Global Mobility / Citizenship by Investment / Antigua & Barbuda

Citizenship by Investment · Caribbean

Antigua & Barbuda

A family program few in the Caribbean can match, with a dependent definition broad enough to bring an extended household under a single application.

Last reviewed September 1, 2026

Advisory note · Current as of September 2026

Three current developments worth understanding before you apply.

United States visa position. Under Presidential Proclamation 10998, effective January 1, 2026, the United States partially suspended visa issuance to nationals of nineteen countries, Antigua & Barbuda among them, covering new immigrant visas and the B-1, B-2, F, M and J categories. Under a preliminary settlement between the two governments, nationals holding valid US visas as of December 31, 2025 retain their entry privileges; the restrictions continue to apply to new applications. The Government of Antigua & Barbuda submitted a formal request for review in August 2026, and the position may change.

European Union position. On June 25, 2026, the European Commission wrote to all five Eastern Caribbean states operating citizenship by investment programs, Antigua & Barbuda among them, asking them to phase out those programs by June 1, 2028. Under the EU’s revised visa suspension mechanism, operating such a program can itself be grounds for suspending Schengen visa-free access. This is a request, not a suspension: Schengen access continues today, the governments are contesting the request, and the Commission’s next assessment is due in December 2026.

Whether either matters depends on what you are solving for. For clients whose objectives are British, regional or CARICOM mobility, or family security, the United States position is often immaterial. European access holds today but is now a longer-horizon question, and anyone for whom Schengen travel is central should weigh the 2028 timeline carefully. Where United States or European access forms part of the picture, we would talk it through with you properly and, where appropriate, point you toward a jurisdiction that serves you better.

Residency condition. A citizen by investment and their dependents must spend at least thirty days in Antigua & Barbuda within the first five years, failing which the passport will not be renewed. This replaces the earlier five-day requirement, which is still quoted in much of the material in circulation. The five years run from the date citizenship is granted, not from application.

We flag all three at the top of the page rather than the bottom because they are the things most likely to affect your decision, and much of the published material still in circulation predates them.

The country

About Antigua & Barbuda

Antigua & Barbuda is a twin-island state in the Eastern Caribbean, independent since 1981 and a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth. With a population approaching a hundred thousand, roughly twice that of St Kitts & Nevis, it has infrastructure to match.

V.C. Bird International in Antigua is one of the principal aviation hubs of the Eastern Caribbean, with direct services including London, New York, Miami and Toronto, and seasonal service to Montreal. For a family that intends to actually use a Caribbean base rather than merely hold one, this connectivity is often the practical difference between the two programs.

The islands have a modern tertiary hospital and two US-curriculum medical schools, which matters for families weighing whether a Caribbean base could ever be more than notional. English is the official language throughout government, banking and the courts.

The citizenship by investment program was established in 2013 under the Citizenship by Investment Act, making it considerably younger than the St Kitts & Nevis program but established long enough to have developed a settled administrative practice.

Capital

Saint John’s, on Antigua

Population

Approximately 97,500

Language

English (official)

Currency

Eastern Caribbean dollar, pegged to the US dollar

Government

Parliamentary democracy; independent since 1981

Membership

United Nations, Commonwealth, CARICOM, OAS

Program since

2013, under the Citizenship by Investment Act

Climate

Tropical; roughly 23°C in winter and 30°C in summer

Connectivity

From Antigua: direct flights to London, New York, and Toronto; From Dubai: one connection, via London.

