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Citizenship of Grenada is valued all over the world. The Grenadian passport allows people to visit more than 90 countries without a visa, including the UK, Russia, the Schengen countries, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Citizens can apply for an E-2 visa in the United States, which provides an opportunity for free residence and employment and, in the future, issue a green card.
The Government of Grenada allows citizenship by birth, descent, naturalization, marriage or investment. The easiest and fastest way to obtain residency for financial injections into the economy of the country.
Methods to obtain Grenadian citizenship
By law, the procedures for granting residency are regulated by the Citizenship Act of 1976 and the Constitution of 1973. According to the established rules, a foreigner can obtain a passport by several methods, including its purchase. At the same time, persons born in Grenada before February 06, 1976 are citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Current methods of obtaining Grenadian citizenship:
Children born on the territory of Grenada, regardless of the citizenship of their parents, have the right to receive the appropriate status.
The processing period of the request is up to 6 weeks. The person will need to pay an administration fee of $5,000.
A foreigner who has married a citizen of Grenada can file a petition and become a resident. The method of obtaining a passport by marriage does not matter.
The term of provision is from 1 month to 1 year. The administrative fee is $6,500.
The naturalization procedure puts forward several conditions to the minimum period of residence. The applicant must have resided continuously in the country for at least 12 months prior to the submission of the application. At the same time, before the expiration of these 12 months, he/she must live in the Kingdom for at least 7 years.
For residents of Caribbean countries, the minimum threshold is 4 years.
The fastest way, involving investments of $200,000 or more. Investments can be either in the National Transformation Fund (NTF) or in real estate.
All family members, including dependents of all ages, may be included in the application.
Pros of Grenada citizenship
Many foreigners seek to obtain a Grenada passport not only because it is a beautiful country in the Caribbean, but also because of the benefits provided to its residents. Benefits range from freedom of movement to the prospect of passing the citizenship to children. Below is a list of the main benefits that a Grenadian ID card holder receives:
- Visa-free travel to more than 90 destinations. For example, without a visa, you can stay in the UK for up to 180 days, in the Schengen countries from 90 to 180 days.
- Exclusive access to the US. Grenada became the only country in the Caribbean to hold an E-2 visa treaty with the United States. After 3 years of legal stay in the United States, you can apply for a non-immigrant visa.
- Heredity of citizenship. The received privileges can be transferred to children and grandchildren.
- Security and stability. Grenada is known for its political stability, low crime rate and strong legal system.
- Quality education. Access to renowned international schools and universities, meanwhile the UK universities provide preferential study conditions.
- Tax incentives. The country offers a favorable tax climate, which allows the individual to profitably optimize his/her taxes. There are no taxes on investment income, inheritance and gift.
Dual Citizenship
Grenada allows the possession of dual citizenship, to obtain a second passport and extend the acquired rights to family members. A foreign citizen may retain his/her original residence if this does not contradict the laws of his/her home country.
Citizenship by Investment Program
The program was launched in 2013 and is the newest among Caribbean counterparts. It is safe to say that the government of the Kingdom was able to take into account the mistakes of similar procedures of neighboring states. The main goal of selling citizenship for investment was to strengthen the country's economy through foreign investment.
To enroll in the program, an applicant must meet several basic requirements:
- Age of majority.
- Police clearance certificate.
- No serious illnesses.
- Provision of evidence of the legality of the invested funds.
After changing a number of laws relating to naturalization processes and adding a regulatory framework for citizenship by investment, the Grenada Citizenship by Investment program has become one of the most popular in the world. According to official data for 2023, foreign investors and their family members received more than 3,600 passports. There are 2 main investment options available in 2024:
The process involves making a non-refundable contribution of at least $200,000 if only one applicant appears in the application. If the application includes a spouse and 2 children, the amount increases to $235,000. The fee is increased by $25,000 for each additional family member.
For parents, a fee of $50,000 is paid. If the subject includes brothers/sisters in the application, he/she will need to pay an additional $75,000 for each. It is also necessary to take into account the payment of administrative services for trustworthiness verification in the amount of $5,000.
The individual applicant must buy the agreed property (or its share) for at least $270,000. The amount is fixed regardless of the number of family members included in the application.
