The Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Programme was created established by government decree in 2012. The programme is aimed at those who wish to acquire citizenship through the purchase of real estate, payments to the Islands’ National Development Fund or UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES (UWI) FUND.
Pros of citizenship for investment
It is possible to highlight such advantages of such an option:
- The country’s passport allows you to enter more than 150 states. For example, you can enter England, Singapore.
- Husband/wife, dependent children under 31 years of age, parents, and grandparents can obtain citizenship.
- The country is a member of the Commonwealth, which means that the holders of citizenship have some privileges in England and other states that are members of the union.
It is also possible to note attractiveness of Antigua and Barbuda for residence, purchase of the second home. The country has excellent communication by air with the USA and the European Union.
Conditions for acquiring citizenship for investment
The primary applicant must be an adult to become a citizen. Several options are available:
- Payment to the National Development Fund for a minimum of 100 thousand dollars.
- Payment to the University of the West Indies for a minimum of 150 thousand dollars.
- Acquisition of immovable property with a minimum of $200 thousand on an approved project. 2 citizenship applicants can jointly invest the money. Immovable property cannot be alienated for 60 months.
It is also possible to buy a business for a minimum of $1,500,000 as an individual.
Features of acquiring citizenship for investment
The government agency that administers the programme reviews the applications submitted by citizenship applicants. The CIU checks whether a person is trustworthy, reject the application if the candidate indicates false information in it.
Once the application is approved, principal applicants and dependents over the age of 16 are interviewed. Documents are issued in Antigua and Barbuda. All procedures take 90-120 days.
After becoming a citizen of the country, one must live on its territory for at least 5 days during the first 60 months. If real estate was purchased, the terms are determined taking into account the project. It is necessary to select a project that will help prepare the required documentation.
Basic information about the country
Antigua and Barbuda is a small state with a total area of 443 square kilometres, located in the Leeward Islands archipelago (occupying three of them) in the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the state is the city of St. John’s. About 70 thousand people live in the country, most of them are African-Americans (their 90 per cent), and about 9 per cent are mulattoes.
On the territory of the country lowlands prevail, the highest point barely reaches 32 meters. The island of Barbuda is almost entirely covered with forests, the island of Antigua is devoid of vegetation, the island of Redonda is an uninhabited rock. Animals are found only on Barbuda, mainly lizards and turtles.
Antigua has a tropical climate characterised by frequent droughts, as rainfall is no more than 1,300 mm per year. The average monthly temperature ranges from +13°C to +33°C.
The official language is English, but the majority of the population speaks Creole. Antigua serves incredible marine exotics: red lucian cooked on coals, filets of flying fish, clams stewed in garlic sauce and much more. Black pineapple, the sweetest and juiciest variety, is available at the local market. Ginger and dates are used to brew a wonderful beer on the islands. Antigua also has a rum distillery, one of the largest in the region.
95% of the population of the country are Protestants, about 5% are Catholics. On the 1st of November the country celebrates Independence Day; on the 9th of December they celebrate National Heroes Day. On the 4th of July is the Day of Caribbean Interaction and Cooperation. In early August Antigua hosts a colourful carnival.
Resorts
Antigua has a very symbolic number of beaches – 365. The locals joke that you have to come here for a whole year to have time to visit all the beaches. In the northern part of the island are concentrated the largest hotels and the noisiest places: young people go there.
The population of the island is very hospitable to tourists, gladly sharing the secrets of scuba diving and fishing. Numerous bays and coves have long been loved by divers from all over the world. Every spring yachtsmen come to Antigua to take part in the regatta, which has become one of the ten best in the world. There are several wild beaches on the island of Barbuda, where you have a unique opportunity to watch beautiful rare birds – frigates.
Attractions
St John’s, the capital of the island of Antigua, retains some colonial buildings, with Fort James and the Anglican Cathedral being particularly popular. The National Museum has stunning exhibits relating to island nature and the inhabitants of the deep.
The most popular attraction in Antigua is English Harbour and Admiral Nelson’s shipyard. People come here to see the naval base of the XVIII century, preserved to this day. Here tourists are offered to visit the Anglican Church, the summer residence of the governor, Fort Berkeley and watch the multimedia show Down Hill about the history of Antigua.
There are several caves on the island of Barbuda, the most famous of which are the complexes on the Castle Hill and at Tu Fu Bay. As you can see, the country is promising not only for living and doing business, but also in terms of tourism.