Antigua citizenship. The idea of having a second passport and a welcoming second home in the Caribbean crossed the minds of many. But, not many are determined enough to investigate the topic in detail. Ready to turn the dream of Antigua citizenship into reality?
Whether you have already decided to file an Antigua citizenship application or are still investigating this option, this article will help clarify your thoughts. Our citizenship and relocation experts have advised many global citizens like you before. We know the answers to the most common questions and doubts that might be crossing your mind. If this post doesn’t cover everything you’re interested in, let us know! We’ll be happy to assist.
Antigua citizenship benefits
We could devote a full book to the benefits of Antigua citizenship. This section is a summary of points which are explored in detail in separate articles.
Quality of life
Quality of life can seem like an ambiguous, hard to measure criterion. There are however several objective ways to assess it, and Antigua gains high scores in these common statistical measurements.
● In 2017 the human development index value of Antigua was 0.780 , positioning the country fairly high in the human development category, at 70th place out of 189 countries and UN-recognized territories.
● What is more, in 2017 Antigua’s 2017 QNI (Henley & Partners – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index ) was 41.9% — the highest among the Caribbean Nations.
In common language terms, Antigua and Barbuda is a country which offers a high quality of life.
If you want to talk to us in more detail about any aspect of life or relocation to Antigua feel free to reach out to our expert advisors.
Global mobility
With the citizenship of Antigua you gain increased freedom of travel, whether for business or leisure. Antigua’s passport holds a rank of 25 in the Global Passport Power Rank , and allows for visa-free or visa on arrival entry to 135 countries.
In addition, Arton Index gives Antigua 14 points (out of 20) in its Global Mobility category. The score incorporates not just the number of countries one can visit, but also ease of entry to a specific group of countries classified as financial centers and socio-cultural hubs.
Financial flexibility
Antigua’s tax rules are very beneficial for both companies and individuals. For example, there is no capital gains tax, and no tax is levied on individuals. What’s more, IBCs (International Business Companies) are tax-exempt for 50 years since their formation , making Antigua a great place for business relocation.
Real estate investment
If you’re interested in buying real estate in Antigua there are many residential and commercial construction projects under way in the country.
The already favorable business and real estate environment is constantly improving, the 2018 Doing Business report points out Antigua’s recent efforts to make property registration even faster.
Antigua economic citizenship types
People often talk in general about the Antigua Citizenship by Investment Program. What’s important to note is that there are different kinds of investments you can make to get your Antigua citizenship.
- Real estate
- Business investment
- National Development Fund (NDF)
Each of these investments is governed by different rules and, needless to add, each comes with a different required minimum investment amount. Depending on the type of investment you decide to make, you’ll also need to fill in a different set of documents.
Speaking of documents, once you decide to take the plunge and get the economic citizenship in Antigua, it’s time to face the bureaucracy…
How to get Antigua citizenship?
We’ve used the scary term, bureaucracy, but in fact, getting economic citizenship in Antigua is simple.
Arton Index gives Antigua and Barbuda 16 out of 20 points on its Simplicity criterion . The scale evaluates the program’s procedures and requirements and, the more points, the simpler the program. With 16 points Antigua’s citizenship application is judged as far easier than, for example, the Portuguese or UK procedures.
Step by step process of getting Antigua citizenship
As mentioned above, there are different types of investments one can make to get the economic citizenship in Antigua.
For brevity, in this article we’ll focus on the specifics of the NDF (National Development Fund) investment. However, we’d like to reassure you that the process associated with real estate or business investment does not differ a lot.
Investment in the NDF is a one time payment of a minimum of US$100,000. The amount covers for any dependents you want to include in your application: your spouse, children, and dependent parents over 58 years of age.
You will however need to pay extra government fees depending on the number of people included in the application (see: cost section below).
1. Find an agent. The application for Antigua citizenship can only be submitted via a local agent authorized by the Antigua Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU).
● You can find a list of authorised agents on the CIU website.
Things to bear in mind:
● No agent can guarantee the approval of your application.
● The agent you choose will be conducting business on your behalf with the CIU unit of Antigua and Barbuda.
2. Fill in the form. The agent will provide you with all the appropriate application forms. Fill them in carefully and return to the agent for submission. We can, of course, assist you during the complete process.
