Citizenship by Investment Program

The Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) was established by the Honorable Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda and is the Government authority responsible for processing all applications for all applications for Citizenship by Investment by applicants and their family.

To qualify for citizenship under the real estate option, the government requires applicants to make an investment in designated, officially approved real estate with a value of at least US$ 400,000 plus the payment of government processing fees and due diligence fees.

Program Overview

An application for citizenship by investment under the real estate investment option can be submitted to the CIU when a binding purchase and sale agreement has been signed with the developer of an approved project, which will be subject to the granting of the citizenship application. The application procedure involves the purchase of real estate, and the real estate cannot be re-sold until five years after the purchase, unless purchasing an alternate officially approved real estate property in Antigua and Barbuda. Upon submission of your application, the applicant will be asked to pay the due diligence fees and 10% of the government processing fee. On receipt of a letter of approval, the applicant will be asked to pay the balance of the government processing fee and all sums due to the developer under the sale and purchase agreement to enable title to be registered in your name and allow for implementation of the proposed real estate investment in accordance with the guidelines established by the CIU. Once received, a certificate of registration will be issued for both the primary applicant and their family members which will need to be submitted to the passport office with their application and any accompanying documentation. The whole process from start of application to receipt of Antigua and Barbuda passports shall not be longer than 90 days.

Benefits of CIP

The Antigua and Barbuda CIP initiative has quickly become an attraction for international investors. Through luxury property purchases, which are available through the programme, applicants and their families can receive citizenship and begin to enjoy the added benefits on their investments. Successful CIP applicants are required to pay the balance owed on their property investment in addition to all processing fees before receiving their citizenship. Once payment is received, applicants take the oath of allegiance and are advised of the procedure to obtain their Antiguan and Barbadian passport. CIP passport holders are required to spend at least five (5) days in Antigua and Barbuda during a five (5) year period. Passports are valid for five (5) years and will be renewed provided the holders spend the minimum required time in Antigua and Barbuda.

CIP benefits:

Citizenship for Life with grant of Commonwealth passports
Relatively short application time of no more than 90 days
Visa free travel to over 131 countries worldwide
The only CIP program in the Caribbean that offers visa-free to Canada
Suitable for future education and employment opportunities in the US and EU
No personal income tax on worldwide income
Other tax benefits (no capital tax, inheritance tax, gift tax, etc.)
No restriction on the repatriation of profits and imported capital
The opportunity to maintain dual citizenship if so desired
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To maintain citizenship, investors are required to hold their qualifying investment in any approved projects by the CIU for a minimum of 5 years. An exception is made if another qualifying investment is made within the same 5-year time frame. After the first 5 years, the investment may be sold and a subsequent investor may also apply for and benefit from citizenship, utilizing the same limited partnership investment instrument. In such circumstances, the original investor will be entitled to retain citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda. Therefore, choosing a project with the most attractive value-for-investment proposition is a primary consideration, given all qualified projects in Antigua and Barbuda offer the same benefits for CIP. This is to allow for the applicants to truly enjoy their time in Antigua should they choose to reside or vacation in Antigua, and to maximize the real estate appreciation potential should they choose to exit.

Application Process

The overall application process for citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda is straightforward and oriented towards upholding the highest level of strictness and integrity of the overall CIP, for the protection of all holders of the Antigua and Barbuda passport. The whole process will be complete within 90 days of submission of application. Read more

1Reservation Application

Upon consulting with dedicated developer representative, the investor signs a reservation application for information collection purposes. Upon satisfaction of preliminary due diligence tests, Regent Bay will assist the investor with selecting a qualified and approved CIP Agent and service provider to process their application.

2Application Forms and Documents Submission

After confirmation of the CIP Agent, the investor will be provided with the Sales and Purchase Agreement. Once this agreement is signed, the investor shall submit a deposit equivalent to 10% of the overall purchase price. The CIP Agent will assist the investor to collate the required documents and complete the required Citizenship by Investment application forms. CIP Agent fees, 10% of the government processing fee and 100% of the due diligence fees (USD 7,500 for the main applicant and an additional USD 4,000 for each dependent) must be paid along with the application submission.

3Application Processing, Due Diligence and Payment

Application processing takes approximately 60-90 days. The Antigua and Barbuda Government takes the due diligence process very seriously to ensure that its Commonwealth passport maintains its current high level of standing in United Nations.

4Receipt of Approval

Upon approval of the application issued by the CIU is received, the investor will pay the remaining balance of the purchase price, the remaining balance of the government fees and passport fees. Regent Bay will issue an Ownership Certificate inclusive of land lot details to the investor.

5Closing and Transfer

Proof of ownership will be submitted to the government and the CIU will issue the Certificate of Citizenship. The land and real estate title will be transferred subsequently to the investor.

6Award of Antigua and Barbuda Passport

Passports for the entire family will be issued after receipt of the Certificate of Citizenship, with a validity of 5 years. Once the real estate is held for a minimum of 5 years, the citizenship becomes permanent.

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