26/04/24

CARIBBEAN: Caribbean countries set a threshold of 2 lakh dollars for Citizenship by Investment programs

As published on: financialexpress.com, Friday 26 April, 2024. 

Citizenship by Investment (CBI) schemes offer foreign citizens citizenship or resident rights in exchange for local investments or a flat fee in many countries. Citizenship by investment allows affluent investors, also known as investment migrants, to gain citizenship or Golden Visas by investing in a host country, typically in business projects or real estate properties.

Caribbean Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs are hugely popular among Golden Visa aspirants and are renowned for their favourable investment migration policies. High-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) continue to shift their focus toward the Caribbean region for long-term business and personal opportunities.

Five Caribbean countries have CBI programs, namely Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and St. Kitts and Nevis. Out of these five Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis stand out due to their popularity and demand.

Recently, the Prime Ministers of Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, and Saint Kitts & Nevis have signed Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) agreeing to increase their citizenship investment threshold to $200,000 from June 30, 2024. Saint Lucia was the only Caribbean CBI nation that did not sign this MoU.

CS Global Partners, the world’s leading government advisory specialising in residency and citizenship by investment solutions lists out certain benefits of Caribbean CBI programs:

Citizenship diversification: Acquiring alternative Caribbean citizenship safeguards HNWIs against economic and political instability in their home country.

Global mobility: The ability to move around freely around the globe is one of the key reasons for investors to seek alternative citizenship. This is another form of security for their families and to resume their business ventures outside their home jurisdictions.

Investment opportunities: Caribbean CBI programs offer exceptional investment options that stimulate sustainable development and socio-economic advancements. These investment options include government-approved real estate and socio-economic development projects. Caribbean CBI countries provide attractive tax incentives that HNWIs can benefit from to optimise their wealth planning and diversify their investment portfolio coupled with a stable currency

Quality of Life: Alternative citizenship provides access for HNWIs and their families to a high quality of life, state-of-the-art healthcare and education, and an increased variety of lifestyle experiences. Alternative citizenship can be extended to qualifying family members and open similar opportunities for dependants.

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Caribbean Citizenship by Investment CIP Programme