How to get a Caribbean passport and travel visa-free
Authored by Andrea Villegas
Table of Contents:
- Why are Caribbean Citizenship-By-Investment Programs so popular?
- Are there any education requirements for the Citizenship-By-Investment Programs?
- What are the main requirements for Citizenship-By-Investment Programs in Caribbean countries?
- Who qualifies as dependent for the Citizenship-By-Investment Programs in Caribbean countries?
- What is the investment to acquire a Caribbean Passport?
- What is the Saint Kitts and Nevis Citizenship-By-Investment Program?
- What is the Dominica Citizenship-By-Investment Program?
- What is the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship-By-Investment Program?
- What is the Grenada Citizenship-By-Investment Program?
- What is the Saint Lucia Citizenship-By-Investment Program?
- If you do a real estate investment, can you later sell the land?
- What are the benefits of acquiring a second passport?
- Which Caribbean Citizenship-By-Investment is better for families?
- What are some Residency or Citizenship-By-Investment Programs offered in European countries?
- How can a verified Expert assist me in acquiring a second passport?
Beautiful as it is, the Caribbean is a great place to obtain a second passport due to the fact it allows you to travel visa-free to 150 territories, including the Schengen Area. Some Caribbean countries that offer Citizenship-By-Investment Programs are Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Dominica, and more. Here we explore all the requirements and frequently asked questions.
The best Caribbean locations for obtaining citizenship through investment were discussed in the video session "How to get a Caribbean passport and travel visa-free to 150 countries" offered by Jon Green from a renowned investment agency and Danish Soomro from visadb.io. Here we list for you the most important questions about obtaining a second passport in the available Caribbean Citizenship investment programs.
Why are Caribbean Citizenship-By-Investment Programs so popular?
The Caribbean Investment Programs are well known to be efficient and generally, the complete process in under six months.
Are there any education requirements for the Citizenship-By-Investment Programs?
There are no educational requirements.
What are the main requirements for Citizenship-By-Investment Programs in Caribbean countries?
The number one requirement is a clean criminal record and outstanding character because there are in-depth due diligence checks that are taking place on both the main applicant and their dependents to ensure that they are reputable people.
It is also important to have a source of funds to demonstrate how you acquired your wealth to pay for the program. You need to provide banking records or any other document. You basically need to prove that you have clean money and that you paid the taxes if applicable.
Who qualifies as dependent for the Citizenship-By-Investment Programs in Caribbean countries?
Dependants include your spouse and/or children. Some programs allow you to include parents if they're 55 or sometimes 65 years of age and older.
Most programs allow you to bring your children up to 18 years old and sometimes even 30 as long as they are enrolled in school full-time or they are financially dependent on you.
What is the investment to acquire a Caribbean Passport?
Each country is slightly different. Some are more advantageous for a single applicant while others offer better value for families up to four or even six members. The investments usually start at over $100000 USD.
Each program generally offers at least two qualifying options: one is a contribution to the government that is non-recoverable, and the second one is generally an investment in real estate in a government-approved development.
Some other countries have a third or fourth option but those are the primary ones.
What is the Saint Kitts and Nevis Citizenship-By-Investment Program?
St. Kitts and Nevis has the first and oldest investment citizenship program in the world, founded in 1984. Dual citizenship is recognized in Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Processing Time: 60 days the fastest
Donation Required: $150,000 USD*
Minimum Presence Required: NO
Visa free-travel: 157 countries, including Schengen Area
*It does not include the government fee of approximately $35,000 for the main applicant. You can also apply by purchasing a property of at least $400,000 for one main applicant.
Get in touch with an expert for Saint Kitts and Nevis CBI here.
What is the Dominica Citizenship-By-Investment Program?
With the Dominica Citizenship-By-Investment Program, you will also receive a National ID, Tax ID, and driver's license. An incredible benefit from Caribbean programs like Dominica's is that you do not have any minimum presence requirements.
Processing Time: 3 months.
Investment Minimum Value: $100,000 USD.
Minimum Presence Required: NO
Visa free-travel: 145 countries.
Contact an expert for the Dominica Program here.
What is the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship-By-Investment Program?
Antigua and Barbuda maintains an attractive personal income tax regime with no capital gains or property taxes and no foreign-source income taxes, as the government relies instead on corporate and sales taxes.
Processing Time: 3 months.
Investment Minimum Value: $100,000 USD.
Minimum Presence Required: YES. 5 days for the first 5 years.
Visa free-travel: 151 countries, including Schengen Area.
Chat with experts for Antigua and Barbuda here.
What is the Grenada Citizenship-By-Investment Program?
Grenada is the only Caribbean country that allows visa-free entry to China. There is also citizenship under the US Investment Program and an E-2 investor visa, allowing citizens of Grenada to apply for nonimmigrant visas.
Processing Time: 4 to 6 months.
Investment Minimum Value: $150,000 USD.
Minimum Presence Required: NO.
Visa free travel: 142 countries.
Chat with an expert for Grenada CBI here.
What is the Saint Lucia Citizenship-By-Investment Program?
With Saint Lucia citizenship, you do not have to pay taxes on your global income. There are no language tests and you can apply anywhere in the world. It accepts dual citizenship.
Processing Time: 3 to 4 months.
Investment Minimum Value: $100,000 USD for US Citizens.
Minimum Presence Required: NO.
Visa free travel: 145 countries.
Contact a verified Expert for Saint Lucia's Program here.
If you do a real estate investment, can you later sell the land?
This depends on the country, but in most countries, you must hold that property for at least a five-year period. You are free however to earn rental income on it, and after five years, you are free to resell it.
What are the benefits of acquiring a second passport?
- One of the main advantages of a second passport is that you are no longer relying on a single government to take care of you.
- You also increase your visa-free travel, for example, Saint Kitts has visa-free travel to over 150 countries.
- You have two passports to use in case of lose or having one entirely stamped. Something particularly convenient for digital nomads.
- Easy migration in case of any geopolitical issues.
Which Caribbean Citizenship-By-Investment is better for families?
Antigua and Barbuda is a program that resonates with families because its pricing is quite competitive. For a program with the most benefits, it is better to look into European options such as Malta or Montenegro, but they are not as affordable.
What are some Residency or Citizenship-By-Investment Programs offered in European countries?
Two very popular examples of Citizenship-By-Investment Programs in Europe are Malta and Montenegro. Malta’s Residency by Investment can take up to 18 months, and it is a very rigorous comprehensive application process; however, once you are a citizen of Malta, you have the right to live and work anywhere in the EU which makes it attractive. The cost is about 950,000 EUR for a single applicant, and it is a non-recoverable cost.
On the other hand, Montenegro is close to half a million euros which is a combination of a donation and a real estate investment. While Montenegro is not yet a member of the EU, it is expected to join in possibly three or four years, so the passport would increase in value. The program might only be open until the end of 2022.
How can a verified Expert assist me in acquiring a second passport?
A verified expert just like Jon, who you can contact here, can offer you a complimentary consultation to review your situation and help determine the best program for your particular needs.
Once you are ready to proceed, they would have you complete their initial due diligence form and run background checks to make sure they have a high probability of being accepted by the program.
Do not hesitate to reach out to our verified Experts here, or watch the complete session in the video below.
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