Invest in Paradise and Enjoy the Freedom of a Second Passport
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA: CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT
Antigua and Barbuda is an independent Commonwealth country situated in the Caribbean and forms part of the CARICOM. The nation is comprised of twin islands that are located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Antigua became a British Colony under the discovery of Christopher Columbus and was named after the church of Santa Maria de l’Antigua in Seville, Spain. The islands attained full independence on November 1, 1981.
The aim of the citizenship by investment (CBI) programme is to generate foreign investment through capital and real estate investments and in exchange offer investors citizenship and a passport.
An Antiguan citizenship offers investors visa-free travel to over 132 countries, including the UK, Canada as well as the Schengen zone countries.
Applicants and their families are granted full citizenship in exchange for either making an economic contribution to the country or investing in an approved real estate project, as set out by the Government.
Please contact us to speak to a private client advisor: info@lio-global.com
BENEFITS
Visa-free travel to 134 countries including the UK, Schengen Countries and Canada.
Citizenship and passport in 4 – 6 months.
No residence period.
Beautiful properties in 5 star resorts to choose from.
Freedom to sell property after 5 years.
Antigua and Barbuda is a tax friendly jurisdiction.
INTERESTING INFORMATION
Citizenship and passport within 4 – 6 months
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
Antiguan Creole
MEMBERSHIP
Caribbean Community (Caricom), United Nations, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas, the Commonwealth of Nations, WTO, Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, Organization of American States
CAPITAL
St John’s
CURRENCY
Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) – linked To USD
POPULATION
91 295 (2014 est.)
TOTAL AREA
440 km²
INVESTMENT REQUIREMENTS
The Antigua & Barbuda citizenship programme requires the investor to make an economic contribution to the country as well as meet certain other requirements.
Investors (and their families) who wish to apply for Antiguan citizenship by investment must meet one of the following two investment requirements:
Purchase of real estate with a minimum value of USD 400 000 in an approved real estate development, or USD 200 000 if purchasing a half share.
- Acquiring real estate through an authorized real estate venture requires a minimum investment of USD 200,000 per applicant, with the option for two applicants to collaborate, each investing at least USD 200,000. The property cannot be sold within a five-year timeframe.
- For direct business ownership, an individual must invest a minimum of USD 1.5 million. Alternatively, a joint investment can be made, with each contributor investing at least USD 400,000, resulting in a total investment of at least USD 5 million.
Donation to the NDF - Antiguan Government charity:
- Minimum Contribution to the National Development Fund of USD200 000
- Minimum Contribution to the University of the West Indies of USD200 000
REQUIREMENTS FOR CITIZENSHIP
To qualify for citizenship, applicants must meet the following requirements:
The main applicant is required to be over the age of 18 years’ old.
The applicant will undergo strict due diligence and must not have a criminal record.
Be in excellent health and have a high personal net worth.
Once the passport has been received, applicants are required to visit Antigua for a minimum of 5 days over the coming 5-year period to renew their passport.
CITIZENSHIP
Antigua and Barbuda allow dual citizenship. The legal framework of the economic citizenship programme allows for the investor and his/her family to obtain citizenship provided they follow the specified requirements. There is no residence period, the investor acquires citizenship and his/her passport directly. The application process takes 4 – 6 months.
TRAVEL AND BENEFITS
An Antiguan passport allows the holder to travel to 134 and spend a maximum of 90 out of every 180 days in any of the Schengen zone countries.
Some of the popular countries that an Antiguan passport allows the holder visa-free travel to include: UK, Schengen zone and many of the Commonwealth countries.
FAMILY
Antigua and Barbuda allows dependent children under the age of 28 to be included in the application, provided they are unmarried.
Dependent parents over the age of 65 can also be included.
TAX
The Caribbean is a tax friendly jurisdiction and there is no inheritance or capital gains tax. Persons who are present for more than 183 days a year will be viewed as residents of Antigua & Barbuda and will therefore be subject to tax.
In 2005 personal income tax was reintroduced and the rate is between 10% – 25% on income above a minimum amount. Persons who are only in the country temporarily will only be taxed on income that is derived from or in Antigua and Barbuda. Changes to the Income Tax Act are expected which will change the income tax on worldwide income to only locally sourced income.
Antigua & Barbuda has a tax which is similar to VAT and is known as sales tax. This is a standard rate of 15% and is levied on local consumption. The business and corporate tax rate is 25% (of net profits). There are however tax breaks and concessions which are available to qualifying companies.
We highly encourage clients to meet with a professional tax consultant.
FEES
In addition to the real estate investment, the Government charges the following fees:
Government Due Diligence Fees
USD 7 500 – Main Applicant / spouse
USD 2 000 – Dependent children (age <18)
USD 4 000 – Unmarried dependents (age >18, <25)
Government Fees
USD 30 000 – for a family of up to four
USD 20 000 – Additional dependents (age 6-17)
USD 10 000 – Additional dependents (age 0-5)
Donation option:
In addition to the donation, investors are required to pay government processing, due diligence and passport fees:
Government Processing fee
USD 30 000 for family of up to four members, plus USD 15 000 per each additional dependent
Due Diligence fee
USD 7 500 for the main applicant
USD 7 500 for spouse
USD 2 000 for child 12-17 years old
USD 4 000 for qualifying dependent over 18 years old
Passport fee
USD 300 per person
In addition, professional fees will also be due. This will depend on the size of family and number of applicants.
Please contact us for a personalised proposal: info@lio-global.com
PROCESS AND TIMELINES
The Antigua & Barbuda citizenship by investment programme adheres to very strict regulations and guidelines. The Citizenship-by-Investment Unit (CIU) is the government authority responsible for the administration of the citizenship programme as well as processing all applications.
Before the submission of an application to the Government of Antigua & Barbuda, strict and comprehensive due diligence will be done and a medical certificate is also required to confirm that the family is in good health and not suffering from any serious or contagious illnesses. The CIU will examine the applications closely and may sometimes request an interview with the applicant, although this occurs rarely.
Once all steps and requirements have been achieved and the application is approved, the applicants can collect their passports. The passports can either be collected in Antigua and Barbuda or the office of any High Commission or Consulate, alternatively we can arrange delivery.
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA - COUNTRY INFORMATION
Antigua and Barbuda is an island nation in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean Sea. Antigua means ancient in Spanish and the island is named after Santa Maria de la Antigua in Seville, Spain. The island is also known as Waladli by the native population or as The Island of 365 Beaches as there are 365 beautiful beaches to visit.
CONTACT US TO MEET WITH A PRIVATE CLIENT ADVISOR: info@lio-global.com or complete the form: Here
RESOURCES
Government of Antigua & Barbuda: https://ab.gov.ag/
Tourism authority: https://visitantiguabarbuda.com/
