Antigua & Barbuda

Citizenship by Investment

The largest of the English-speaking Leeward Islands attracts visitors with its mesmerizing beaches of the finest white sand and azure waters. Join the celebrities who have chosen the island as a place for winter homes and neighbor with Oprah Winfrey, Eric Clapton, and many more.

WHY CHOOSE ANTIGUA & BARBUDA?

The combined size of 442 square kilometers and a population of over 80,000 make Antigua & Barbuda the ninth-largest country by size in the Caribbean. The country’s economic citizenship program facilitates the comfort of visa-free travel to more than 100 countries.

Antigua & Barbuda recognizes dual citizenship, which can prove advantageous for business expansion and tax relief. Other benefits include the following:

  • Application processing within three to four months.
  • Inclusion of financially-dependent children under 30.
  • Inclusion of financially-dependent parents or grandparents over 55.
  • Inclusion of physically or mentally handicapped children living with, and fully supported by the main applicant.
  • Inclusion of unmarried sibling of the main applicant or the spouse.
  • Inclusion of a future spouse, future spouse of a qualified dependent child, or a future child of a qualified dependent.
  • No requirement to travel to Antigua & Barbuda during the application process.
  • No interview, education or managerial experience required.
  • Visa-free travel to more than 130 countries, including the Schengen zone, the U.K., Hong Kong, Singapore and more.
  • No tax on worldwide income.

Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Qualifications

Antigua & Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment Program was established in 2012. To qualify for citizenship applicants must fulfill one of the investment options below in addition to meeting the following criteria:

  • Be of outstanding character.
  • Hold no criminal record.
  • Have excellent health.
  • Have a high personal net worth.
  • Reside with the family members who are included in the application in the country for a minimum of 5 days within a period of five years.

Individuals born in countries on Antigua & Barbuda’s restricted countries’ list (Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia,Yemen, Sudan) but who have migrated before the age of majority and/or have maintained permanent residence in Canada, The United Kingdom, The United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and The United Arab Emirates for a period of not less than 10 years and maintain no economic ties to any restricted country may qualify for application.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA INVESTMENT OPTIONS

The government adopted the citizenship by investment program as one of the mechanisms to promote economic growth, attract developments, increase foreign direct investment to the country, support the development of infrastructure and provide for a sustainable future. As a result, investors can choose from several options to qualify for the program.

1. National Development Fund Contribution or Charitable Donation

High net worth individuals may choose to make a monetary contribution of US$100,000 (up to four people), or US$125,000 (five people and more) to the National Development Fund or an approved charity. The main applicant may include a spouse and all qualified dependents, however government and due diligence are applicable for each individual included.

2. Real Estate Investment

Applicants may purchase property with a value of US$200,000 or US$400,000 in a pre-approved real estate development area. The investment must be maintained for a minimum of five years. Property registration, processing fees, and taxes may be paid in addition to the property purchase.

Financing options may be available upon request.

3. Business Establishment

Applicants may invest US$1.5 million to establish a business. Two or more applicants may make a joint business investment with an individual threshold of at least US$400,000 and a total investment of at least US$5 million.

4. University of West Indies Fund

For an investment of US$150,000, a family of six (6) is eligible to apply for citizenship. The investment amount includes processing and government fees, however customary due diligence fees do apply for each qualified dependent. In addition, one member of the family is entitled to a 1-year scholarship at the University of West Indies. Additional government processing fees are applicable for larger families.

WHAT IS THE MOST INCLUSIVE OPTION FOR LARGE FAMILIES IN ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA?

The University of West Indies Fund is one of the most competitive investment options at US$150,000, for a family of six (6) including government and processing fees. The program has also expanded the definition of qualifying dependents making it the most inclusive option for large families.

DOES ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA PASSPORT ALLOW VISA-FREE TRAVEL TO EUROPE?

The Antigua and Barbuda passport grants visa-free access to more than 130 countries, including the Schengen zone, the U.K., Hong Kong, Singapore and more.

DO I NEED TO PAY TAXES ON WORLDWIDE INCOME?

No, income generated outside of Antigua and Barbuda is not taxed, and there are no capital gains, personal income or inheritance taxes.

CAN I DIRECTLY APPLY TO ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA’S CIP WITHOUT AN AGENT?

No, Antigua and Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment Unit does not accept applications directly. All applications must go through authorized agents such as Arton Capital.

DO I NEED TO GIVE UP MY CURRENT CITIZENSHIP?

No, Antigua and Barbuda does not have any restrictions on dual citizenships. However, you may need to verify if your current home country allows dual citizenship.

NEXT STEPS:

ARTON INDEX SCORE

0

  • 0 cost
  • 0 speed
  • 0 global mobility
  • 0 quality of life
  • 0 simplicity

Updated yearly, the Arton Index is an overall assessment and comparative benchmark of the country and its investment program.


Antigua & Barbuda

92,581

Population Growth: 1.23%

24,100 USD

GDP (per capita)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

2.171 billion USD (2016)

142

Visa free countries


LOCATION

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Altantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

CAPITAL

Saint John’s

DIFFERENCE

UTC-4

TOTAL AREA

442.6 sq. km.

AGE DEMOGRAPHICS

0-14: 23.36%, 15-24: 17%, 25-54: 42.31%, 55-64: 9.53%, 65+: 7.8%

LANGUAGE

English

RELIGIONS

Protestant: 68.3% (includes Anglican: 17.6%, Seventh Day Adventist: 12.4%, Pentecostal: 12.2%, Moravian: 8.3%, Methodist: 5.6%, Wesleyan Holiness: 4.5%, Church of God: 4.1%, Baptist: 3.6%), Roman Catholic: 8.2%, Other: 12.2%, Unspecified: 5.5%, None: 5.9%

GOVERNMENT TYPE

Parliamentary democracy (Parliament) under a constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm

CURRENCY

East Caribbean dollars (XCD), tied to USD

EXCHANGE RATE

1 USD = 2.7 XCD (2014)

The Passport Index logo
visa status