Argentine or Caribbean Citizenship: St Kitts, Antigua, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Lucia

Argentina or the Caribbean: the short version

In brief: the Caribbean programmes are cheaper and faster and include parents in the application, but in 2026 they are closed to Russian citizens. Argentina is more expensive and only just starting, but it gives the passport of a large country and the right to live in MERCOSUR, and it is not exposed to EU and UK pressure on the sale of citizenship.

The Caribbean programmes have been running longer than any others: St Kitts and Nevis has granted citizenship by investment since 1984, Dominica since 1993, and Grenada, Antigua and Saint Lucia since 2013-2015. Over these years they have developed well-run processes, clear due diligence and predictable timelines. Argentina announced its programme on 2 October 2026, and its legal basis is before the Supreme Court.

At the same time, visa-free access for Caribbean passports is changing. The United Kingdom introduced visas for citizens of Dominica in 2023 and of Saint Lucia in March 2026, and Ireland for citizens of St Kitts and Saint Lucia in June 2026. The EU has tightened oversight of citizenship by investment programmes. For a family that needs a passport for decades, this is a factor in the choice.

The matrix shows that the passports solve different problems. The Caribbean ones are convenient for Schengen and for a family spanning three generations. The Argentine one is convenient for Schengen, the United Kingdom and Latin America, and does not depend on the decisions the UK and Ireland take about Caribbean programmes.

For Russian citizens: the Caribbean is closed

In brief: in 2026 all five Caribbean programmes are closed to Russian citizens: St Kitts and Nevis introduced a direct ban in law, while Grenada, Antigua, Dominica and Saint Lucia stopped accepting applications from Russian and Belarusian citizens. As of the announcement date, Argentina has set no specific restrictions.

After 2022, under pressure from the United States and the United Kingdom, the Caribbean countries restricted applications from Russian and Belarusian citizens. Grenada stayed open longer than the others, but by 2026 it too had closed direct applications. The exceptions are narrow: for example, for applicants who have long lived in another country and hold permanent status there, some programmes consider applications, but the decision is individual and without guarantees. Details in the articles St Kitts for Russian citizens and Grenada for Russian citizens.

For a Russian citizen, the comparison "Argentina or the Caribbean" therefore often turns into "Argentina or other open programmes": Vanuatu, Turkey, Egypt. As of the announcement date, Argentina's programme does not bar applications on grounds of nationality, but the government has announced a country-risk check to OECD and FATF standards, and the applicant's citizenship will be taken into account. The regulations may clarify the requirements. Until they are published, BRIDGES checks eligibility through a preliminary due diligence review, starting with the questionnaire for Argentina.

For citizens of other CIS countries, Israel and Europe the Caribbean programmes are open, and the comparison below applies primarily to them, as well as to Russian citizens who have long lived in third countries.

Money: a contribution per family versus a contribution per person

In brief: the Caribbean countries charge a fixed contribution for a family of up to four: $200,000-250,000. Argentina charges a contribution for each person: $350,000 for the main applicant, $100,000 for a spouse and $25,000 for a child under 18.

For a single applicant Argentina is $100,000-150,000 more expensive than the Caribbean programmes. For a family the gap widens: St Kitts and Nevis charges $250,000 for a family of up to four, Argentina $500,000. The Caribbean contributions come with fees for due diligence, processing and passports, usually $10,000-20,000 per family. Argentina's fees have not yet been announced.

Some Caribbean countries offer a real estate option where the money stays in the property. In Argentina real estate is not a basis for citizenship: only the contribution or an $800,000 bond. More on costs in the articles the full cost of Caribbean programmes and the cost of Argentine citizenship.

The table shows the total for a family of four and the main caveat for each programme. Grenada and Antigua stand out because more relatives can be included in the application, Dominica and Saint Lucia because of UK visas, and St Kitts because of Irish visas. Argentina is twice as expensive, but without these UK restrictions and with the MERCOSUR right. The exact amount for your family will be shown by the Argentine citizenship cost calculation.

Timelines

In brief: the Caribbean programmes issue a passport within 4-9 months of starting document preparation. Argentina will start accepting applications in Q4 2026, and the overall timeline will become clear once the regulations are out.

In the Caribbean countries the route consists of document preparation, due diligence on the applicant, approval in principle, payment of the contribution and issue of the passport. Saint Lucia and Grenada usually take 3-6 months, St Kitts and Nevis 4-6 months after filing, sometimes up to nine. Some programmes offer expedited processing for an extra fee.

