The islands of Antigua and Barbuda find themselves in the Eastern Caribbean Sea, specifically, forming part of the Lesser Antilles and scattered with idyllic beaches and endless boundaries for adventure. It has to be said, it is no surprise that the region is so popular with expats, and therefore the citizenship by investment scheme available there is certainly an enticing opportunity. If you are unfamiliar with investments such as this, some governments in nations across the globe are looking to foreign citizens with disposable capital for cash injections to development projects, creating a mutually beneficial environment from which stable continuous progress is able to take place in parts of the world where it is necessary and investors are able to obtain their passport in return, opening up access to new opportunities for relocation and work.
First of all, the documentation requested by authorities processing applications varies depending on where you are looking to make your investment. It is for this reason that an understanding of eligibility criteria and documentation specific to your chosen citizenship by investment scheme is key. You will find below this information for Antigua and Barbuda:
· Clean criminal record and police clearance
· Passport copy
· Birth and marriage certificates (2 copies of birth certificate)
All of these must be apostilled and before going any further, the countries that are not permitted to apply under the current regulations are: Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, Somalia, Yemen and Sudan. However, if you are were born in of one of these countries but have lived overseas for more than 10 years and have no remaining links to a prohibited nation, specifically in terms of economic links, you can apply. This is interesting as although it is not entirely open to the whole world to apply, the exclusion criteria is very minimal and the documentation list is short too, making this opportunity even more exciting.
Your options for investment include:
· Real estate: US$200,000
· Purchase of business: US$1.5 million
· Contribution to development fund: US$100,000
· University of West Indies donation: US$150,000
Further diversifying the opportunities on offer, the plethora of investment choices make the scheme suitable and viable for most potential investors, as depending on your intentions within the nation, there is likely to be an option where you can achieve this. Once you have decided on your chosen investment route to citizenship, you can submit your application, following which background checks on the Antigua and Barbuda side will take place and you can travel to pick up your passport upon approval, typically 3 to 4 months later.
Interestingly, you usually have to live there for 5 days a year to maintain your status as a citizen, however, until August next year (2022), this is no longer the case, meaning you can be a completely remote citizen. There are many other benefits associated with this scheme though, here are a few examples:
· 28th best passport in the world
· Visa-free access to over 150 nations (incl. UK, EU Schengen Area etc.)
· Bitcoin is increasingly accepted for the investment payment
· Fast processing time
· One of the cheapest programs of its kind for families
So, if you are interested in finding out more, get in touch with us today! At Creimerman, we are a team of global citizens, working with each client and providing a tailor-made service in order to help make their cross-border ventures a success, and we would love you to be the next.