The passport of Antigua and Barbuda is a document without which citizens of this mini-state located in the Caribbean cannot travel abroad. The front cover in dark blue depicts the coat of arms of the country and the logo of the Caribbean Community, so the passport holder has the right to visa-free entry to any state that is a member of the Commonwealth (CARICOM).
Citizenship obtained by the authorities of the “former British colony” does not expire, but the identity document can be revoked. To avoid this, it is enough to stay in the country for at least 5 days every 5 years.
The holder of a passport does not need to renounce the citizenship of his/her native country, on the islands he/she has the right to receive income from real estate and do business in conditions of optimal tax burden. The opportunity to study at a prestigious university in the UK is another significant reason to become a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda. The holder of the passport of the "former British colony" is allowed to enter 99 visa-free countries.
How to get a passport for Antigua and Barbuda
The state authorities have provided an extensive list of grounds for issuing a passport. Citizenship can be issued:
- by "right of blood";
- by naturalization (after 7 years of residence in the country);
- by marriage to a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda;
- by repatriation (in the presence of related roots in the country);
- for fruitful cooperation with the Government of the country;
- for special contribution to the national economy.
Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few countries that provides citizenship in exchange for investment in public projects. Participants of the investment program are issued a passport within 6 months. Anyone who plans to invest in the economy of the "former British colony" can include close relatives (spouse, children under 30, grandparents) in the application.
But the applicant for a passport of the island state has a certain set of requirements. Citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda is granted provided that the applicant has no criminal record and is not a persona non grata in the US, UK and EU countries. Also, the applicant for citizenship must have an impeccable reputation in society and business circles. Financial security, the legality of sources of income and the absence of diseases that pose a danger to the population are mandatory criteria in the selection of candidates for the passport of Antigua and Barbuda.
How to get an Antigua and Barbuda passport as an EU citizen
The algorithm for obtaining citizenship within the framework of naturalization is as follows:
The visa must not be a tourist visa.
Grounds – study, work, entrepreneurial activity, marriage, etc.
After 4 years of residence on a visa, by marriage – 1 year.
After 3 years of residence in the status of permanent residence and interview.
The procedure is carried out according to the regulations in the authorized bodies.
Which is subsequently exchanged for a biometric passport.
Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship Act
The procedure for registering the status of a resident in Antigua and Barbuda is regulated by several regulatory legal acts. The main ones are the Constitution (1981) and the British Naturalization Act (2004 ). The program of granting citizenship in exchange for investments in the national economy began in 2013 after the approval of the relevant law in Parliament.
Citizenship by right of birth is assigned to a child who was born after Independence Day from Great Britain (October 31, 1981). The same status is given to a child born outside the exotic islands, but on condition that the mother or father of the baby has citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda.
Foreign investors are offered several formats of capital investment that provide citizenship: in a business project, real estate and charitable programs (in a state fund or a fund of the University of the West Indies).
Which visa-free countries can an investor who has obtained resident status in the exotic Caribbean islands travel to? Entry permits are not required throughout the EU, as well as in some countries of the South American and African continents (Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Angola, Tunisia, Zambia – respectively).
Documents for the passport
In 2024, it is impossible to obtain a passport of a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda without the participation of an intermediary (licensed agent). The list of documents is:
- civil passport;
- photos (3.4 x 3.5 cm);
- certificates (of birth, marriage/divorce);
- diploma;
- a certificate confirming the absence of a criminal past;
- certificates, contracts, payment orders certifying the legality of sources of income;
- bank statement for the reporting period (1 calendar year);
- housing lease agreement.
Antigua and Barbuda is a party to the Hague Convention of 1961, therefore, a simplified procedure for legalization of documents and certificates is provided for applicants for citizenship.
Applicants receive their Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship Identification Card in a remote format. The procedure for taking the oath takes place via video link, and the relocator can pass the biometrics data (to identify the person) in the "native" state.
How much does the Antigua and Barbuda passport cost?
The amount of expenses for citizenship registration depends on the investment format. The amount of donations to the state fund is $230,000, to the reserve assets of the University of the West Indies – $260,000, to real estate – $300,000, and to the business project – $1.5 million.
The application processing fee will be an additional $30,000 if you invest in housing, a government fund, or your own business project (the rate is calculated for a family of 4, with each additional relative costing an additional $10,000). There is no registration fee for investment in education (University of the West Indies). Separate items of expenditure for the investor are the fee for the interview and the issuance of a passport ($1,500 and $300, respectively).
Return on investment is possible when purchasing real estate (the owner has the right to sell it only after 5 years). During the period of existence of the investment program, the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda was issued to more than 2,000 relocants.