Updated
AG-CIP
Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by investment
A Caribbean state citizenship by investment programme. It lets the applicant and the family obtain a second passport without a prior residence permit and without living in the country. The minimum contribution to the National Development Fund is $230,000.
01 / About the program
Antigua and Barbuda grants citizenship to foreign investors through the state Citizenship by Investment Programme. There is no need to obtain a residence permit first or to live in the country for years. The applicant chooses a suitable investment option, passes the state screening and, once approved, meets the financial conditions of the programme. The family can obtain citizenship together with the main applicant.
Under the National Development Fund option the basic state contribution is $230,000 both for a single applicant and for a family of up to four. The processing fees, due diligence and other mandatory costs do depend on the family composition.
The programme provides four main routes: the National Development Fund, the University of the West Indies Fund, the purchase of approved property and an investment in an approved business. The choice depends on the family, the budget and whether the client wants to make a non-refundable contribution or keep an investment asset.
Depending on the circumstances the application may include a spouse, children, financially dependent parents and other relatives provided for by the programme. Before the work begins we check every family member separately and determine the correct composition of the application.
After citizenship is granted the applicant must spend at least 5 days in Antigua and Barbuda during the first five calendar years. Living in the country permanently is not required.
02 / What citizenship gives
This is full citizenship for the applicant and the family, not a temporary residence permit. Once the process is complete every approved participant becomes a citizen and can obtain a passport of Antigua and Barbuda.
Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda may make short trips to the Schengen area under the visa waiver in force. The current rules of the destination country should be checked before every trip.
A regular visa is not required for a short trip to the United Kingdom where the applicable rules are met, but an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) has to be obtained before the trip.
The programme allows several generations of a family to obtain citizenship within a single case, provided the established conditions are met.
You can make a non-refundable contribution or consider an investment in approved property or a business. For a large family there is a separate University of the West Indies Fund option.
Antigua and Barbuda permits second citizenship. At the same time you have to check whether the law of your current country allows you to keep your other citizenship.
The citizenship status itself does not have to be renewed every year like a residence permit. The first passport is issued for 5 years. To renew it afterwards the presence requirement has to be met.
A preliminary assessment
Tell us who will be obtaining citizenship. We will compare the available options of the programme and give a preliminary calculation of the full budget for your family composition.
Who will be applying for citizenship?
about a minuteconfidentialno obligations
03 / Who it suits
Antigua and Barbuda is more often chosen not for a move to the Caribbean but as a second citizenship status for the family. The strength of the programme is the combination of family scope, several investment options and international mobility.
A Caribbean passport can be convenient for a family that travels regularly around Europe and wants an additional passport for international travel.
Antigua and Barbuda is of particular interest to families, because the programme provides for a wide range of relatives who can be included in the application where the conditions are met.
The programme suits those who want an additional citizenship without moving and without years of naturalisation.
A second passport can be part of a client’s international structure. Citizenship on its own does not guarantee that a bank account will be opened or a company registered — every bank and provider runs its own checks.
Citizenship can be used together with residence permits, property, banking infrastructure and tax planning in other countries.
If the client does not want to make only a non-refundable contribution, approved property or a business can be considered separately.
04 / The family
One of the features of the Antigua and Barbuda programme is the wide family scope. Before the work begins we check the age, the family relationship and the financial dependency of every participant. Open a row — the conditions for that category are there.
05 / Cost
The programme offers several investment options, so it is better to compare not a single headline figure but the full budget for the family. The cost consists of the investment or contribution itself, the processing fees, due diligence, passport fees and the cost of preparing the documents.
National Development Fund · non-refundable
from$230,000
Contribution · 1 person in the application
All-in with fees from $252,300
For a single applicant and for a family of up to four the contribution is $230,000. The state fees and due diligence are paid on top: the processing fee is $10,000 for a single applicant and $20,000 for a family of up to four, with $10,000 for each further person. It suits an applicant or a family who want the most straightforward option, with no asset purchase. The contribution is non-refundable.
University of the West Indies Fund · non-refundable
from$260,000
The option is open to applications of six people or more — set the composition below
The $260,000 contribution is designed for a family of six and includes the processing fees for a composition of up to seven. For each further family member additional fees apply — plus $10,000. One family member receives an annual scholarship to study at the university. It suits large families for whom this option works out cheaper overall. The contribution is non-refundable.
