Antigua and Barbuda are among the most beautiful countries in the Caribbean. The country has 365 clean sea green water beaches, and flourishing tropical islands are the welcoming paradise. Antigua and Barbuda is a self-made commonwealth country in the Eastern Caribbean.Â
Tourism is the key developer of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and initiates around 60% of the islands’ income. Antigua and Barbuda is a member of the United Nations, British Commonwealth, Caricom, the Organisation of American States, and many other international organisations.Â
If you want to settle down in Antigua and Barbuda as a permanent resident, you should know how the Citizenship by Invest program works. Before that, let’s get a brief idea of the same.
The citizenship investment program of this country was implemented by Henley and its partners under government approval in 2012. The government pleases the applicants seeking non-standard citizenship by acquiring desirable properties or contributing to the islands’ National Development Fund.Â
This post is part of our expatriate lifestyle series for global living
Reasons to be an applicant for Antigua and Barbuda?
Being a member of the United Nations – Antigua and Barbuda has a stable and growing economy that supports an ideal environment to invest in. The following are some reasons why you should choose Antigua and Barbuda citizenship investment.
- Abundance of perfection
As an island nation, Antigua and Barbuda has much to offer ocean-going. It constitutes a center for foreign sailing activities that hosts two of the world’s most popular yacht competitions. Gathering the fans of this race at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Nelsons Dockyard, this country hosts Antigua Sailing Week and Antigua Classic Yacht competitions annually. The country’s luxurious marine life attracts many sea drivers from all over the world.
- Luxury and nature given hand in hand
Antigua and Barbuda hosts many world-class cricket players and offers the citizens to watch them at the island’s cricket ground. Including cricket, the country also has world-class golf courses. Hiking at unbelievable trails, death sliding in the country’s tropical forests, riding across the island, and horse riding on the amazing beaches are just a few of the activities the nature of this country offers. Apart from all these, people also enjoy uncountable five-star spas and Caribbean massage centres nationwide to electrify themselves after the activities.
- Global success at the investment program
Antigua and Barbuda was rated the Best Citizenship by Investment Destination in the Caribbean by Henley and Partners’ Global Residence and Citizenship Program in 2017 – 2018. It was declared the fourth-best global program, scoring 61 out of 100 in the Global Citizenship Program Index.
Antigua and Barbuda scored the highest rank in ten categories that were – quality of life, visa-free access, processing time and quality of processing, compliance, financial requirements, residence requirements, relocation flexibility, physical visit requirements, and transparency – that itself was a competitive and assertive rank among all.
The Antigua and Barbuda investment program candidates must make a minimum of 100.000$ in donations to the National Development Fund. The passports are provided to the shareholders in less than six months.
Benefits Of Antigua And Barbuda Citizenship By Investment
- As Antigua is a member of the Commonwealth, it provides certain privileges to the citizens of the UK and other member states.
- The passports of Antigua and Barbuda give visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 150 destinations, including Europe’s Schengen Area, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the UK.
- With air links to North America and Europe, Antigua and Barbuda is an attractive place to own a second home and live.
- Applicants can bring their children (under 31) and grandchildren with their spouses.
- The applicants granted citizenship can also bring other members – parents, grandparents aged 55 plus, unmarried siblings/mates of the main applicant, and any other dependent.
- In a world where the economy and politics are unpredictable, getting an offer of second citizenship opens up opportunities and creates flexibility for you and your family.
- You can do the whole process remotely without any need to travel to Antigua and Barbuda.
- There are no language tests or academic requirements for eligibility to become a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda.
- People enjoy a great tax environment without income, wealth, or inheritance tax.
Why Should You Choose Antigua and Barbuda CBI Program?
Antigua and Barbuda accepted themselves as chief tourist destinations attracting millions annually. As a shareholder, you can tap into the thriving tourism industry. Investing in luxurious resorts, exclusive hotels, eco-tourism lodges, marinas, and other related foundations. The consonant growth in tourism ensures a stable stream of income and attractive returns on investment.
Antigua and Barbuda have a huge population which still needs to stop the country from being popular in terms of citizenship through investments. The country exposes the passports strongly and has the best citizenship investment programs all over the globe. If you have a second passport from this country, you are lucky enough to enjoy the paradise the country offers its applicants.
The country’s multicultural population holds 100,000 people, which seems small but welcomes multimillionaires at its top-graded waters and beaches.
Now talking about investment opportunities, With a long-established heritage of political stability and an indisputable government system, the administration actively encourages external investments. They offer a supportive legal framework, investor-beneficial policies, and encouragement that promotes business growth.
Further, they also include aggressive tax rates, exceptions on capital gains, corporate taxes, and a smooth running process for establishing external companies.
Requirements and Procedure Period For Citizenship
As per all government rules and regulations, a citizen should be 18 plus years of age and meet the application requirements. You need to know here about Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by investment requirements.
The four application requirements are as follows:
- To qualify for citizenship, two applicants can make a joint investment from an approved real estate project with a minimum of 200,000 USD. This real estate investment will not be disposed to any applicant for a 5-year period.
- Applicants need to make a minimum of 100,000 USD contribution to the National Development Fund, which is non-refundable.
- Direct purchase or a joint purchase of an eligible business, where two applicants contribute at least 400,000 USD, up to 5 million USD.
- A contribution to the University of West Indies of at least 150,000 USD which is non-refundable.
The government and chief administration undertake all the necessary assessments and detailings of each applicant required for the membership. It is a very clear and straightforward process done by the authorities. Suppose any applicant is found making any false statement or omitting any relevant information in the application. In that case, the CIU (Citizenship by Investment Unit) undertakes strict verification against the applicants.
Conclusion
In this article, you have learned all the information required to become a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda. This guide helped you know all the advantages and requirements of being in the citizenship program. Hope this article was a guiding source for your travel. Â
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