Dominica Citizenship By Investment Program Overview

Citizenship By Investment

U.S.$100,000

Economic Diversification Fund

U.S.$200,000

Real Estate Investment

Mobility

130

Visa Free Travel

Dominica Citizenship By Investment Summary

The Commonwealth of Dominica is considered the bargain of global citizenship – a quick and transparent process to obtain a passport to 130 countries worldwide for less than what many other reputable citizenship-by-investment programs require. For other countries including Ukraine, India and Vietnam, Dominica citizens enjoy the benefit of visa on arrival.

Started in 1993, Dominica’s citizenship-by-investment program boasts a track record that many newer programs cannot. Its program benefits include dual citizenship and no wealth, gift, inheritance, foreign income or capital gains tax.

Dominica’s citizenship by investment program has played a big part in promoting social and environmental causes, particularly sustainable development.

As of January 2024, the program’s eligibility criteria have been tightened to address concerns of the EU and U.S. Eligible candidates now can’t have been rejected from a U.S. or EU visa, aren’t allowed to legally change their names, and have to go through a personal interview process before qualifying.


RESIDENCY BY INVESTMENT

Permanent residency in Dominica is granted on the discretion of the minister for foreign affairs, immigration and labor. It also requires that the applicant be a resident or have been employed on the island for five years.

Documents required for residency include a medical certificate, marriage certificate, statement of financial position, recent police record, copies of work/resident permits and two testimonials from people who have known the applicant for the applicant’s entire time in Dominica. Those who aren’t Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nationals pay a higher fee, currently pegged at U.S.$800 as of 2018.

As resident in Dominica you enjoy the benefits of being a tax resident in the country and be entitled to your Tax Identification Number.

MOBILITY

Dominican citizenship permits visa-free travel to about 130 countries – including Singapore, Hong Kong, the Schengen Area, and many Commonwealth countries – and allows 10-year visas to the U.S. and Canada. Dominica lost visa-free access to the UK in July 2023.

Dominica citizens can live in any of the 14 other members of CARICOM.

HOW TO APPLY:

Dominica citizenship by investment applications must go through authorized third-party agents and documents need to be submitted in English. Processing of the application takes less than three months. The program doesn’t turn away applicants based on their nationality. Travel to Dominica is not required and, in most cases, neither is an interview. Criminal background checks are conducted.

All applicants are charged a U.S.$1,000 application fee. Extra fees are tacked on for spouses or dependents. There are also due-diligence fees.

The highest fees are added to the real estate investment options. They start at U.S.$25,000 for a single applicant.

COUNTRY:

The island’s population is largely of African descent, with a small number of indigenous people and an increasing number of inhabitants of Middle Eastern, European and Chinese heritage. The island has a higher-than-average number of centenarians and it has been a topic of medical school study.

The nation, known as the Nature Isle of the Caribbean, is a premier ecotourism site, with waters that offer world-class diving and an interior teeming with lakes, waterfalls, rivers and streams as well as wildlife such as parrots and tree frogs.

Renewable energy sources such as geothermal, solar and hydro are also a target of development.

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Citizenship By Investment

Those who want to become citizens of Dominica don’t actually have to live there, either before or afterwards.

Two paths to Dominicacitizenship are offered: a contribution into the Economic Diversification Fund (EDF), real estate or approved real estate project.

The EDF contribution is U.S.$100,000 for a single applicant, which increases to U.S.$150,000 to add a spouse, and to U.S.$175,000 for a family of four – with any additional dependent costing an extra U.S.$25,000.

The government says funds from the program have gone to such public-sector projects as schools, the hospital, the airport, a national sports stadium and a geothermal energy plant. Private-sector projects include information technology, tourism and agriculture.

To take advantage of the real estate option requires purchasing property worth at least U.S.$200,000 or contributing at least that into an approved project. Applicants can combine their investments if each kicks in at least U.S.$200,000.

The real estate must be held for three years for citizenship to be maintained.

Eligible dependents, who must be fully supported by the main applicant, include the main applicant’s or spouse’s children under 18 (or under 30 if the child is a full-time student); an unmarried daughter of the main applicant up to 30 living with the main applicant; a child of the main applicant or spouse over 18 and physically or mentally challenged; and parents or grandparents of the main applicant or spouse over 55 living with the main applicant.

As of January 2024, Dominica issued new CBI regulations including the following:

  • Individuals who’ve been denied visas in the EU, U.S, and UK won’t be eligible for CBI.
  • Name changes within five years of obtaining citizenship will lead of revocation.
  • All applicants must go through a personal interview prior to granting citizenship, at a cost of U.S.$1,000

Dominica doesn't tax people who acquire citizenship under its citizenship-by-investment program.

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Residency By Investment

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