The Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Program requires applicants to make a significant economic contribution to the country. In exchange, and subject to a stringent vetting and due diligence process, including thorough background checks, the applicants and their families are granted citizenship.

Benefits

• An Antigua and Barbuda passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 151 destinations including Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, and Europe's Schengen Area.
• Applicants are able to include a spouse, dependent children under 31 (as well as their spouse and children), parents and grandparents aged 55 and over, and unmarried siblings of the main applicant and/or their spouse of any age, as well as to add dependents after they have been granted citizenship.
• Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the Commonwealth, entitling citizens to certain privileges in the UK and other member states.
• The nation is an attractive place to live or to own a second home in, with excellent air links to North America and Europe.

Qualification Criteria and Requirements

To qualify for citizenship, the main applicant must be over 18 years of age, meet the application requirements, and select one of the following three options available:

1. The purchase of real estate with a minimum value of USD$200,000 from an approved real estate project. Two applicants can make a joint investment with each applicant investing a minimum of USD$200,000 in order to qualify. The real estate cannot be disposed of within the five-year period.
2. The direct purchase of an eligible business for a minimum amount of USD$1.5 million as an individual. Alternatively, a joint purchase where each person contributes at least USD$400,000, totaling a minimum of USD$5 million.
3. A contribution to the National Development Fund (NDF) of a minimum non-refundable amount of USD$100,000.
4. A contribution to the University of the West Indies of a minimum non-refundable amount of USD$150,000.

Procedures and Timeline

The government authority responsible for administering the program, the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), is responsible for the processing of all applications. The CIU examines the application thoroughly and, if deemed necessary, may request the applicant to attend an interview.

The CIU undertakes strict due diligence checks and will decline an application if the applicant makes a false statement or omits any relevant information in the application. The documentary requirements of the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Program are reasonable, and the procedures are straightforward. Once the application is approved, passports can be collected in Antigua and Barbuda. It is estimated that the process will take between three and four months from the submission of the application to issuance of the passport, assuming there are no areas of concern with the application.

There is a requirement to reside in Antigua and Barbuda for a minimum of five days during the first five years of obtaining citizenship. Under the real estate option, the time frame may vary depending on the project. Therefore, it is important to select a real estate project that can provide the necessary paperwork required from the developer for the citizenship application.