Getting a second passport from Caribbean countries has been a popular option for investors for many years.
First, you can get a second passport from these countries relatively quickly. Second, these countries have an attractive tax scheme.
In addition, these programs are often more accessible and straightforward than many European golden visas, giving many who want to relocate abroad an alternative option.
In addition to Saint Kitts and Nevis, the citizenship by investment programs offered by Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda have been becoming more popular.
In this article, we are going to give you a side-by-side comparison, breaking down all requirements, fees, and benefits for these two programs. It will help you make an informed decision on which country you should invest in by the end of the article.
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Contents
Key Takeaways
- Antigua and Barbuda are twin island countries. Many mistake Barbuda for Barbados, which is an entirely different country.
- The Antigua and Barbuda passport is slightly stronger than the Dominica passport.
- The minimum investment for Dominica is lower for a single person than for Antigua and Barbuda.
- The process for Antigua and Barbuda is stricter than that for Dominica.
- It’s faster to get a second passport from Dominica. It can take only 3 months.
- While both countries are democracies with free speech, neither country is LGBT-friendly.
- Dominica’s program is easier for a single person, but Antigua and Barbuda seem to have a better program for families.
- Both countries allow dual citizenship.
Quick Comparison Table
Here’s quick comparison table between the citizenship by investment program provided by Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica.
| Country | Antigua and Barbuda | Dominica |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Investment | US$100,000 | US$100,000 |
| Visa-free Countries | 154 countries | 143 countries |
| Add Family Members | Yes | Yes |
| Residency Requirements | 5 days during the first 5 years | None |
| Application Requirements | Quite strict | Not very strict |
| Application Process | At least 3 months | Maximum of 3 months |
| Dual Citizenship | Yes | Yes |
| Worldwide Income Tax | No | No |
| Political Stability | Yes | Yes |
Location
First thing first, I would like to talk about the location of Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda.
Both countries are small islands located in the Eastern Caribbean.
Antigua and Barbuda is a bit further north of Dominica. It’s north of the French overseas department “Guadeloupe” and directly west of St Kitts and Nevis.
Dominica is right between two French overseas departments, Guadeloupe and Martinique. So, in a way, Dominica can joke about being between France.
Since these two countries are located basically within the same area, the climate is relatively the same, which is a tropical rainforest climate, and have issues when it comes to the risk of hurricanes.
Passport Index
Verdict: Essentially the same.
According to the Henley passport index, the most thorough index of passport rankings, Dominica is ranked 34; they can visit 143 countries visa-free.
Antigua and Barbuda are ranked slightly stronger at 27 and can visit 154 countries visa-free.
However, looking at the list of countries you can go without a visa, both passports are equally strong.
Both nations have visa-free access to the European Union, which doesn’t mean much for US or Canadian passports. But it is usually why affluent people from countries with weaker passports use this program.
Antigua and Barbuda passport holders get visa-free access to the UK and Canada, which might be helpful for those who don’t have it.
While this might be less important for someone from the United States, Australia, or Canada, these countries are relatively strong on the passport index. The United States and Canada are in 6th place, while Australia is ranked 5th.
However, passport holders in these three countries still have a few advantages from these passports.
Both passports allow visa-free entry to Russia and China. Antigua and Barbuda were recently given visa-free access to China in January of 2024.
The US, Australia, and Canada all need visas to visit Russia and China. Both are eligible for an Iranian visa on arrival, which neither the US nor Canada have.
Visiting Cuba and Venezuela is possible visa-free, which is not possible for US citizens.
Brazil also gives them visa-free access, which might be relevant to the US. Brazil has threatened to revoke its visa-free privilege for US citizens but keeps extending it.
Both countries are members of Caricom, so with this passport, you have freedom of movement and can spend six months in any other Caricom country.
So, even if you are from a country with a more powerful passport, one of these two passports could still be helpful, especially if you are a world traveler wanting to visit countries that require visas from many Western countries.