Approved property · the asset stays with the client
from$300,000
Contribution · 1 person in the application
All-in with fees from $322,300
You have to buy property in a project approved for the Citizenship by Investment Programme, with a minimum value of $300,000. A sale is normally possible once the established five-year period has expired, unless an exception provided for by the rules applies. Purchase taxes, the running costs of the property and the cost of selling are calculated separately. It suits those who want to combine citizenship with the purchase of an investment asset. This is the purchase of an asset, not the return of an investment: the sale price is set by the market.
The calculation is preliminary. Before the work begins we re-check the current state fees and the family composition. The programme also provides for an investment in an approved business: for a single investor the minimum is $1,500,000, and a joint option is possible where the established requirements are met; this route is used far less often. The calculation follows the official schedule of fees of the Citizenship by Investment Unit and is not a decision of a state authority.
06 / Comparison
The Caribbean programmes are similar in their overall logic but differ in cost, family scope, investment rules and the requirements after citizenship is granted. Antigua and Barbuda is of particular interest to families who need to include several generations and want a choice between a contribution and an investment asset.
| Antigua and Barbuda | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Grenada | Dominica | Saint Lucia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum investment | from $230,000 | from $250,000 | from $235,000 | from $200,000 | from $240,000 |
| The contribution grows with the number of people | No, up to 4 people | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Family application | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Property | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Presence after the grant | 5 days over 5 years | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| Short trips to the Schengen area | Visa-free | Visa-free | Visa-free | Visa-free | Visa-free |
| The United Kingdom | ETA | ETA | ETA | ETA | ETA |
The amounts are the minimum contribution thresholds to the state fund, excluding fees, verified as at the date this page was updated against the official sources of each programme. The conditions and visa regimes are set by state authorities and are changed without notice.
Full program comparison →09 / How it works
We check the applicant and the family: citizenship, biography, documents, the source of funds and any possible risks. Before the work begins we determine whether the programme suits and who can be included in the application.
We compare the National Development Fund, the University of the West Indies Fund, property and, where relevant, a business investment. We show the full budget and explain the difference between the options.
We draw up a personal list for every family member. We check the documents, the financial evidence, the translations and the certifications.
The completed file is filed under the official procedure of the programme. After filing the state screening takes place. Additional documents and explanations may be requested.
If the state authority schedules an interview, we prepare the applicant and the family members for it in advance. The format and the participants are determined by the requirements applicable to the particular case.
After a positive decision the remaining financial conditions of the chosen option are met. For property, the relevant investment transaction is completed.
We arrange the final formalities, the citizenship certificates and the passports. Once they are received we explain separately the rule of 5 days of presence during the first five years.
10 / Travel
Visa regimes change, so we do not build the page around a constantly outdated total number of visa-free countries. It is more useful to show the four real entry regimes.
The Antigua and Barbuda passport allows short trips to a number of states without a regular visa, including the Schengen countries under the rules in force.
For some countries an electronic authorisation has to be obtained before the trip. In particular, citizens of Antigua and Barbuda need an ETA for relevant trips to the United Kingdom. For Europe, ETIAS is being introduced from the end of 2026 — that is also an authorisation to travel, not a visa.
In some states the permit is issued directly on entry. The receiving country sets the requirements for passport validity and supporting documents.
For the remaining destinations a regular visa has to be obtained in advance. Holding a second passport does not cancel visas issued earlier and does not hide the first citizenship.
All countries on an Antigua and Barbuda passport
140+ destinations with nothing to arrange in advance — visa-free or with a visa on arrival
Where you are admitted without a visa, where the permit is arranged online, where the visa is issued at the border and where a consular visa is needed — with the length of stay given for each country.
Basis: the visa waiver agreement between the European Union and Antigua and Barbuda (2009, applied since 2015). In 2026 the European Commission set 1 June 2028 as the date by which the citizenship by investment programmes of the countries of the region are to be closed, failing which the visa waiver may be suspended; as at the date this page was updated the waiver is in force. Entry rules are set by the receiving states and may change at any time.
The state programme has run since 2013 and allows several generations of a family to obtain citizenship at once
Calculate the cost11 / Our role
We run the process from the first check to the passports in hand. Before the work begins the client understands whether the programme suits, who can be included in the application, which investment option to choose and what the whole process will cost.
