Buy a home, get a passport: Caribbean nations offer easy citizenship
Alongside travel benefits, the absence of taxes like inheritance, capital gains and, in some cases, income tax, makes the schemes appealing to high-net-worth individuals. Citizenship can be gained without giving up existing nationality.
American demand drives property sales surge
In Antigua, estate agencies are seeing a notable uptick in demand. 'Up to 70% of all buyers right now are wanting citizenship, and the vast majority are from the US,' said Nadia Dyson, owner of the real estate firm Luxury Locations to BBC. 'This time last year, it was all lifestyle buyers and a few CBI. Now they're all saying 'I want a house with citizenship'. We've never sold so many before.'Some buyers are choosing to relocate, despite no residency requirement. Others are treating the second passport as a fallback plan.
From travel freedom to political backup
As per the report, investment migration firm Henley & Partners said that US citizens now make up the majority of applicants across the Caribbean CBI schemes. Ukraine, Turkey, Nigeria and China also rank high.'Around 10-15% actually relocate. For most it's an insurance policy against whatever they're concerned about. Having a second citizenship is a good back-up plan,' said Dominic Volek of Henley & Partners.According to him, some Americans prefer using a 'politically-benign passport' for business and security reasons. The first wave of US interest started after COVID-era travel restrictions, followed by renewed surges after the 2020 and 2024 elections.
Controversy and criticism follow the windfall
Not everyone has welcomed these schemes. Gisele Isaac, former Speaker of the House in Antigua, recalled early protests when the programme was introduced. 'There was a sense of nationalism; people felt we were selling our identity, so to speak, to people who knew nothing about us.'Neighbouring leaders like Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines have voiced opposition, saying citizenship should not be 'a commodity for sale.'
International scrutiny and reforms underway
The European Union is currently evaluating whether these schemes pose risks to its visa-free agreement with the Caribbean nations. A European Commission spokesperson said an ongoing review will determine if the programmes constitute "an abuse" of visa privileges or lead to security risks.In response, the five island nations have agreed to six new principles with the United States, including enhanced due diligence, mandatory interviews, regular audits, and removing loopholes that previously allowed rejected applicants to reapply elsewhere.Caribbean leaders insist the programmes are tightly managed and vital for economic stability. Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit described the system as 'sound and transparent', and said over $1 billion had been raised since 1993. Funds were used to finance a modern hospital and national infrastructure.In Antigua, Prime Minister Gaston Browne said passport revenue helped pull the country from 'the brink of bankruptcy'. St Lucia's Prime Minister Philip J Pierre assured that the island applies 'the highest standards of security'.
Citizenship without moving in
Aside from buying property, citizenship routes include contributions to government funds. These range from $200,000 for a single applicant in Dominica to $250,000 for families in Dominica and St Kitts. In Antigua, applicants may also donate $260,000 to the University of the West Indies.
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