourists yearly. Therefore a real estate investment can guarantee a high ROI on the rented property or tourist accommodation.
Dominica is known for its favorable tax regime with no inheritance or wealth tax. The island is considered to be the best place for the Caribbean real estate investment, as there is no property tax here.
Year of Establishment: 1993
Key Benefit: cheapest Caribbean CBI program
Available Investment Options: real estate investment, donation
Minimum Investment: USD 200,000
Grenada
Grenada is the sole Caribbean nation locked into the U.S. E2 Treaty. Having an international airport might help citizens plan logistics and other details for potential investors.
Untouched beauty of Grenada makes it an attractive place for real estate development of luxury resorts and hotels.
Year of Establishment: 2013
Key Benefit: E-2 investor visa in the USA
Available Investment Options: real estate investment and donation.
Minimum Investment: USD 235,000
St Lucia
According to recent data, in 2024 Saint Lucia citizenship became the second most sought Caribbean investment program after Dominica.
The island has the highest number of investment protection treaties which makes it a safe harbor to put the money in.
Year of Establishment: 2014
Key Benefit: visa-free trips to the UK (180 days), Schengen Area
Available Investment Options: investment into real estate, business project, government bonds or government donation
Minimum Investment: USD 240,000
Understanding the Application Process for Caribbean Citizenship
The application process for Caribbean CBI programs generally involves several key steps. You will need to gather required documents, complete application forms, and undergo due diligence checks.
Additionally, there are often processing fees and other associated costs. An investment route is typically chosen based on your preferences and financial situation.
Document Preparation
Preparing the required documents is a critical first step in the application process. Common documents include:
- passport, ID, driving license or any other travel documents;
- birth certificates;
- proof of address;
- marriage/divorce certificates;
- and financial statements.
Each Caribbean country usually has a specific list of requirements. Along with required documents, you would need to submit filled in and signed application forms.
Accuracy and completeness are essential to avoid delays, therefore it is essential to hire expert to help you navigate this process easily.
Application Submission
Once your documents are prepared, the next step is to complete and submit the application forms. Ensure all information provided is accurate and consistent with your supporting documents.
The documents are being submitted online to start the process and should be followed afterwards by the originals.
Please note, that applicant is required to pay upfront due diligence, processing and application fees. If the application is refused, the mentioned fees are non-refundable. The amount of fees differs depending on whether this is a single applicant or family.
Submission of the documents should be made by local agents or their authorized sub-agents.
Due Diligence and Background Checks
Due diligence is a critical component of the CBI program application process. The government conducts thorough background checks to assess the applicant’s eligibility and ensure they meet the program’s requirements. Usually at this stage reputable international consulting firms are being employed by the government to help a thorough investigation.
These checks typically involve verifying the applicant’s identity, financial background, and criminal record. Providing false or misleading information can lead to rejection of the application.
Starting from 2023 the interview of all candidates became an integral part of the application process. The interview of a candidate is conducted online in a candidate’s native language.
Final Decision
Once all the background checks are finalize, the citizenship by investment unit can issue either of the following decisions:
- approval in principle;
- rejection; or
- delay for cause.
If the application is rejected, you can appeal further this decision. However, additional fees should be paid again.
If the application is delayed, it means that certain documents are missing to adopt the final decision. Usually at this stage an applicant is asked to send additional documents within a specific period of time.
If the application is approved in principle, an investor needs to make the following steps:
- make an investment itself;
- pay government approval fee (if required, in case of real estate investment); and
- submit proof of payment to the Citizenship Unit.
Approval of Citizenship
This is a concluding stage at which the main applicant and his/her family members are invited to take an oath and to obtain a certificate of citizenship/naturalization.
Usually this stage takes from a few weeks to one month.
Future Trends in Caribbean Citizenship by Investment
The Caribbean CBI landscape is constantly evolving, with emerging trends and developments shaping the industry’s future. Staying informed about these trends can help potential applicants make informed decisions and adapt to changing requirements.
One notable trend is the increasing emphasis on enhanced due diligence and compliance. Caribbean governments are strengthening their screening processes to maintain the integrity of their CBI programs.
Enhanced Eligibility
The Caribbean CBI countries closely cooperate with the EU and the USA in order to implement best practices and prevent wrong people getting the passport.
The changing political landscape makes Caribbean countries review their program’s requirements to make sure they are in line with the international agenda.
Thus, due to invasion of Russia to Ukrainian’s territory, starting from 2022 the applications from Russia and Belarus are not being processed.
Sustainability and Public Benefit Projects
There is a growing focus on sustainability and public benefit projects in CBI programs. Some Caribbean nations are directing CBI funds toward renewable energy projects, infrastructure development, and social initiatives.
This trend aligns with global efforts to promote sustainable development and responsible investment. Investing in these programs offers applicants the chance to invest in Caribbean countries with long term public benefit.
Digitalisation of Application Processes
The digitalisation of application processes is another emerging trend in the Caribbean CBI industry. Some governments are introducing online portals and electronic document submission to streamline the application process and improve efficiency.
Conclusion
Deciding on a Caribbean passport comes down to thinking about travel desires, family’s dynamics, potential tax perks and big-picture plans. Selection of the best Caribbean passport is a delicate and long process, which at the end can expand your financial freedom, as well as meet your long-term plans.