3. Pay the fees. When you submit the form you’ll be asked to pay:
● Due diligence
● 10% of the government processing fee
4. Receive the letter of approval. That’s when you’re almost done with becoming a citizen!
5. Pay the remaining fees. Now it’s time to settle:
- Rest of the government processing fees
- Passport fees, and
- To pay your contribution to the NDF
Note: Investment to NDF should be paid separately to the CIU’s escrow account within 30 days of receiving the letter of approval .
6. Enjoy your new citizenship status! After CIU receives the investment they will issue all your:
● Certificate(s) of registra Antigua and Barbuda’s citizenship: Benefits, requirements & how to get ittion of citizenship
● Passport(s)
These documents will be forwarded to your agent. If you need translation services of any of your documents, you can use our translation service. Relocate Antigua can translate and certify your documents and also offers a number of other language-related services.
7. Oath of allegiance. Your citizenship status is now official, but there is still one ceremony to perform: An oath or affirmation of allegiance.
● You can take it in any Embassy, High Commission or Consular Office of Antigua and Barbuda abroad or, when visiting Antigua for the first time.
What documents do you need for Antigua citizenship?
As you can imagine even the simplest citizenship application process involves some bureaucracy and paperwork.
Don’t worry though, the documents you need to file to get Antigua citizenship are fairly straightforward.
To fulfill Antigua citizenship requirements you’ll need to prepare:
- Citizenship by Investment Application Form AB1
- Photograph and Signature Certificate Form AB2
- Medical Certificate Form AB3
- Needs to be completed by a registered medical practitioner.
- You need one form for each person included in the application.
- Investment Confirmation Form AB4
- Needs to be filled in only by the main applicant.
- Agent Form Form AB5
- This form appoints the chosen agent as your official representative.
- Only filled in by the main applicant.
- Passport form(s)
- One form per person.
- There are separate forms for over and under 16-year olds.
- Other forms. Depending on the investment type your Antigua economic citizenship is based, you will also need:
- Real Estate Developer Application Form AB8
- Business Investment Application Form AB9
All of the above forms will be provided by your agent, and you can see their samples on the official CIU website.
Points to bear in mind:
● Each form is between three to just under twenty pages. Allow yourself ample time to read and fill them carefully or let us assist you with our VIP service.
● If there are any additional official documents required to support your application they need to be certified following the law of the jurisdiction where they originate. (More details on certification and authentication for Antigua citizenship here.)
Antigua and Barbuda citizenship cost
The cost of a dual citizenship is quite naturally one of the main topics of interest for those considering it, and a crucial element of your personal analysis of the return on investment of the endeavour.
Arton Index gives Antigua and Barbuda 19 out of 30 points in the Cost category, which places the country higher than Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis, two other popular citizenship programs in the Caribbean.
Let’s see how the Antigua citizenship cost is distributed . Again we’ll focus on the option of investing into the NDF.
Investment itself:
– Individual: $100,000
– Family of up to 4 members: $100,000
– Family of more than 4 members: $125,000
Processing fees:
– Individual $25,000
– Family up to 4 people: $25,000
– Family of 4+ people: $25,000 + $15,000 for each extra member
Due Diligence:
– Individual: $7,500
– Additional family members:
– $7,500 (spouse)
– $2,000 (per dependent 12-17)
– $4,000 (per dependent 18 and over)
Passport fees: $300 (each person)
Note that due diligence and passport fees might be subject to change.
So, as an individual planning to get Antigua economic citizenship your total cost will be approximately $132,800, broken down into:
- $100,000 (investment),
- $25,000 (processing fees),
- $7,500 (due diligence), and
- $300 (passport)
Disclaimer: These figures may be changed by the CIU, we therefore do not guarantee that they are current at all times.
What’s next?
Now that all Antigua citizenship requirements are clear, it’s time to take the next step and find an agent to help you finalize the process.
Still having doubts? It’s perfectly normal. Getting a second citizenship is a serious decision. Whether you’re interested in business relocation, real estate investment or want to learn more about Antigua Citizenship by Investment Programs, reach out to our consultants.
Use our specialist knowledge of the economic climate of Antigua to clarify questions regarding your personal case.
