Sunset Weekly News · Travel News · Passport & Global Mobility Published: May 2026 · 3-minute read
Every Caribbean citizenship by investment programme has raised its minimum investment threshold. In some cases, the increase exceeds 100 percent. In others, the programme no longer exists at all.
This is not a rumour circulating in immigration advisory circles. Rather, it is confirmed policy — enacted by five sovereign governments through a formal Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed in March 2024 and implemented from July 2024. Specifically, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) published the MOA terms officially, confirming a regional minimum investment floor of US$200,000 across all five programmes.
What the Numbers Now Are
The five Caribbean nations offering citizenship by investment — Dominica, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Antigua & Barbuda, and Saint Kitts & Nevis — each raised their minimum investment thresholds. Consequently, the current confirmed figures, sourced directly from official government programme websites, are as follows:
- Dominica: US$200,000 minimum via the Economic Diversification Fund — confirmed from cbiu.gov.dm
- Saint Lucia: US$240,000 minimum via the National Economic Fund — confirmed from cbiunit.govt.lc
- Grenada: US$235,000 minimum via the National Transformation Fund — confirmed from cbi.gov.gd
- Antigua & Barbuda: US$230,000 minimum via the National Development Fund (family of four) — confirmed from cip.gov.ag
- Saint Kitts & Nevis: US$250,000 minimum via the Sustainable Island State Contribution — confirmed directly from ciu.gov.kn, fetched May 2026
Importantly, these are minimum investment figures only. In every case, government processing fees, due diligence fees, mandatory interview fees, and authorised agent fees are additional.
It Is Not Just the Price
Price is the most visible change. However, it is not the most consequential one.
Three structural shifts are reshaping how these programmes operate. First, mandatory applicant interviews are now standard across all five programmes — introduced under the 2024 MOA compliance framework. Second, a 30-day physical residency requirement for new CBI citizens is either enacted or pending ratification across the region. Notably, Antigua & Barbuda has already enacted it. Similarly, Saint Kitts & Nevis has confirmed physical residency as a requirement for its 2026 programme overhaul. Meanwhile, the remaining three are awaiting full EC-CIRA ratification expected mid-2026.
Third, processing timelines have extended significantly. What was previously marketed as a 45–90 day process now routinely takes 6–9 months across most programmes.
Europe Has Fewer Options Than It Did
Beyond the Caribbean, the global investment migration landscape has contracted further. Specifically, Spain terminated its Golden Visa programme. Additionally, Portugal removed the real estate route from its Golden Visa. Montenegro, furthermore, closed its citizenship by investment programme entirely. Ireland similarly shut its Immigrant Investor Programme to new applications in 2023. Meanwhile, Turkey’s real estate investment threshold rose from US$250,000 to US$400,000. As a result, the four European routes that previously provided the most accessible pathways to EU-adjacent residency no longer exist in their previous form.
What This Means for Travellers
For UK travellers and internationally mobile individuals researching second passport options, the practical implication is straightforward. Overall, the market is smaller, more expensive, and more demanding than it was two years ago. Consequently, the window for accessing Caribbean CBI programmes without a physical residency obligation is narrowing as the regional ratification process completes.
On the positive side, all five Caribbean CBI islands are reachable from the UK. Specifically, British Airways operates direct non-stop flights from London Gatwick to Saint Lucia, Grenada, and Antigua — the three most accessible CBI islands from the UK. Saint Kitts connects via Antigua from Gatwick, while Dominica routes via Barbados or Antigua with regional carriers. Return fares start from approximately £390 for Antigua — the regional hub and lowest-fare entry point — rising to approximately £740 for Dominica.
For UK applicants outside London or seeking alternative routings, KLM connects via Amsterdam to Barbados and Antigua, and Lufthansa connects via Frankfurt with onward service to Caribbean hub airports. For premium long-haul connections, Qatar Airways serves Barbados via Doha — a natural gateway for applicants combining a Caribbean visit with travel from the Middle East or Asia. The full island-by-island UK flight guide, with confirmed carrier links, fare ranges, and airport codes for all five CBI nations, is available in the complete Sunset Weekly Travel Tips guide linked below.
⚠️ Editorial Disclaimer: This news brief is factual public-record reporting. It does not constitute financial, legal, or immigration advice. All pricing data is sourced from official government programme websites and is subject to change. Readers must obtain independent legal and financial advice before making any decision relating to citizenship by investment programmes.
Read the Full Guide
For the complete forensic breakdown of all five Caribbean CBI programmes — including confirmed official investment thresholds, government fee schedules, processing timelines, residency requirement status per country, the European closure timeline, a UK flight guide for all five islands, and a total cost modelling framework — read the full Sunset Weekly Travel Tips guide:
Caribbean Golden Passports: The Ultimate 2026 Costs and Rules Guide →
News brief by Sara · Sunset Weekly News · Travel News · Passport & Global Mobility Published: May 2026 · Data confirmed from official government CBI unit websites: cbiu.gov.dm, cbiunit.govt.lc, cbi.gov.gd, cip.gov.ag, ciu.gov.kn. Caribbean MOA confirmed from OECS official pressroom (pressroom.oecs.int). Flight data confirmed from britishairways.com and verified flight aggregators, May 2026. This article is editorial journalism. It does not constitute financial, legal, or immigration advice.
Editorial & Accuracy Standards
- Expert Review:
Ammara Azmat,
Senior Travel Mobility Analyst (12+ years experience) - Status: Verified for accuracy against official 2026 service data and real-time traveller reports.
- Our Process: This content follows our Fact-Checking Policy.