At a glance

The program in outline

Minimum contribution

US$230,000

National Development Fund, covering a family of up to four

Minimum real estate

US$300,000

Government-approved project, held for a minimum of five years

Indicative processing

6 to 8 months

From submission to passport issuance

Status conferred

Full citizenship

Dual citizenship permitted; passes to future generations

Family inclusion

Exceptionally broad

Children under 31, unmarried siblings, parents and grandparents aged 55 and over

Residency condition

30 days in 5 years

Required for passport renewal; replaces the earlier five-day requirement

Interview

Required

Virtual interview for all applicants aged 16 and over, as part of due diligence

United States access

Restricted

New visas in several categories suspended since January 2026; review requested August 2026, no decision announced

Schengen access

Visa-free, under pressure

EU has requested the program be phased out by June 2028; the government is contesting

Investment routes

Four qualifying pathways

The contribution routes dominate in practice. The distinction that matters most is family size: from five people upward, and particularly from six, which route fits best changes materially.

Route one · Contribution

National Development Fund

US$230,000

A non-refundable contribution to the National Development Fund, the most commonly chosen and most straightforward route. No title transfer, no escrow, no asset to manage afterward.

Covers a single applicant or a family of up to four
Additional dependents from the fifth person require an additional contribution
No holding period or exit to plan
Contribution is not recoverable

Route two · Contribution

University of the West Indies Fund

US$260,000

A contribution directed to the University of the West Indies and structured for larger households. Where a family qualifies, it is frequently the better-suited route despite the higher entry point.

Available to families of six or more persons only
Includes a one-year, tuition-only university scholarship for one family member
Government processing for up to six persons is included in the contribution
Worth modeling against the NDF before choosing a route

Route three · Real estate

Approved real estate

US$300,000

Acquisition of property in a government-approved development. Capital is placed in an asset rather than contributed, in exchange for a holding period and the transactional complexity that comes with title.

Must be held for a minimum of five years before resale
Legal, transactional and carrying costs apply in addition
Suits applicants who genuinely want a Caribbean property
Requires comfort with project and developer selection

Route four · Business

Business investment

US$1,500,000

Investment in an approved business, either as a sole investor or through a joint venture. Rarely the right answer where citizenship is the sole objective, given the capital it requires.

US$1,500,000 for a single investor
US$5,000,000 combined for a joint venture, with at least US$400,000 per participant
Appropriate only where a genuine commercial purpose exists
Carries commercial and execution risk the other routes do not

We do not publish lists of approved developments. Project availability changes, approvals lapse, and a development that suits one client’s horizon may be wrong for another’s. Where a real estate route is appropriate, we review current approved options with you at the assessment stage.

Cost

What sits above the qualifying investment

The qualifying contribution or property purchase is one line in a longer schedule. Government due diligence and processing charges, passport fees, document procurement and legal costs all sit above it, and our professional fee is separate again. On this program those charges vary sharply with family composition: a six-person file and a five-person file are not simply one person apart in cost.

We do not publish a fee schedule. Government charges are set by government and administered by the Citizenship by Investment Unit, and they can change at short notice. A figure published here would be out of date before it was useful to you.

We model the complete figure against your circumstances before you commit to anything.

Family

Who can be included

Antigua & Barbuda permits one of the broadest family files in the Caribbean. For a multi-generational application, this is often the deciding factor, and it is a principal reason we recommend it over St Kitts & Nevis where a large family is involved.

Family member

Condition

Spouse

Spouse of the principal applicant.

Children under 31

Children of the principal applicant or spouse, financially dependent on the principal applicant. Adult children who require ongoing care and are fully supported by the principal applicant may be included at any age.

Siblings

Unmarried siblings of the principal applicant or spouse; no age limit applies.

Parents and grandparents

Of the principal applicant or spouse, aged 55 and over and financially dependent on the principal applicant.

Future spouse of the principal applicant

May be added after citizenship is granted.

Future spouse of a dependent child

May be added after citizenship is granted, provided the dependent child is not over 35 at the time of application.

Future grandchildren

Children born to a dependent child after citizenship is granted.

The provision for future spouses of dependent children and future grandchildren is unusual and worth understanding properly: it allows a family file to extend forward in time rather than being fixed at the date of application.

