citizenship by investment Antigua

What Antigua & Barbuda citizenship by investment is

Antigua & Barbuda's Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) grants a full Antiguan passport in exchange for a qualifying investment, without settling there. Its signature strength is family value: the headline contribution covers a family of up to four, which often makes it the most economical Caribbean choice for a couple with children. Approval is discretionary — meeting the investment is necessary, never sufficient.

The National Development Fund from $230,000

The main route is a US$230,000 contribution to the National Development Fund (NDF) — a one-off, non-refundable payment that covers a family of up to four. That family-inclusive pricing is the programme's distinctive edge; for larger families, or if you would rather hold an asset, Antigua also offers approved real-estate and business options whose current thresholds you should confirm with the CIU. Which structure fits depends on whether you need the capital back — our guide to donation vs real estate works it through.

Family scope: where Antigua shines

Because one contribution covers four people, Antigua rewards planning your application around your actual household. Spouses, dependent children and, in cases, parents and grandparents can be included, each added to the file and each vetted. The exact age limits and dependency conditions are precisely where programmes differ and marketing is vaguest, so confirm them for your family — our guide to family applications sets out what to check.

The presence requirement: five days in five years

Antigua is the only Caribbean programme that requires physical presence — a modest five days over the first five years. It is light, but it is real: it means at least one trip, and it is worth building into your plan. It does not make you a tax resident, and it is far short of the presence other residence programmes demand.

The real total is more than $230,000

The $230,000 is the qualifying contribution, not the final bill. Government processing and due-diligence fees are charged per person, and other costs — passport issuance, professional fees — sit on top. Read how the true total cost is built, and price your exact household on our cost calculator before you plan around the headline.

Timeline: what's announced vs what's observed

Antigua quotes an official processing time of two to four months. In 2026, however, practitioners routinely reported four to seven — a real gap between the announced timeline and the observed one. We publish both so you plan on the range, not the brochure's best case. Treat the official figure as the optimistic end and build in a buffer; see the timeline, step by step for where the delays hide.

Vetting and tax

Every applicant is vetted: independent investigators verify identity, background and the lawful source of your funds, and an untraceable sum is the most common reason a file stalls — see how the vetting works. On tax, Antigua & Barbuda levies no personal income tax — one of only two Caribbean CBI jurisdictions (with St Kitts) where that holds — but citizenship is not tax residency; the passport alone does not change where you are taxed. See our Antigua tax overview and second citizenship and taxes.

Before you commit

Antigua suits a family that wants the most economical Caribbean passport for four, accepts the five-day presence, and plans around the realistic (not the official) timeline. Compare it across the region on our Caribbean citizenship page, weigh it among the best programmes or the cheapest options. Confirm the current amounts, fees, presence and dependant rules with the Antigua CIU, use only licensed agents — our guide to risks, scams and vetting an agent shows what to check — and see how we verify every figure on our methodology page.