Investment Requirement
Verdict: Both requires a minimum requirement of US$ 100,000. However, Antigua and Barbuda’s program is cheaper when adding family members.
The minimum investment for Dominican citizenship is US$100,000, the cheapest in the world. It goes up depending on how many family members you want to add.
For example, it is US $150,000 for a person and their spouse. Different amounts are added depending on which family member you add.
It is also the same for Antigua and Barbuda if you are a single applicant. However, if you want to add your family members to your program, Antigua and Barbuda is cheaper.
You can achieve this citizenship by either making a minimum non-refundable contribution to the National Development Fund (NDF) of US$200,000 or investing at least US$400,000 in one of the approved real estate projects, which must be held for a minimum of five years.
However, if you are a family, the contribution to the NDF is reduced to US $100,000, and it is for up to 6 people.
Ability to Include Family Members
Verdict: You can include family members in both programs.
The investment in Dominica must be higher than US $100,000. It gets more expensive with family members. If you want to add a spouse, the investment is US $150,000. It ranges between US $25,000 and US $50,000 more for each family member you want to add.
The program for Antigua and Barbuda doesn’t get much more expensive when you add family members. The investment is cheaper for a family of four than for a single person.
With the first investment, you can already add a family of four.
The program for Antigua and Barbuda is more flexible regarding the family members you can add. You can also add more later.
Also, for LGBT families, gay marriage is not legal in either place, so if you are an LGBT family, each spouse must apply on their own, unfortunately.
Application Requirements and Processes
Verdict: Dominica is better since it’s easier to apply
Antigua and Barbuda are stricter when it comes to the application process. You cannot apply for their program if you have been denied entry to any country offering visa-free access to Antigua and Barbuda.
While both countries require clean criminal records, Antigua and Barbuda also want records from countries you have lived in before.
They also want applicants to have good health. Antigua and Barbuda ask for an HIV test, but that seems to be the only health requirement they ask for.
Dominica doesn’t have such a policy but requires a medical questionnaire completed by a registered medical practitioner and a comprehensive disclosure form notarized by a notary public.
Both countries want some evidence of good character. Dominica asks for several character references, and you can only apply via a verified agent.
Another noticeable difference is that while Antigua and Barbuda might be more family-friendly regarding the type of investments you can make, there is still a much higher government processing fee for each applicant: US$ 35,000. Dominica asks for a due diligence fee of $7,500 from the main applicant and the spouse.
Please note that since some criminals have successfully applied for these programs and other Caribbean passport schemes, both countries are probably making the vetting process for new citizens more difficult because, in the past, criminals have used this system to obtain new passports and move a lot of money to another country.
Time Frame
Verdict: Dominica requires only 3 months at maximum while it may normally take more than 3-4 months for Antigua and Barbuda.
The processing time of Dominica is faster.
It takes about three months at the maximum. Also, as you can see above, the application asks for much less information than Antigua and Barbuda. So, there is less chance of having to supply more information.
For Antigua and Barbuda, the process takes around 3-4 months if everything goes correctly.
Residency Requirement
Verdict: Dominica is better since there’s no residency requirement.
Antigua and Barbuda have a residency requirement. All members of your family who apply for citizenship must live together for at least five days for the first five years to maintain the conditions of their citizenship. You can lose your citizenship if you do not do this.
Dominica has no residency requirement at all.
Dual Citizenship Rules
Verdict: the same since both countries allow dual citizenship.
Both options allow people to keep their original citizenship. The U.S., Australia, and Canada allow dual citizenship, but some countries do not. If you are from somewhere else, check your country’s policies on dual citizenship. Countries like Singapore do not allow people to hold two nationalities.
If you are a dual citizen in the US, the tax laws still apply to you when it comes to reporting foreign income. Some US citizens decide to renounce their dual citizenship for tax reasons.
However, renouncing US citizenship does not absolve one of the taxes they owed before renunciation.
Also, if a former US citizen still has property, assets, and legal obligations in the US, they are still tied to these obligations.
