- You can get an Antigua passport and citizenship via investment
- A minimum contribution of USD 100000 to the NDF or any other approved charity is required for Antiguan citizenship.
- Investing in real estate worth USD 400000 can also make one eligible for citizenship
- Antiguan Citizenship by investment takes about 4 months
While some people look at dual citizenship for better job prospects, others look at it as a way of getting visa-free access to other countries and tax savings. If you’re a high net worth individual, read on to find out how you can get citizenship by investment in Antigua.
Antigua and Barbuda – Live by the beaches
Antigua and Barbuda is an island nation between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Given the many beautiful beaches surrounding it, the island country is also known as the Land of 365 Beaches. The country is popular not only with tourists but also with high net worth individuals looking to second citizenship. This is one of the few countries which offer a Golden visa or citizenship by investment.
Antigua Passport and Citizenship by investment
The Citizenship by Investment program in Antigua and Barbuda was introduced in 2013. Since then a little less than 2400 citizenships have been awarded under this program. Chinese, Bangladeshis, and Syrians are the top 3 nationalities that have applied for citizenship here.
The Antiguan or Antigua passport is ranked 31st in the world and offers visa-free travel to 130 countries. The other benefits of Antiguan citizenship include no capital gains taxes and estate taxes. The country is connected to major cities like London, New York, Toronto, and Miami through direct flights.
| Years | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passports issued through Citizen by Investment | 252 | 655 | 1016 | 399 |
Visa Free Countries for Antigua Passport Holders
| AMERICAS | AFRICA | ASIA | EUROPE | OCEANIA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anguilla | Botswana | Armenia | Albania | Cook Isl. |
| Aruba | Burundi | Bangladesh | Austria | Fiji |
| Bahamas | Cape Verde | Cambodia | Belgium | French Polynesia |
| Barbados | Comoros | Egypt | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Kiribati |
| Belize | Djibouti | Hong Kong (SAR China) | Bulgaria | Micronesia |
| Bermuda | Gambia | Iran Mauritania | Italy | New Caledonia |
| Bolivia | Guinea-Bissau | Jordan | Croatia | Niue |
| Bonaire, St. Eustatius & Saba | Kenya | Korea | Cyprus | Palau |
| Brazil | Lesotho | Lao People’s Dem. Rep. | Czech Rep. | Samoa |
| Canada | Madagascar | Lebanon | Denmark | Solomon Isl. |
| Cayman Isl. | Malawi | Macao (SAR China) | Estonia | Tuvalu |
| Chile | Mauritius | Malaysia | Finland | Vanuatu |
| Colombia | Mozambique | Maldives | France | |
| Costa Rica | Reunion | Nepal | Georgia | |
| Cuba | Seychelles | Philippines | Germany | |
| Curacao | South Africa | Singapore | Gibraltar | |
| Dominica | Swaziland | Timor-Leste | Greece | |
| Dominican Rep. | Tanzania | Hungary | ||
| Ecuador | Togo | Iceland | ||
| El Salvador | Tunisia | Ireland | ||
| French Guiana | Uganda | Kosovo | ||
| French West Indies | Zambia | Latvia | ||
| Grenada | Zimbabwe | Lithuania | ||
| Guatemala | Luxembourg | |||
| Guyana | Macedonia | |||
| Haiti | Malta | |||
| Honduras | Netherlands | |||
| Jamaica | Norway | |||
| Montserrat | Poland | |||
| Nicaragua | Portugal | |||
| Panama | Romania | |||
| Peru | Slovakia | |||
| St. Kitts and Nevis | Slovenia | |||
| St. Lucia | Spain | |||
| St. Maarten | Sweden | |||
| St. Vincent & The Grenadines | Switzerland | |||
| Suriname | Turkey | |||
| Trinidad and Tobago | Ukraine | |||
| Turks and Caicos Isl. | United Kingdom | |||
| Venezuela | Virgin Isl. (British) |
Antigua and Barbuda – Citizenship by Investment Program
This route to Antiguan citizenship was introduced to boost the economy of this country and promote development. It is not necessary for a person with Antiguan citizenship to live in the country. Instead, he or she must spend a minimum of only 5 days in a period of 5 years in the country. To be eligible for the program one must have access to at least USD 100,000 or about 69 lakh Indian rupees. Investment in the country can be made in four ways:
- A contribution of USD 100,000 to the National Development Fund (NDF)
- A contribution of USD 100,000 to an approved charitable organization
- Real Estate Investment in a pre-approved real estate development area valued at a minimum of USD 400000. This amount does not include property registration, processing fees, and The property can be resold only after 5 years.
- Investment of at least USD 1,500,000 in a new business venture
The other criteria to be met include:
- Individual must have high net worth
- Individual must have a good character
- Individual must have a clean police record
- Individual must have good health
- Individual making the application must be at least 18 years old
Application processing
Processing the application for Antiguan citizenship usually takes about 4 months. The application form is available online. In the case of real estate investments or investments in businesses, government authorization must first be taken.
The application must then be submitted along with supporting documents, passport photographs, and processing fees. This amount varies from country to country and is subject to change. After obtaining an ‘Approved in Principle’ letter by the government, the applicant may be called for an interview. This is fairly straightforward.
The last step in the application process is to make the necessary investments and pay the remainder of the government fees. A certificate of registration is then given to the applicant. Citizenship is awarded after the applicant participates in the oath ceremony.
Other Countries that offer citizenship by investment
Antigua and Barbuda is not the only country that offers citizenship by investment. High net worth individuals can get a dual citizenship in many other countries as well by making a significant investment. These countries include Malta, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and Vanuatu.
A number of other countries also offer citizenship by investment but do not give citizenship immediately. This includes major economies like the UK, USA, Australia, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain and Hong Kong.
Also See
- Malta Investor Visa – Everything You Should Know
- US Immigration Through Investment – Can Investment Helps Get A Green Card?
- How to Apply for New Zealand Investor Visa
- An Introduction to Business Visa to the US
- Virtual Citizenship- Knitting Commercial Expansions, Dismantling Physical Boundaries
- How To Apply For EB 5 Visa – A Step By Step Guide
- 18 Most Popular Golden Visa Programs
