Antigua and Barbuda · citizenship by investment
Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Programme
Active as of 27 October 2026
The Citizenship by Investment Unit lists four investment options on its official site as of 27 October 2026.
Lowest stated minimumUSD 230,000donation/fund
Launched2013
Processing time (official)Not stated on the official site as checked.
Data checked27 October 2026
Investment routes
| Route | Minimum | Holding period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| donation/fund2,1 | USD 230,000 | National Development Fund (NDF). One time contribution per application, paid into the Government Special Fund within 30 days of the approval letter. Processing fees are charged on top. | |
| donation/fund4,1 | USD 260,000 | University of the West Indies (UWI) Fund. For a family of six or more. The contribution includes processing fees for a family of six, and one family member receives a one year tuition only scholarship. | |
| real estate3,1 | USD 300,000 | 5 years | Purchase of property in an approved development. The property cannot be resold until 5 years after purchase, except to buy another approved property in Antigua and Barbuda. |
| business/enterprise1 | USD 1,500,000 | Single investor in an approved business. A joint investment requires a total of USD 5,000,000 from at least two persons, each contributing at least USD 400,000. |
Government and due diligence fees
| Fee | Applies to | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| government processing fee1,2 | single applicant (NDF, real estate and business options) | USD 10,000 |
| government processing fee1,2 | family of up to 4 (NDF, real estate and business options) | USD 20,000 |
| government processing fee1,2 | each additional dependant from the 5th onward | USD 10,000 |
| due diligence fee1 | main applicant | USD 8,500 |
| due diligence fee1 | spouse | USD 5,000 |
| due diligence fee1 | dependant child aged 12 to 17 | USD 2,000 |
| due diligence fee1 | dependant aged 18 to 30, or dependent parent aged 55 and over | USD 4,000 |
| due diligence fee1 | benefactor | USD 5,000 |
| passport fee1 | each person | USD 300 |
Rules
Legal basis
Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Act 2013 and the Citizenship by Investment Regulations 2014 (as listed by the Citizenship by Investment Unit)
Due diligence
The Unit states that applications are subject to background checks and that all applicants must comply with the programme's due diligence requirements. Due diligence fees are charged for each family member over age 11 and are paid on submission.
Residence requirement
Citizenship may be revoked if the citizen does not spend at least 5 days in Antigua and Barbuda during the five calendar years after obtaining citizenship, according to the Unit. The Citizenship by Investment Amendment Bill 2026 raises this to 30 days, which Prime Minister Browne said was already applied administratively, as reported by the Antigua Observer in July 2026.
Programme history
- Prime Minister Gaston Browne presented the Citizenship by Investment Amendment Bill 2026, raising the minimum residency from five to 30 days and requiring annual financial and biennial operational audits of the Unit, as reported by the Antigua Observer.12
- Ambassador Sanders issued a statement that Antigua and Barbuda is included in a US visa bond pilot programme for a limited group of new applicants.10
- The US entry restrictions on Antigua and Barbuda nationals took effect.8
- Ambassador Sir Ronald Sanders said existing US visas held by Antigua and Barbuda nationals would continue to be accepted.9
- A US presidential proclamation suspended entry of Antigua and Barbuda nationals on immigrant visas and B-1, B-2, F, M and J visas, citing citizenship by investment without residency.8
- The House of Representatives passed the bill formalising ECCIRA, according to the Antigua Observer.7
- OECS Heads of Government of the five programme states announced the signing of the ECCIRA agreement.6
- Prime Minister Gaston Browne signed the agreement establishing the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority (ECCIRA), according to the Antigua Observer.7
- Regional minimum price of USD 200,000 under the Memorandum of Agreement took effect, according to the Saint Lucia Office of the Prime Minister.5
- Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia published a Memorandum of Agreement on citizenship by investment programmes.5
- Canada announced that eligible Antigua and Barbuda nationals could apply for an electronic travel authorization for air travel instead of a visa if they had held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or held a valid US non immigrant visa.11
Official programme site: cip.gov.ag
Sources
- Citizenship by Investment Unit, Antigua and Barbuda, Schedule of Fees (27 October 2026) · official
- Citizenship by Investment Unit, Antigua and Barbuda, National Development Fund (NDF) (27 October 2026) · official
- Citizenship by Investment Unit, Antigua and Barbuda, Real Estate (27 October 2026) · official
- Citizenship by Investment Unit, Antigua and Barbuda, University of the West Indies (UWI) Fund (27 October 2026) · official
- Office of the Prime Minister, Saint Lucia, Caribbean countries pressing forward with the implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement on Citizenship by Investment Programmes (24 June 2024) · official
- OECS Commission, OECS Sets Standards For Citizenship By Investment Programmes (CBI/CIP) to Safeguard Their Integrity and Sustainability (23 September 2025) · official
- Antigua Observer, MPs green light regional CIP body (17 October 2025)
- The White House, Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States (16 December 2025) · official
- Citizenship by Investment Unit, Antigua and Barbuda (statement by Sir Ronald Sanders), Statement on U.S. Visa Restrictions (19 December 2025) · official
- Citizenship by Investment Unit, Antigua and Barbuda (statement by Sir Ronald Sanders), Statement on U.S. Visa Bonds and Travel to the United States (7 January 2026) · official
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Eligible travellers from 13 more countries now qualify for visa-free travel to Canada (6 June 2023) · official
- Antigua Observer, Annual audits, 30-day residency among CIP amendments (15 July 2026)
Figures are the minimums and fees stated by the programme or its regulations on the date shown. Agents' fees and other costs are extra. This is not investment or immigration advice.