The government fee of $50,000 is expected for a family of 4. Each additional dependent adds $25,000 to the total. For parents the subject to application will have to pay an additional $50,000. The person will also have to pay $5,000 for the security check.
Obtaining residency through investment, taking into account the time for trustworthiness verification, usually takes from 3 to 6 months. One can submit an application without a personal visit, but only with the help of accredited agents.
Recent reforms of the citizenship program
In June of 2024, the Government of Grenada announced new prices in the Citizenship by Investment program. The kingdom became one of 4 Caribbean countries to raise prices from July 1, 2024. The amendments to the legislation have repealed individual thresholds for minimum investments, replacing them with new amounts. You can learn more about the new prices and conditions on the official website of the Investment Migration Agency.
Another significant innovation was the publication of Circular No.1 of 2024, which restricts the right to grant citizenship to citizens of Iran, North Korea, Russia, Belarus, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan.
Step-by-step application process
The submitted application process assumes compliance with the personal requirements established by the Law "On Citizenship". For investors, the Investment Migration Agency puts forward a special condition – the application must be sent through a licensed agent. Applications for other programs are processed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The main stages of registration and processing of the petition are:
On the basis of the checklist, the applicant's file is prepared and its corresponding legalization is carried out. The procedure requires attention to detail, as the slightest inaccuracies provoke delays and contribute to the denial of further consideration of the case.
After the preparation and legalization of the file, the file is sent to the Investment Migration Agency (IMA). This stage involves the payment of a non-refundable fee for the verification of the applicant's trustworthiness.
IMA specialists analyze the data provided and assess the candidate's compliance with the established requirements. Curricula vitae and financial records are verified.
After the trustworthiness check, a preliminary decision is sent to the candidate. Conditional approval means that the applicant meets all the criteria and has the right to continue the process and invest (under the relevant program).
The candidate is given a certificate of naturalization, which means that he/she obtained the appropriate status. The naturalization certificate becomes the basis for passport issuance.
After going through the approval procedures, the applicant must apply to the Department of Immigration and Passports for a Grenadian ID card.
Collecting documents and submission of the application
The procedures for obtaining citizenship have a clear algorithm of actions, which primarily involves verification of the identity of the applicant. Typically, the total duration of the process is 3 to 9 months, but can extend up to 1 year. During this time, the following is carried out:
- Preparation and legalization of the file.
- Checking the trustworthiness of the candidate.
- Approval and granting of citizenship.
Investors are required to seek the assistance of authorized agents, but prior to applying for any other program, qualified assistance is recommended to ensure that all requirements and conditions are met.
Document Listing
The applicant submitting the application must provide a set of personal documents that exactly meet the requirements of each program. The standard file includes:
- The original passport and its certified copy.
- 6 passport size photos.
- Completed government forms.
- Questionnaire explaining the purposes of obtaining citizenship.
- Original and certified copy of marriage certificate (if applicable).
- Original and certified copy of birth certificate (if applicable).
- Original police clearance certificate (for the applicant, spouse and all dependents).
- Confirmation of the availability of funds and the legality of their origin.
- Confirmation of payment of non-refundable processing and due diligence fees.
- Medical certificate.
Consideration and decision
Processing of the application and verification of the candidate trustworthiness, as a rule, is stretched for 3-9 months. In some cases, the check may take more than 1 year.
After the delivery of the certificate of citizenship, the individual can apply for a passport. The processing period, as a rule, does not exceed 3-4 weeks. The received ID is valid for 5 years.
Cons of Grenada Citizenship by Investment
The direct acquisition program for a Grenadian passport has no unique drawbacks. However, as with every residency-for-money program, it comes with significant costs. A number of legal fees and state fees will have to be added to the amount of the established minimum investment, including $5,000 for trustworthiness analysis.
Despite the fact that the amount paid for citizenship is small in comparison with other states, the program remains one of the most expensive among Caribbean countries. Applications are processed quite quickly. On average, the applicant receives a new passport in 5 months. However, the legislation of Grenada does not provide for the possibility of speeding up the process, as Saint Kitts and Nevis does, and the exact timing of the approval of the appeal is not regulated.
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