The principal applicant must be at least 18, must hold a clean criminal record and be under no investigation, and must undergo due diligence including background checks and an interview. There are no minimum net worth, education, language or management experience requirements, though the source of the investment funds must be fully documented.

Suitability

Who this program serves — and who it does not

We would rather tell you at the outset that a program is a poor fit than take a file we do not believe in.

Well suited to

Large and multi-generational families, for whom the dependent definition is among the broadest in the region.
Families of six or more, for whom the UWI route is structured specifically around larger households.
Applicants who want a Caribbean base they might genuinely use, given Antigua’s air connectivity and medical infrastructure.
Those who value CARICOM membership and the regional mobility it can support, subject to each member state’s rules.
Applicants whose mobility objectives are British or regional rather than American, and for whom European access is useful but not central.

Less well suited to

Applicants for whom United States access is a primary objective, given the current suspension of new visas in several categories.
Applicants for whom long-term visa-free access to the Schengen Area is central, given the uncertainty created by the European Commission’s request to phase out Caribbean programs, which Antigua & Barbuda is contesting.
Applicants seeking European Union citizenship or residence, since this is a Caribbean citizenship and does not lead to EU status.
Those unable or unwilling to visit the islands, given the residency condition attached to passport renewal.
Applicants who cannot document source of funds to a standard that will withstand enhanced due diligence.
Single applicants and couples, for whom the family provisions that distinguish this program offer little additional benefit.

Process

How an application proceeds

Applications are accepted only through licensed agents; direct application to the Citizenship by Investment Unit is not permitted. Files are submitted through a licensed agent, and our role is to determine whether the program is right for you, to prepare a file that will survive scrutiny, and to remain accountable to you throughout.

Assessment

A confidential review of your objectives, family composition, travel requirements and source of funds position, including which destinations genuinely matter to you, so that the program is matched to the objective rather than the other way around.
GLI Advisory conducts this review directly.

Structuring

Selection of route and family composition. On this program the two decisions interact: the difference between a five-person and a six-person file can change which route is appropriate, and not marginally.
We model the alternatives before anything is filed.

File preparation and submission

Assembly and verification of documents and source of funds evidence, followed by submission through a licensed agent.
We manage collection, review and sequencing.

Due diligence and interview

Government and independent background checks, and an interview for applicants 16 and over. Where a prior visa refusal exists anywhere, it is likely to surface here. That is why we ask about it at assessment, and why it is better raised early than discovered late.
We prepare you for the interview and track the file.

Approval and investment

The Citizenship by Investment Unit issues its decision. Only after approval in principle is the qualifying contribution or investment completed.
We confirm settlement instructions and timing.

Certificate and passport

Citizenship certificates and passports are issued. The five-year residency clock begins at the date of the citizenship grant, not at application.
We remain engaged until documents are in hand.

Considerations

What we would want you to weigh

The United States position is unsettled

The restriction is being contested diplomatically, and its stated basis relates to the citizenship by investment program and national screening standards rather than to individual applicants. It may be lifted; it may persist. We would not suggest applying on the assumption that it improves, nor dismissing an otherwise well-suited program solely because of it. Where it matters to you, we will say so plainly.

The qualifying figure is not the total

Due diligence, processing, passport fees, document procurement and legal costs sit above the qualifying investment, and on this program they vary sharply with family size. A six-person file and a five-person file are not simply one person apart in cost, which is why we model the complete figure before anything is filed.

The residency condition is real

Thirty days within the first five years is tied to passport renewal rather than to citizenship itself, and it applies to dependents as well as to the principal applicant. Much of the material still in circulation predates the change. Plan on the basis that you will spend meaningful time in Antigua & Barbuda.

Questions

Antigua & Barbuda citizenship by investment: common questions

How much does Antigua & Barbuda citizenship by investment cost?