In Argentina, under Decree 524/2025, the application is checked by the Citizenship by Investment Programme Agency and several services, and the migration service then decides within 30 working days of the recommendation. How long the check before the recommendation takes is unknown. After the decision the family travels to Buenos Aires for identity cards and passports. On St Kitts timelines, see the article St Kitts citizenship timelines.

The passport and its stability

In brief: Caribbean passports open Schengen and most of the world, but their visa-free access is shrinking: the UK and Ireland have introduced visas for some of the countries. According to the BRIDGES index, the Argentine passport opens 168 destinations, including Schengen and the United Kingdom with an ETA.

The UK and Irish visa decisions on the Caribbean countries are linked to citizenship by investment programmes: these governments consider that selling passports creates risks for their borders. The EU has updated its visa-waiver suspension mechanism and names citizenship by investment programmes as one of the grounds. Vanuatu has already lost visa-free access to the EU for precisely this reason. For the Caribbean countries the risk remains, and each responds by tightening due diligence and raising thresholds.

The Argentine passport is in a different position. It is the passport of a country of about 46 million people, where the overwhelming majority of citizens acquired citizenship by birth. The investment programme appeared only in 2026, and if the EU or the UK assess risks, they look at the country as a whole. The Argentine passport's visa-free access is therefore more stable. More in the article the Argentine passport.

The United States and the E-2 visa

Grenada is the only Caribbean country with an E-2 investor visa treaty with the United States. Argentina has had such a treaty since 1854. A citizen of a treaty country can obtain an E-2 visa and live in the United States while running their business. But since 2022 US law has required those who obtained citizenship by investment to live continuously in the treaty country for three years before their first application. So for an investor the route to the E-2 through Grenada means three years of living on the island, and through Argentina three years of living in Argentina. More in the article Grenada and the E-2 visa.

Family: three generations or one

In brief: the Caribbean programmes include adult children and parents in the application, and Grenada even grandparents and children under 30. Argentina includes only the spouse and children under 25.

Grenada allows one application to cover a spouse, dependent children under 30, the parents of both spouses with no strict age threshold where dependency is proven, and grandparents. Antigua and Barbuda includes parents and grandparents aged 55 and over. St Kitts, Dominica and Saint Lucia also accept parents under their own age rules. For a family spanning three generations this means one contribution and one due diligence check.

In Argentina parents apply separately as main applicants with a $350,000 contribution. A family of six with two grandmothers would pay Grenada about $235,000 for a family of up to four plus a top-up for additional dependants, and Argentina $500,000 for the spouses and two children under 18 plus $700,000 for the two grandmothers. On families in Grenada's programme, see the article family in Grenada's programme.

The right to live: islands or a continent

In brief: Caribbean citizenship gives the right to live on an island with a population of under 200,000. Argentine citizenship gives the right to live in Argentina and, under the MERCOSUR agreement, in Brazil, Uruguay, Chile and other countries.

Most holders of Caribbean passports do not live on the islands: the passport is used for travel, banking and as a back-up document. Living on the islands is possible, but the choice of schools, universities, healthcare and work is limited by the size of the country. Argentine citizenship offers a real option to relocate: Buenos Aires with its state universities and healthcare, and the whole MERCOSUR region.

For a family whose plan B is Latin America, this is the main difference. For a family that needs only a travel document, it matters less. On life in Argentina, see the article living in Argentina.

How stable the programmes are

In brief: the Caribbean programmes are based on laws and have run for decades, but they regularly change thresholds and rules under EU and US pressure. Argentina's programme is only being set up, and its basis is being challenged in court.

In 2024-2025 the Caribbean countries agreed on a minimum threshold and common due diligence standards, and some programmes raised their contributions. Changes are announced in advance, and applicants who have already filed are usually processed under the previous rules. For an investor this is a predictable environment.

Argentina's programme rests on Decree 366/2025. On 30 June 2026 the National Electoral Chamber declared it void, the government appealed, and the dispute is before the Supreme Court. Until there is a court ruling or a law of Congress, the programme carries legal risk. Details in the article the legal basis of Argentina's programme.

Applicant due diligence

In brief: the Caribbean countries vet applicants through international due diligence firms, and some programmes hold an interview. Argentina has announced checks involving its security services, financial intelligence and registries.

