Updated
GL-N-09
Glossary · Application and process
Non-refundable contribution - Donation
Money you give to a state fund with no return. The main and cheapest option in Caribbean programs: 100-250K USD. The alternative is real estate (more expensive, but can be sold after 3-7 years).
01 / In 30 seconds
The short answer
- What it is
- A non-refundable payment into a state fund in exchange for citizenship
- Where it applies
- Caribbean citizenship by investment programmes
- Cost
- From $200,000 per applicant or family (Caribbean)
- Refund
- No: it is a payment to the state, not an investment
- Alternative
- Real estate — more expensive, but the asset can be sold
02 / In plain words
What Non-refundable contribution means
A non-refundable contribution is money you pay into a country’s state fund irrevocably in exchange for citizenship. It will not come back: it is a payment to the state, not an investment that is later sold or withdrawn. In the Caribbean programmes it is the main and most affordable option for obtaining a passport.
In money terms, the contribution usually starts from about $200,000 per applicant or family, depending on the country and the composition. That is cheaper than the alternative — buying real estate, where the threshold is higher. The contribution is also simpler: there is no asset to manage, no waiting and no buyer to find later. You pay, and after approval you receive your passport.
The alternative to a contribution is an investment in real estate: it costs more at entry, but the asset remains yours and, as a rule, can be sold after the set holding period (usually 3-7 years). Choosing between a contribution and real estate is choosing between a smaller sum with no return and a larger sum with a chance to recover part of the money later.
In Vanuatu the non-refundable contribution is the DSP programme: $130,000 for one, $150,000 for a couple, $165,000 with a child, $180,000 with two children. In the CIIP fund programme part of the amount - $50,000 - is returned after 5 years.
A case from practice
A single applicant chooses Dominica: they pay a non-refundable contribution to the state fund of $200,000 or more and, after the check, receive a passport. The money is not refunded. Had they gone through real estate, they would have had to invest more, but the property could have been sold after a few years of ownership.
Where a non-refundable contribution applies
- Caribbean citizenship by investment
- The most affordable route to a passport
- When you do not need an asset in your ownership
- Quick processing without managing property
- Programmes with a state fund contribution
- An optimal budget for the family
03 / What it covers
Contribution versus real estate
Non-refundable contribution
- A smaller sum
- Not refunded
- Simpler and faster
Real estate
- A higher threshold
- The asset remains yours
- Sale after 3-7 years
In common
- Both lead to a passport
- Plus government fees and the check
- Citizenship after approval
Who receives it
- Principal applicant
- Family
- The contribution is calculated for the composition
04 / How it works
How it works
Choosing the country and the sum
Due diligence
Non-refundable fund contribution
Application approval
Passport
05 / Key facts
What you need to know
01
A non-refundable contribution cannot be recovered — it is a payment to the state
02
In the Caribbean the contribution usually starts from $200,000
03
A contribution is cheaper and simpler than real estate
04
Real estate is more expensive, but the asset can be sold after 3-7 years
05
On top of the contribution come government fees and a non-refundable check fee
Common mistakes
- Expecting the contribution to come back one day — it is non-refundable
- Comparing only the contribution and forgetting the government fees and the check
- Choosing the contribution when, on your budget, real estate with a resale works out better
- Calculating the sum for the principal applicant only, not the family
- Not budgeting for the non-refundable due diligence fee
06 / Expert advice
How to prepare in advance
Compare both routes in figures for your family composition: what the non-refundable contribution comes to and what real estate comes to, taking into account the holding periods and the future sale. That way you see the full cost of each option and choose what matters more: the minimum sum now or a chance to recover part of it later. Government fees and the check are budgeted separately.
What we do for you. We compare both routes in figures for your family composition: what the non-refundable contribution comes to and what real estate comes to, taking into account holding periods and the sale. You see the full cost of each option and choose what matters more — the minimum sum now or a chance to recover part of it later.
Anna KovalevskayaExpert in Caribbean citizenship by investment programs
07 / Questions
Frequently asked questions
Yes, a non-refundable contribution cannot be recovered — it is a payment to the state for citizenship. If you want to keep an asset, the real estate option is chosen: it is more expensive, but it can usually be sold after 3-7 years of ownership.
As a rule, the non-refundable contribution: it starts from about $200,000, whereas the real estate threshold is higher. But real estate leaves an asset in your ownership, so the final difference is calculated taking the future sale into account.
It depends on the programme: in some, the base sum covers a family of up to a certain number of people; in others, part is charged for each person. That is why the budget is always calculated for the specific composition.
Government fees, a non-refundable check fee (due diligence) for each adult and legal support. These sums are budgeted separately.
The contribution itself is usually paid after preliminary approval, but the non-refundable check fee is not returned even on refusal. That is why it matters to close weak points before filing.
In the Caribbean, Dominica — from $200,000. The difference between countries today lies more in visa-free access and the programme’s reputation than in the size of the contribution.
Related terms
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