First we analyse the applicant and the family. If we see a risk in the biography, the documents, the citizenship or the source of funds, we deal with it before filing.
We do not offer everyone the same fund. We compare the National Development Fund, the University of the West Indies Fund, property and the other available options against the family, the budget and the plans that follow.
We arrange the preparation of the documents, the filing, due diligence, any additional requests and the final procedures through to citizenship and the passports.
Where needed we continue with international banking, property, companies, residence permits and the family’s tax questions.
12 / Team
Every case is run by a permanent BRIDGES team. The client knows who answers for the documents, the legal side, the international support and the communication with the family.
Andres FerreiraHead of Investment AdvisoryThe strategy of the case and control over the key decisions
Robert HaasCorporate LawyerLegal review, documents and the structure of the application
Klara RihterHead of Compliance and Due DiligenceThe source of funds, financial questions and the international consequences of a second citizenship
Eva LauriHead of OperationsDocuments, timelines and contact with the client at every stage15 / Materials
We have prepared materials for those who want to understand the programme before the consultation: the investment options, the family rules, the cost, the documents and the process.
The main materialGuide
A practical walk through the programme for the investor and the family.
Inside:
PDF · free · current as of August 2026
A short preliminary check of the main conditions.
The list of documents for the applicant and the family.
A calculation of the full budget for your application composition and the chosen option.
All the materials are updated regularly by our team and are used when supporting BRIDGES clients.
16 / News
The European Commission set 1 June 2028 as the date by which the citizenship by investment programmes of five Caribbean countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, are to be wound down — otherwise the visa waiver with the Schengen area may be suspended. This is not an automatic cancellation: the visa waiver is in force today, and the countries’ position will be considered in the Commission’s next report.
New investment thresholds came into force: the contribution to the National Development Fund was raised to $230,000. The change is set out in amendments to the Citizenship by Investment Regulations and in the Citizenship by Investment Unit memorandum of 30 July 2024, as part of the agreement of the five Eastern Caribbean states on common minimum amounts.
A mandatory interview was introduced: the applicant and every dependant aged 16 and over included in the application take it remotely, with an independent contractor of the state authority. The interview is scheduled after the file has been checked; the fee is $1,500 per application.
Worth having
A short document with the main conditions of the programme, to help you check your family’s situation before the consultation.
Inside the document
We will send it after a short form - no call or obligation.
17 / Questions
Under the National Development Fund option the $230,000 contribution applies both to a single applicant and to a family of up to four. The full cost for a family is nonetheless higher because of the processing fees, due diligence, passport fees and other costs.
Living in the country permanently is not required. But after citizenship is granted you must spend at least 5 days in Antigua and Barbuda during the first five calendar years.
An interview may be scheduled as part of the consideration of the application. Where it is required in a particular case, BRIDGES prepares the applicants for it in advance.
For short trips citizens of Antigua and Barbuda use the visa waiver in force with the Schengen countries. The current entry rules should be checked before travelling.
For qualifying short trips a regular British visa is not required, but citizens of Antigua and Barbuda have to obtain an ETA — an Electronic Travel Authorisation — in advance.
The first passport obtained after citizenship through the programme is issued for 5 years. To renew it afterwards, the presence requirement has to be met.
The programme provides for a spouse, children and certain categories of other financially dependent family members. The exact composition is better checked before the work begins, since age and dependency matter.
The University of the West Indies Fund is designed above all for large families. For a family of six the contribution is set at $260,000, which includes the processing fees.
The contribution to the National Development Fund and to the University of the West Indies Fund is non-refundable. When property is bought the client keeps the investment asset, but a minimum holding period applies to its sale.
The timeline depends on due diligence, the family composition, the investment option chosen and any additional requests. The state authority does not publish a processing standard and may request further information, so we give a practical estimate for your situation at the consultation and do not promise a specific date for the grant of citizenship.
Antigua and Barbuda permits dual citizenship. The law of the country whose passport the applicant already holds has to be checked separately.
No, not automatically. Citizenship and tax residency are different legal statuses. Residency is determined by the law of particular countries and by the actual circumstances.
That depends on the circumstances of the child’s birth and the citizenship rules in force. For a family this question is better addressed separately when planning the process.
INITIAL ASSESSMENT
We will design a solution for your case, choose the country and the right status, and take the whole process through to the result.