In the Caribbean programmes, due diligence is carried out by specialist firms commissioned by the citizenship units, and approval in principle is issued on the basis of the results. Since 2024 the countries have applied common due diligence standards and share information on refusals: an applicant refused in one country cannot apply in another without disclosing this. Some programmes interview applicants aged 16 and over.

Argentina is building its checks on state services: the Ministry of Security, the UIF financial intelligence unit, the criminal records registry, the RENAPER registry of persons and the SIDE intelligence service. Identity, the path and lawfulness of the money, finances, country risks, reputation and travel history are checked. How this will work in practice will become clear after the first decisions. On preparing for due diligence, see the article due diligence questions.

Taxes

In brief: most Caribbean countries do not levy income tax on the foreign income of citizens who do not live there. Argentina does not treat as a tax resident a citizen who lives abroad and holds permanent status there.

St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and Dominica attract investors with their tax systems: there is no personal income tax, or it does not apply to the foreign income of non-residents. Argentina taxes the worldwide income of its tax residents on a progressive scale, but a citizen who does not live in the country does not become a tax resident. In both cases the family's taxes are determined by the country where it lives. More in the articles St Kitts taxes and taxes in Argentina.

Who each option suits

In brief: the Caribbean countries suit those for whom price, speed and a three-generation family matter. Argentina suits those for whom the United Kingdom, Latin America and passport stability matter.

The Caribbean countries

• The passport is needed within the next six months.
• A family budget of up to $270,000 including fees.
• Parents and grandparents need to be included in the application.
• The family is prepared to live in Grenada for three years for a US E-2 visa.

Argentina

• Visa-free UK travel and stable visa-free access for years matter.
• The family's plans are tied to Latin America.
• A budget from $350,000 per person and willingness to wait for the regulations.
• The passport of a large country is needed, not that of a small state.

For Russian citizens the choice between the Caribbean and Argentina is largely moot in 2026: the Caribbean programmes are closed to them, except for narrow exceptions for those who have long lived in third countries. So a Russian citizen is better off comparing Argentina with Vanuatu, Turkey and Egypt, and considering the Caribbean only if they hold permanent status in another country.

Two examples

In brief: a family with parents chooses Grenada, while an entrepreneur who travels to London and has plans in Latin America chooses Argentina.

A three-generation family

A couple aged 45, two children aged 16 and 22 and the applicant's 70-year-old mother want passports for everyone. Grenada includes all five: the 22-year-old daughter is at university and dependent, and the mother lives with the family. A contribution of $235,000 for a family of up to four plus a top-up for the fifth family member. In Argentina the family would pay $575,000 for the couple and the children ($100,000 for the 22-year-old daughter and $25,000 for the 16-year-old) and $350,000 for the mother. The choice is Grenada.

An entrepreneur with a business in London

A company owner travels to London every month and plans a branch in Sao Paulo. A Dominica or Saint Lucia passport does not solve the UK problem; St Kitts and Grenada solve it now, but with no guarantee for the years ahead. An Argentine passport gives the United Kingdom with an ETA and the right to live and work in Brazil under the MERCOSUR agreement. The choice is Argentina, once the regulations are out.

Where families go wrong when choosing

In brief: they compare per-person contributions instead of per-family ones, do not follow UK and Irish visa decisions and forget about MERCOSUR.

1. They compare contributions per person. A Caribbean contribution usually covers a family of up to four, an Argentine one covers one person.
2. They ignore UK and Irish decisions. Visas have already been introduced for some Caribbean passports.
3. They expect an E-2 visa straight after the passport. For those who obtained citizenship by investment, US law grants it only after three years of living in the treaty country.
4. They forget about the right to live in the region. Argentina gives MERCOSUR, the Caribbean countries only their own island.
5. They ignore Argentina's legal risk. The programme's basis is being challenged in the Supreme Court.

What to check before deciding

In brief: the family composition, how much the United Kingdom and the United States matter, plans for Latin America, the budget and the urgency.

• Who is included in the application: parents, grandparents, children over 25.
• Whether visa-free UK travel is needed and how long the family has been travelling there.
• Whether there are plans for a business in the United States.
• Whether the family plans to live in Latin America.
• When the passport is needed and whether the family is prepared to wait for Argentina's regulations.

Programme terms are on the Argentine citizenship pages and in the overview Caribbean passports.

Which other programmes remain open to Russian citizens is covered in the article a second passport for Russians. How we handle an application from due diligence to passport is described on the support for Argentina's programme page.