To qualify for citizenship, the primary applicant must be over 18 years of age, meet the application requirements and select one of the following three investment options:

USD$100,000 donation to National Development Fund (NDF) for the primary applicant or a family of up to 4 persons and USD$125,000 for a family of 5 and over
USD$200,000 Investment in Real Estate (or)
USD$1.5 million Business Investment

National Development Fund – NDF

Acquisition of citizenship under the National Development Fund (NDF) requires a one-time contribution to the development fund.

Applications under this option are required to make a contribution of US$100,000.00 if the application is for a single person or a family of up to four persons or US$125,000.00 if the application is for a family of five persons or more.

Standard due diligence fees and passport application fees will apply and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda reserves the right to withdraw this offer without prior notice and at their discretion.

The NDF is a non-profit foundation established for the purpose of, inter alia, supporting enterprises develop significant innovations through the provision of long term committed share capital, public/private partnerships, specific governmental projects and from time to time, charitable investments in non-profit organisations which deliver services in healthcare, education, environmental management, youth development or the promotion of sport and culture.

The National Development Fund is governed by the provisions of the Finance and Administration Act, which stipulates that there be established a special fund to be administered by a public officer. These funds will not be commingled with the Government’s consolidated funds and will only be utilized for the specific aforesaid purposes. The Citizenship by Investment program will be subject to six-monthly reporting which will be published and presented to the House of Representatives no later than 30 days following completion of the report.

The program allows for a dependent between the ages of 18 to 25 years to be included in the application of the main applicant if the dependent is a full time student at a recognized higher learning institution and is financially dependent on the main applicant. The program also allows for parents and grandparents over the age of 65 of the main applicant or his or her spouse to be included in the application as dependents, if the parent/s and grandparent/s are living with and are fully supported by the main applicant.

Upon submission of your application you will be asked to pay the due diligence fees and 10% of the government processing fee. Upon receipt of a letter of approval you will be asked to pay the balance of the government processing fee and your contribution which will be paid separately to the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) escrow account within a 30 day period.

Once received, a certificate of registration will be issued for both the primary applicant and their family members which will require submission to the passport office with their application and any accompanying documentation.

The main applicant and his or her dependents will become ineligible if they have not received a free pardon or have at any time previously been convicted in any country of an offense for which the maximum custodial penalty is in excess of six months imprisonment. The Regulations further provide that a person who has been denied a visa to a country with which Antigua and Barbuda has visa-free travel arrangement and has subsequently not obtained a visa to the country that issued the denial shall not be entitled to apply under the program. A person who is deemed a potential national security risk, a reputational risk or is subject to criminal investigation will also be denied citizenship.

Investment in Real Estate Option

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. Two (2) applications from related parties can make a joint investment, with each applicant investing a minimum of US $200,000 in order to qualify. All processing and due diligence fees remain unchanged.

UPDATE: As of April 1, 2020 approved purchases of US$200,000.00 are also eligible for citizenship.

Beneficial ownership of real estate is permissible through a non-profit company provided that the company has issued all of its authorized shares to the applicant(s), is established and is in good standing under the laws of Antigua and Barbuda, is not an exempt or offshore entity and submits irrefutable evidence as to its beneficial ownership, which evidence shall be certified by the Registrar of Companies.

As the application procedure under this option involves the purchase of real estate, this can lengthen the processing time depending on the chosen property. The real estate cannot be re-sold until 5 years after the purchase, unless purchasing an alternate officially approved real estate property in Antigua and Barbuda.

An application for citizenship by investment under the real estate investment option can be submitted to the Citizenship by Investment Unit (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.

Upon submission of your application you will be asked to pay the due diligence fees and 10% of the government processing fee. On receipt of a letter of approval you 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 Citizenship by Investment Unit (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.

Approved Projects

Sugar Ridge, Near Jolly Harbour Marina

Windward Estates, Pigeon Beach, Nr English Harbour

South Point, Falmouth Harbour, St. Paul’s, Antigua

Nonsuch Bay Resort, Hughes Point, St. Phillip’s, Antigua

Tamarind Hills Development, Fryes Beach, St. Mary’s, Antigua

Marina Residences, Jolly Harbour, St. Mary’s, Antigua

Pearns Point, Jolly Harbour, St. Mary’s, Antigua

Harbour Island Residences, Jolly Harbour, St. Mary’s, Antigua

Approved Areas 

Regulation 6 of the [Citizenship by Investment Act 2013] sets out the process by which real estate projects are approved for investment by applicants to the CIP. The Government will from time to time identify approved development areas (R6.1). It will then approve specific projects within these areas. Approved projects are then eligible for investment by applicants to the Citizenship by Investment Program (R6.2).

The list for  approved areas for investment are:

– Fort James to Blue Waters
– Pillar Rock to Five Islands
– Pearns Point to Johnson’s Point
– Falmouth Harbour to Galleon Bay
– Willoughby Bay to Half Moon Bay
– Nonsuch bay area
– Guiana Island and its environs
– Crabbs Peninsula to Indian Point
– Blackman’s Estate (Blackman’s Point)

Click here for the map and list of approved Real Estate Areas

Business Investment Option

The Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) shall after consultation with the Antigua and Barbuda Investment Authority (ABIA) approve businesses, whether existing or proposed, for the purposes of investment in business under the Citizenship by Investment Program.

The two business investment options are:

• Where a person proposes to make an investment in an approved business of at least US$ 1,500,000 on their own behalf.

• At least two persons propose to make a joint investment in such an approved business totalling at least US$ 5,000,000, and each of those persons individually propose to contribute at least US$400,000 to the joint investment an application or application for Citizenship by Investment may be submitted on his, her or their behalf through an agent.

Any potential applicant (s) under this investment option is/are advised to make contact with the ABIA to discuss their proposal.

Once approval of the business investment has been given, the CIU will consider applications for citizenship. The application process is similar to that of the NDF, namely, upon submission of your application you will be asked to pay the due diligence fees and 10% of the government processing fees. Upon receipt of a letter of approval you will be asked to pay the balance of the government processing fees and your business investment amount within a 30 day period. Due to the potential varied nature of such investments any escrow agreement will be negotiated between the parties yet transfer of the investment sums must be made within a 30 day period from issuance of an approval letter.

Once received, a certificate of registration will be issued for the both the primary applicant and their family members which will be submitted to the passport office with their application and any accompanying documentation.