What a Family Costs in Citizenship Programmes

Here is what each additional member of an application costs in the active programmes, where a family grows cheaply and where expensively, and why adding relatives later is the worst decision financially.

What the comparison shows

• A child under 18 costs from USD 5,000 to USD 25,000 depending on the programme.
• An adult dependant costs from USD 5,000 to USD 50,000 — a tenfold spread.
• In some programmes the contribution for a family of up to four does not rise at all.
• The applicant's parent costs USD 50,000 in Grenada and USD 5,000 in São Tomé.
• Adding a relative after the passport has been issued costs more than in the first application.

What each additional person costs

The rates for additional members of an application under the programmes' published conditions.

Amounts in US dollars, for a person beyond the composition covered by the base contribution. State fees and due diligence for each person added are calculated separately. The conditions were verified on 29 August 2026.

Note the two different approaches. São Tomé and Vanuatu use a flat rate: any additional person costs the same. The Caribbean programmes' rate rises with age and degree of relationship, and the gap between a child and a parent reaches twofold.

A family of four

The most common composition: the applicant, a spouse and two children under 11. The confirmed minimum at the official tariffs.

Here the effect that changes the choice becomes visible: in Antigua and Saint Kitts the contribution for a family of up to four is no different from that for a single applicant; only the fees rise. In Vanuatu the contribution depends on the composition and rises from USD 130,000 to USD 180,000. The full cost comparison is in the cost index.

Three compositions, three different answers

An abstract comparison gives little. Let me work through the three compositions we see most often.

A couple without children. The gap between programmes is minimal: almost everywhere the spouse is covered by the base contribution or added cheaply. Here the choice is made on timeline and on what the passport is meant to achieve, not on price.

A family of four. The first noticeable gap appears. In Antigua and Saint Kitts the contribution does not rise at all, in Vanuatu it rises from USD 130,000 to USD 180,000, and in São Tomé it adds only five thousand. For this composition the Pacific and African segments pull well ahead on price.

A family with parents. The most sensitive case. Two parents add a hundred thousand dollars in Grenada and ten thousand in São Tomé. A tenfold gap outweighs any difference in the entry contribution, and the choice of programme is in effect decided by this item.

What is added to the contribution for each person

The rate for a family member is not the whole sum. Mandatory payments charged per person are added to it.

Hence the rule: when comparing programmes on the dependant rate, add the fees to it. For programmes with a low rate but high due diligence, the total may be higher than the first figure suggests.

Why adding later costs more

Three reasons, and they add up.

• A higher rate. Adding someone after citizenship has been granted almost always goes at a separate tariff, not at the rate for an additional member of the first application.
• A fresh check. The new applicant undergoes full due diligence, with its own fee.
• The conditions have time to change. Between two filings thresholds and fees usually rise — in our observation they are revised every two to three years.

There is one exception: where a relative genuinely cannot be included now — for example, the marriage has not yet taken place or the child has not yet been born. Then adding later is unavoidable, and that is fine. The mechanics are described in the article on adding a spouse and children after the passport.

Who counts as a family member

The composition the programmes accept is wider than people assume, but the limits differ.

Each category requires a document confirming the relationship and, where needed, financial dependency. It is a separate pack assembled alongside the main one.

Check the calculation for your own family. For the active programmes we have open full-cost calculators: the main investment, state fees, due diligence and mandatory costs are calculated for your composition. Free and without registration.

Vanuatu →São Tomé and Príncipe →Nauru →Dominica →Grenada →Antigua and Barbuda →Saint Lucia →Saint Kitts and Nevis →

Which documents are needed for each family member

The pack for a relative is assembled separately and is comparable in volume to the principal applicant's. That is the second reason adding later costs more: the work is done again.

A separate word on criminal record certificates: they are required from every country where the person has lived beyond a set period, and they have a limited validity. For a large family this is the main source of delay — while certificates are being gathered for some members, those of others expire.

Four expensive mistakes

• Calculating on the "from" figure. It refers to a single applicant and does not work for a family.
• Ignoring age thresholds. A child is 17 years and ten months old — filing in three months will already be at the adult rate.
• Forgetting the per-person fees. Due diligence, documents and biometrics are charged per head and add a noticeable sum on top of the contributions for a family of five.
• Gathering certificates in the wrong order. Criminal record certificates are ordered last; otherwise they go out of date while the rest is being gathered.

How to choose a programme if you are applying as a family

• Calculate for your real composition, not for one person. The order of programmes by price for a family differs from that for a single applicant.
• Include everyone you plan to include, at once. Even if a person joins the family's life later, they are cheaper in the application.
• Watch the age limits. If a child is about to turn 18 or a parent about to turn 55, the rate will change, and that is worth planning for.
• Check the estimate against the official tariffs. The state part is published and can be checked yourself in ten minutes.