The minimum qualifying investment is US$230,000 through the National Development Fund for a family of up to four, US$260,000 through the University of the West Indies Fund for families of six or more, US$300,000 through approved real estate, or US$1,500,000 through an approved business. Government due diligence and processing charges sit above these figures and vary substantially with family composition, so the total cost of an application is materially higher. We model the complete figure against your circumstances before you commit to anything.

Can Antigua & Barbuda citizens travel to the United States?

Not on new visas in the visitor, student and exchange categories. Since January 1, 2026 the United States has suspended issuance of new immigrant visas and B-1, B-2, F, M and J visas to Antiguan nationals under Presidential Proclamation 10998. Nationals holding valid US visas as of December 31, 2025 retain their entry privileges. The restrictions do not apply to dual nationals traveling on the passport of a country not subject to them, so many applicants continue to travel to the United States on their existing passport. The Government of Antigua & Barbuda requested a review in August 2026, and no decision has been announced.

Do I have to live in Antigua & Barbuda?

Not permanently, but a citizen by investment and their dependents must spend at least thirty days in the country within the first five years, or the passport will not be renewed. This replaces the earlier five-day requirement, which is still quoted in much of the material in circulation. The five years run from the date citizenship is granted, not from application.

Which family members can be included?

Antigua & Barbuda has one of the broadest family definitions of any Caribbean program. A spouse, children under 31 who are financially dependent on the principal applicant, unmarried siblings of either the principal applicant or spouse at any age, and parents and grandparents aged 55 and over who are financially dependent may all be included. Adult children who require ongoing care and are fully supported by the principal applicant may be included at any age. After citizenship is granted, a future spouse of the principal applicant, a future spouse of a dependent child aged 35 or under, and future grandchildren born to a dependent child may also be added.

How long does the Antigua & Barbuda application take?

Typically six to eight months from submission to passport issuance, covering government assessment, due diligence, the interview, completion of the investment after approval, and issuance of certificates and passports. Document preparation before submission sits outside this window.

How does Antigua & Barbuda compare with St Kitts & Nevis?

The two programs suit different applicants. Antigua & Barbuda has the broader family definition, including unmarried siblings at any age, which St Kitts & Nevis does not permit, and a UWI route structured for families of six or more. St Kitts & Nevis is the longer-established program and is not subject to the United States visa restrictions that currently apply to Antigua & Barbuda nationals. Both are covered by the European Commission’s request regarding Caribbean programs. For a large family whose objectives are not American, Antigua & Barbuda is often the better fit; where United States access matters, St Kitts & Nevis may serve better. We model the complete figure against your circumstances before you commit to anything.

What is the University of the West Indies (UWI) Fund route?

A contribution of US$260,000 directed to the University of the West Indies, available only to families of six or more. It includes a one-year, tuition-only scholarship for one family member, and government processing for up to six persons is included in the contribution. Although the entry point is higher than the National Development Fund, it is frequently the better-suited route for a qualifying family, which is why we model both before a route is chosen.

Can UAE and GCC residents apply?

Yes. The program is open to applicants regardless of current residence, subject to eligibility and due diligence. Certain nationalities are restricted, and we confirm eligibility at assessment before anything else proceeds. GLI Advisory is based in Dubai and works extensively with principals and families across the GCC, for whom Antigua’s family provisions and regional access are often the decisive advantages.

A conversation
before a commitment.

We begin every engagement with a confidential assessment. It is where we establish three things: whether this program fits your objectives, how your family composition shapes the structure and the complete figure, and what the file would realistically require. It is held in confidence, and there is no obligation to proceed.

Figures and requirements reflect information current as of September 2026 and are subject to change by the Government of Antigua & Barbuda without notice. Travel access reflects the position of third-country governments and may change at any time. Nothing on this page constitutes legal, tax or investment advice, or an offer of citizenship. Eligibility is determined solely by the Citizenship by Investment Unit.
GLI International Advisory FZCO · Unit No: 3501–D07, Swiss Tower, JLT, Dubai, UAE