Tax Benefits
Verdict: While the taxation rules can be different, they are quite similar unless you are a tax resident.
Antigua and Barbuda: Antigua and Barbuda citizens are not taxed on worldwide income, which is one reason people opt for this option. There is also no capital gains, income, wealth, or inheritance tax.
Dominica: tax benefits include no personal income, inheritance, or capital gains tax. The country also offers incentive packages on corporate tax, import duty exemptions, tax relief, and export allowances. However, if you have income in Dominica, there is a tax for that. At a progressive tax rate, personal income tax for income earned in Dominica is between 15-35 percent. So, the more you earn, the higher taxes you pay.
Political Stability
Verdict: Both nations are relatively stable.
Regardless of your choice, you have nothing to worry about regarding political stability.
They are members of The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), an intergovernmental organization and a political and economic union of 15 member states throughout the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean.
They are also members of the United Nations, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas, the Commonwealth of Nations, and several other essential unions.
Both countries have democratic elections, and citizens have personal freedom of expression. Both countries score relatively well on freedom indexes such as RSF and Freedom House.
LGBT Rights
Verdict: Essentially the same.
However, there are some problems when it comes to LGBT rights.
LGBT rights are higher in Antigua and Barbuda. Homosexual activity is still technically illegal (although not enforced) in Dominica. It was just made legal in Antigua and Barbuda in 2022.
There are also no laws for discussing this in the media and promoting LGBT topics in society. Neither country has any laws that deal with discrimination when it comes to LGBT. Gay marriage and adoption are both illegal.
Also, regarding public opinion, it’s about the same in both. Many of the citizens still have a low opinion of LGBT. Most reports say nobody cares about foreigners and tourists, but honestly, look more into this if this is a concern.
Living Environment
Verdict: Living in Dominica is cheaper. However, both countries have concerns about the possibility of hurricanes.
Both countries offer a great place to live and raise a family. Both countries have English as the official language. The climate for both countries is on par with each other. The biggest concern is the possibility of hurricanes.
Both countries invest heavily in education as well.
They are in the East Caribbean, which has a fixed rate with the US dollar, but you can also use US dollars in both countries. Both countries have a low crime rate and are very safe.
However, here are a few key differences that can help you make a more conscious decision depending on your priorities.
Antigua and Barbuda: Antigua and Barbuda have higher living costs than Dominica. It’s not by much, but it is noticeable. Also, when comparing GDP per capita, Antigua and Barbuda are much higher than that of Dominica. Their GDP is US$19,919 compared to Dominica’s US$ 8,351. Almost the entire population has access to the internet. It also has a higher rate of physicians per person.
It is considered a more luxurious destination than Dominica, which can account for the higher prices.
Dominica: Dominica has one of the cheapest living costs in the Caribbean and much more diversity in nature compared to Antigua and Barbuda.
Dominica has a lot to boast about in the natural environment. It has mountains and hot springs. Antigua and Barbuda are mostly flat, and their leading natural beauty is only the beaches. Barbuda is 60% forested compared to Antigua and Barbuda, which has 29%.
Also, it is a single-island nation. Antigua and Barbuda have most of the population living in Antigua. However, one major shortcoming is that fewer people have access to the internet. Just under 80% of Dominican residents have access to the internet.
However, living in one of the main cities in Dominica has decent internet and good speed.
Dominica is less spoiled by mass tourism than Antigua and Barbuda. There are some concerns about water and sanitation on the island.
Which Program Should I Get?
If simplicity is the main priority, Dominica is the best choice. It seems much easier for a single person. Also, if you want a variety of nature, Dominica seems more suitable.
The investment program for Antigua and Barbuda has a few more benefits than Dominica in terms of taxes and passport strength. However, the process and demands are more than those of Dominica’s program.
If you want to take more family members, Antigua and Barbuda offer better value overall.
A good recommendation would be to get in touch with a residency lawyer, tell them your requirements and concerns, and ask for their advice.
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