What is Citizenship by Investment?
Most people acquire citizenship by birth, descent, marriage, or years of residence and naturalisation. Citizenship by investment is a fifth route: a sovereign government grants full citizenship - and a passport - in exchange for a defined economic contribution, after the applicant passes a background and due-diligence review. It is not a visa, and it is not the same as a golden visa or residency-by-investment program, which grants only the right to live in a country.
Roughly a dozen countries run CBI programs that meet international due-diligence standards, but only five have a multi-decade track record, transparent legislation, and government-audited processing: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia. St. Kitts and Nevis pioneered the model in 1984 and remains the longest continuously running program in the world.
Citizenship by Investment at a Glance
| Factor | Detail |
|---|
| Minimum investment | From US$200,000 (non-refundable government contribution) |
| Processing time | 4-16 months, depending on program |
| Family inclusion | Spouse, dependent children (typically to age 28-30 if in education), often parents or grandparents |
| Residency requirement | None on any of the five Caribbean programs |
| Programs advised on | Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia |
Citizenship by Investment Countries We Advise On
Figures below are 2026 minimums for a single applicant or family unit, set by the respective governments. They change periodically and are confirmed at the time of application.
| Country | From (USD) | Investment routes | Processing | Notable |
|---|
| Dominica | 200,000 | Government fund donation, real estate | 5-7 months | Lowest entry cost of the five |
| Antigua & Barbuda | 230,000 | National Development Fund, real estate, business investment | 4-6 months | Family of four included at base price |
| Grenada | 235,000 | National Transformation Fund, real estate (5-7 yr hold) | 6-9 months | Only Caribbean program with US E-2 investor treaty access |
| St. Lucia | 240,000 | National Economic Fund, government bonds, real estate | 9-16 months | Only program offering a government-bond route |
| St. Kitts & Nevis | 250,000 | Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC), real estate | 4-6 months | Longest-running program globally (est. 1984) |
How Much Does Citizenship by Investment Cost?
Total cost is the government contribution or investment plus government processing fees, due-diligence fees per applicant, and legal and advisory fees - typically bringing an all-in single-applicant cost to roughly 15-25% above the headline minimum.
Dominica is currently the cheapest citizenship by investment program among established options, starting at US$200,000. The cheapest program overall in 2026 is Sao Tome and Principe at roughly US$90,000 - a newer, less internationally recognised program that Takween Advisory does not currently advise on. Lower entry cost is paid for in program maturity, banking acceptance, and visa-free reach, which is the trade-off worth understanding before choosing on price alone.
2026 Regulatory Update: US Entry Restrictions
On 16 December 2025, the United States issued Presidential Proclamation 10998, effective 1 January 2026, restricting or limiting visa issuance for nationals of a number of countries - including, among the Caribbean five, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica. Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia were not included.
This is a live, program-specific consideration for applicants who prioritise US travel or business access, and it is exactly the kind of detail that changes which program is best for a given client from year to year. Current status should be confirmed with an advisor rather than taken from older comparison articles.
Which Citizenship by Investment Program Is Right for You?
There is no single best program - only the best fit for a specific objective:
- Fastest approval: St. Kitts and Nevis or Antigua and Barbuda, both commonly approved in 4-6 months
- Lowest entry cost: Dominica, from US$200,000
- US business and travel access: Grenada, via its E-2 investor treaty with the United States
- Real-estate-linked investment you can eventually exit: Grenada or St. Kitts and Nevis, both with a defined holding period
- A non-real-estate, non-donation option: St. Lucia, the only program of the five with a government bond route
Eligibility and Family Inclusion
Applicants must generally be 18 or older, pass background and source-of-funds checks, and have no disqualifying criminal record. Most programs extend eligibility to a spouse, dependent children (usually up to age 28-30 if in full-time education), and in several programs, dependent parents or grandparents over a set age, normally for an additional fee per person.
Eligibility also varies by applicant nationality: some programs restrict or apply enhanced due diligence to applicants from specific countries. This is assessed at program-selection stage, before any fees are committed.
Due Diligence: What Every Applicant Should Expect
Every reputable CBI program runs multi-layered due diligence - identity verification, source-of-funds and source-of-wealth analysis, criminal record and international sanctions screening, often supplemented by independent international due-diligence firms in addition to the government's own checks.
This is not a formality. A meaningful share of applications are declined or delayed at this stage, which is why accurate, complete documentation submitted the first time matters more than program choice. No advisory firm can guarantee approval - approval is a government decision in every program.
What a Second Citizenship Gives You
- Visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to a substantial number of destinations, varying by program and updated annually
- A lawful, permanent alternative for your family in the event of instability, currency controls, or restricted mobility
- No requirement to relocate to or reside in the country of citizenship
- A foundation for broader international structuring - though a second passport does not by itself change your tax residence or obligations
Citizenship by Investment vs Residency by Investment
These two are frequently confused but are legally distinct. Citizenship by investment grants a passport and full citizenship, typically within months, with no obligation to live in the country. Residency by investment - commonly known as a golden visa - grants only the right to live in a country: you keep your existing citizenship, and in most golden visa programs naturalisation only becomes possible after five or more years of qualifying residence.
If you are deciding between the two, see our guide to residency by investment programs.
Why Choose Takween Advisory for Citizenship by Investment
Takween Advisory advises high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, investors, and family offices based in the UAE on citizenship by investment, residency by investment, and the structuring that surrounds a second citizenship - tax residency, wealth protection, and trusts and foundations.
[INSERT BEFORE PUBLISHING: years operating, number of applications processed, licences or memberships such as Investment Migration Council membership, and any government-authorised-agent status held for specific programs. Do not publish this page with unverified figures.]
Being based in Dubai means in-person consultations, direct relationships across the region's private banks and family offices, and applications managed in a timezone that works for GCC-based clients.
