تیم One Way Ticket
Caribbean citizenship-by-investment (CBI) programs are the fastest legal way to a second passport: 4–9 months, no residency requirement and visa-free access to the Schengen area. In 2024 five island nations — Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia — signed a memorandum setting a common $200,000 price floor (effective 30 June 2024), and the market matured noticeably: mandatory interviews, tougher due diligence and no more "broker discounts". Here is how the three leading programs of 2025 compare.
How citizenship by investment works
The mechanics are the same everywhere: the applicant makes a non-refundable contribution to a state fund or buys approved real estate, passes a background check and receives citizenship for themselves and their family. You cannot apply directly — only through a licensed agent accredited by the local CIU (Citizenship by Investment Unit).
- •A mandatory interview (online or in person) for every applicant aged 16+ — no exceptions since 2023
- •Due diligence: $7,500–10,000 for the main applicant plus fees for adult dependents
- •No residency requirement — you never have to set foot on the islands
- •Dual citizenship is permitted by all three countries
- •Processing time: 4 to 9 months depending on the program
St Kitts and Nevis: the world's oldest program
Running since 1984, this is the industry benchmark and the strongest passport of the trio: around 155 visa-free destinations, including the Schengen area, the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore. After the 2023 reform, the base contribution to the SISC (Sustainable Island State Contribution) starts at $250,000, with approved real estate from $400,000. In exchange you get premium standing: St Kitts screens applicants the hardest and guards its reputation as the "platinum standard" of CBI.
Dominica: the minimum budget
The most affordable entry point: a contribution to the EDF (Economic Diversification Fund) of $200,000 for a single applicant and about $250,000 for a family of four; real estate also starts at $200,000. The passport covers roughly 145 destinations, including Schengen and China, with one important caveat: since July 2023 the United Kingdom requires visas from Dominica's citizens. Processing takes 6–9 months, mandatory interview included.
Grenada: the only bridge to the US E-2 visa
The contribution to the NTF (National Transformation Fund) is $235,000 for a family of up to four; real estate starts at $270,000. Grenada's trump card is unique: it is the only Caribbean CBI country with an E-2 treaty with the United States, meaning a Grenadian citizen can open an American business and live in the US on an E-2 investor visa with their family. Add visa-free China and retained visa-free access to the UK.
The numbers side by side
- •St Kitts and Nevis: contribution from $250,000 • ~155 visa-free countries • UK ✓ • ~6 months
- •Dominica: contribution from $200,000 • ~145 countries • UK ✗ • 6–9 months
- •Grenada: contribution from $235,000 • ~145 countries • UK ✓ • US E-2 treaty • 6–9 months
- •Real estate: St Kitts from $400,000, Dominica from $200,000, Grenada from $270,000
💡 Work only with agents licensed by the relevant CIU — the lists are published on the programs' official websites. Any offer "below the official minimum" after the 2024 memorandum is a straight road to refusal and a lost deposit.
The risks brokers keep quiet about
The main risk is geopolitical: the EU and the UK regularly raise the prospect of revisiting visa-free access for CBI countries, and the programs keep tightening to preserve it. Update 2026: since early 2026 the US has restricted several visa types for citizens of Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda. Prices have nearly doubled in two years and may rise again. Finally, citizenship can be revoked over inaccurate information in the application — even years later. Skimping on the legal vetting of your own file is the worst investment of all.
«A Caribbean passport is bought once and works for decades. Choose the program by purpose, not price: Grenada for America, St Kitts for passport strength, Dominica for budget.»