Antigua & Barbuda Citizenship by Investment

The lowest entry is the USD 230,000 National Development Fund donation, which covers a single applicant or a family of up to four. Add USD 15,000 per dependent beyond four. On top of the donation you pay government processing fees (around USD 30,000 for a family of four) and due diligence fees (roughly USD 8,500 for the main applicant, USD 5,000 for a spouse, and per-person amounts for other dependents). The real estate route starts at USD 300,000 plus fees.

Most applications are processed in about 3 to 6 months from submission to approval. Citizenship is granted on approval, so there is no multi-year residency wait. After approval you receive a naturalization certificate and then apply for the passport.

No relocation is required. The traditional rule is a single 5-day visit within the first five years after citizenship. However, Antigua has legislated a 30-day residency qualification and officials have signaled a possible move to 90 days over five years. Confirm the exact physical-presence rule in force when you apply.

The program is unusually broad. You can include a spouse, dependent children, dependent parents and grandparents (typically 55 and older), and unmarried siblings. The USD 230,000 donation covers up to four people at one price, with USD 15,000 added per additional dependent plus per-person fees.

Around 154 destinations offer visa-free or visa-on-arrival access, including the Schengen Area and the United Kingdom. The Henley Passport Index ranked Antigua & Barbuda roughly 24th in 2026. Note that Europe's ETIAS system will add a pre-travel authorization step for short stays.

Not easily for new applicants. A US presidential proclamation effective 1 January 2026 restricts new visa issuance for Antiguan nationals, and B-1/B-2 visitor visas have been cut from ten-year multiple-entry to roughly three months single-entry. A partial settlement preserves access for people who already held valid US visas as of 31 December 2025. Do not buy this citizenship expecting easy US entry.

Antigua levies no personal income tax, no capital gains tax, and no inheritance or wealth tax, and taxes only locally sourced income. But citizenship alone does not make you a tax resident, and it does not change your home-country tax obligations. US citizens, for instance, remain taxed on worldwide income. Coordinate with cross-border tax counsel before relying on any savings.

No. The National Development Fund and UWI Fund contributions are non-refundable government donations. If you want a route where capital can eventually come back, the real estate option lets you sell after a minimum 5-year holding period, though resale value is not guaranteed.

The NDF donation (USD 230,000) is the standard fast route and best for families of up to four. The University of the West Indies Fund (USD 260,000) is built for families of six or more, is inclusive of processing fees, and includes a one-year tuition-only scholarship for one family member. For very large families the UWI route can cost less overall.

Yes. Citizenship is lifelong and is passed to descendants by birth. The passport itself is valid for five years and is renewable. Citizenship can be revoked only for fraud or material misrepresentation in the original application.

Likely yes, at the margins. The five Eastern Caribbean CBI countries are establishing a shared regulator (ECCIRA) with proposals for longer physical presence, mandatory biometrics, and standardized interviews. Antigua has already legislated a 30-day residency rule. The USD 230,000 price floor has held, but obligations are tightening, so verify current rules at application.

Yes. Applications must be filed through a government-authorized agent, not directly by the applicant. Officials have specifically warned that passports offered outside official channels will face US scrutiny, so using a licensed, reputable agent is both a legal requirement and a risk-management step.

All four Eastern Caribbean programs now share a USD 200,000 to 230,000 donation floor after the regional price agreement. Antigua's edge is family value: one price for up to four people and very broad dependent eligibility. Dominica's single-applicant donation starts slightly lower. Passport strength and the US visa situation are broadly similar across the group in 2026.