Caribbean nations dominate the citizenship-by-investment industry, according to the latest Financial Times Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Index.
The Index ranks the world’s citizenship programs and the top five positions were held by Caribbean nations—Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Lucia.
About Economic Citizenship Programs
Economic citizenship or investment immigration programs offer wealthy individuals a fast-track route to the country’s citizenship.
Instead, candidates must meet investment requirements, undergo due diligence, pay necessary fees and charges, and in return they acquire a second citizenship and a second passport.
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What is the Citizenship by Investment Index?
The Citizenship by Investment Index covers all nations offering citizenship programs.
It ranks programs based on seven parameters: Due diligence, travel privileges offered by the passport, standard of living in the country, the investment requirement, ease of processing, the application timeline, and physical residence requirements.
About the 2018 Rankings
In the 2018 rankings Dominica, also top in 2017, scored top marks in five of the seven parameters.
While five European nations offer direct citizenship through investment, only the programs offered by Cyprus and Malta are truly in demand among investment immigrants.
European nations, by virtue of their location, rank high on the freedom of movement and travel privileges parameters.
Caribbean programs outscored the European programs on virtually all other parameters.
Rising Demand for Economic Citizenship Programs
Demand for CBI programs is rising as more and more investors recognize the advantages and benefits of owning a second passport.
For those living in countries troubled by social, political, or security instability, CBI programs offer a route to a secure backup option for applicants and their family members.
For ambitious entrepreneurs, these programs help bypass travel restrictions and ease access to developed markets like the US, the UK, Europe, Canada, and Australia.
For many applicants, securing better education and career prospects for their children is an important motivating factor.
The Top Program: Dominica
Dominica offers its citizenship against minimum investment of $100,000 into the Economic Diversification Fund or purchase of real estate for at least $200,000.
The program has a simple structure with a robust due diligence framework designed to protect its credibility.
The EDF investment option makes it one of the most affordable economic citizenship program in the world.
Second Spot: St Kitts and Nevis
St. Kitts was the first country to introduce an investment immigration program and offer its passport to applicants fulfilling the minimum investment requirements.
The program offers three investment options:
- $150,000 into the Sustainable Growth Fund for a single applicant
- $195,000 into the Sustainable Growth Fund for the applicant and up to three dependent family members
- $400,000 real estate investment to be held for at least five years.
- $200,000 real estate investment to be held for at least seven years.
Both countries reduced the minimum investment under their respective programs in a bid to attract foreign funding towards hurricane repair and reconstruction efforts in 2017.