Caribbean citizenship by investment
Antigua and Barbuda
One fund contribution for any family size, broad family rules and a short, fixed residence requirement.
From USD 230,000Government minimum. Agent and professional fees are additional.
Information checked 4 October 2026
- From
- USD 230,000
- Processing
- Average first reply in 90 days; no figure for the whole process
- Residence
- Five days within the first five years; a bill would raise it to 30
- Interview
- At the unit's discretion; the regional agreement as enacted makes it mandatory from 18
- Schengen
- Visa-free short stays
- UK
- No visa; ETA needed
Overview
The programme at a glance
Antigua and Barbuda charges the same National Development Fund contribution, from USD 230,000, whatever the size of the family. Its residence rule is short and fixed: five days in the country within the first five years after citizenship.
Real estate and business routes are also available, and a family of six or more can contribute to the University of the West Indies fund instead.
Benefits
What it offers, and what to weigh
Advantages
- One fund contribution for any family size.
- Siblings, and a dependent child's own family, can be included.
- No UK visit visa, and visa-exempt for short Schengen stays.
Worth knowing
- Named in the 2025 US proclamation; most new US visas are off the table for its citizens.
- Five days' residence now, with a bill to raise it to 30.
- No official figure for the total processing time.
Travel and the passport
An Antigua and Barbuda passport is visa-exempt for short Schengen stays, and the UK asks only for an online permit before boarding, not a visa.
The country is named in US Proclamation 10998, which describes it as having operated citizenship by investment without residency. The government told citizens in January 2026 that visas already issued remain usable. In June 2026 Eastern Caribbean leaders also voiced concern about European proposals that could affect visa-free access for their citizens.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Citizens of Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen are restricted, but can still apply if they left before adulthood or have lived elsewhere for at least ten years with no economic ties to those countries.
Accepted only under conditions: Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan.
Family
Who can be included
Spouse, children, parents, unmarried siblings and a dependent child's family
The definition reaches further than most: unmarried brothers and sisters of the applicant or spouse, and even the spouse or child of a dependent child. A future spouse can be added later.
Process
How the application runs
Only agents licensed by the minister may file. The unit, at the Sir John E. St. Luce Finance and Conference Center on Factory Road in St John's, puts the average wait for a first reply at 90 days and gives no figure for the whole journey. A tenth of the government processing fee and the whole due diligence fee are paid on submission, both non-refundable; the balance and the fund contribution follow the approval letter, the contribution within 30 days.
A licensed agent files the application.
Part of the fees is paid on submission.
The unit gives a first reply, on average within 90 days.
After approval, the contribution or investment is completed and citizenship granted.
UAE residents: print the document checklist before your consultation.
From five days to thirty
The regional agreement setting up the Eastern Caribbean regulator, enacted as Act No. 18 of 2025, requires 30 days in the country once the minister brings it into force. A domestic amendment bill was introduced in June 2026 to align the programme; its text is not published on a government site, and no official source says it has passed.
Updates
What's changed
- Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Bill, 2026 introduced for first reading (Cabinet note of 10 June 2026); aligns the CIP Act with ECCIRA (30-day residency, CIU audits)
- OECS Authority (Cabinet note of 24 June 2026): heads raised concern about EU proposals that could affect visa-free access for OECS citizens because of CBI
- U.S. Proclamation of 16 Dec 2025 restricting entry: Antigua and Barbuda says existing U.S. visas stay valid; new applications from 31 Dec 2025 face new biometric arrangements; a U.S. visa bond pilot also applies to a narrow group of new applicants (statement of 7 Jan 2026)
- ECCIRA Agreement Bill 2025 laid in Antigua and Barbuda (Oct 2025) creating the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority; all five states had enacted the Agreement by 1 Dec 2025; operational expected in 2026
Questions people ask
How long do you have to stay in Antigua and Barbuda?
Five days within the first five calendar years after citizenship, under the current rules. A 2026 bill and the regional ECCIRA agreement would raise this to 30 days in total.
Can I include my brother or sister?
Yes, if they are unmarried: under 18 with a parent's or guardian's consent, or over 18. The spouse or child of a dependent child can also be included.
What is the University of the West Indies fund?
A contribution route open only to families of six or more, whose price already includes the processing fees. Smaller families use the National Development Fund, real estate or a business investment.