The European Union (EU) has cautioned five Caribbean nations that they will lose visa-free access to Europe unless they terminate their “golden passport” programs by 2028.
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia offer citizenship by investment, typically starting at £150,000 ($200,000).
The EU has been hardening its stance over CBI and residency by investment programs since 2022, pushing for more scrutiny of applications and establishing genuine links between an applicant and the country to which they’re applying for residency or citizenship.
The EU has set a June 1, 2028, deadline for the end of these programs. Additionally, these countries have an intermediate September 2026 deadline for enhanced screening and a 24-month transition window to wind down operations.
Caribbean Countries Face Billions in Losses Under New EU Security Rules
Caribbean passport holders gain visa-free access to more than 140 countries and territories, including 25 of the 27 EU member states within the Schengen area. Between them, they have jointly issued 100,000 passports, with revenue accounting for an average of 6.5% of gross domestic product between 2019 and 2023, according to the International Monetary Fund data.
Most applicants have come from China, Russia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Nigeria and Libya, raising questions about vetting capacity. Past recipients have included Mutassim Gaddafi, son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and Asadullah Khalid, Afghanistan’s former intelligence chief, who obtained a Dominican passport despite human rights allegations.
However, the EU considers the schemes a security risk, saying they let third-country nationals bypass visa checks and enter Europe through a “back door.”
A 2025 EU report stated that the programs in these five Eastern Caribbean states raise concerns due to high volumes, short processing times, and low rejection rates.
Regional leaders met in July 2026 to coordinate a joint response to the ultimatum, while also highlighting existing 2024 agreements that had established minimum pricing and stricter due diligence. Leaders of these nations said they will travel to Brussels to negotiate collectively.
According to media reports, Antigua and Barbuda’s prime minister, Gaston Browne, told Parliament that the program is a vital source of the country’s non-tax income and cannot be discontinued unless solid, dependable alternative revenue streams are secured. The initiative is estimated to generate about 60% of Antigua and Barbuda’s non-tax revenue.
Caribbean officials have noted that comparable programs exist elsewhere, including the United States’ $1 million “Trump gold card” introduced in 2025, marketed as offering residency “for all qualified and vetted people.”
