Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme allows foreign nationals and their eligible family members to become citizens of Dominica in exchange for making a substantial investment in the country. It is one of the more established and competitively priced programmes in the Caribbean.
The programme is run by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CBIU) under Dominica’s laws. Applicants do not have to live in Dominica before or after citizenship is granted.
It is meant for individuals (and families) who have financial means and who are looking for a second citizenship / passport, for example for global mobility, business flexibility, or to diversify their residence options.
Here are the main eligibility requirements and criteria:
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Requirement
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What is needed
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Age
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Applicant must be at least 18 years old.
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Character / Background
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Clean criminal record; must disclose if under investigation; must not have supplied false information.
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Name change restriction
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One condition: the applicant must certify that, if granted Dominica citizenship, they will not seek to change their name (except by marriage) for 5 years after naturalisation.
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Application via authorised agent
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The application must go through a government-authorised (licenced) agent. Individuals cannot submit on their own.
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Language / Documents
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All documents submitted must be in English (or translated/ certified), properly certified.
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Other restrictions
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Nationals from certain countries (Belarus, Iran, Northern Iraq, North Korea, Russia, Yemen, Sudan) face enhanced due diligence or restrictions.
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There are two main paths to invest:
Additionally, there are due diligence / processing / application / interview fees, which vary depending on the number of dependents.
If you are eligible and go through this programme, the advantages include:
Full citizenship for life, which you can pass to future generations.
Visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to many countries (often cited as ~ 140+ destinations including Schengen Area, UK, etc.).
No requirement to live in Dominica before or after getting citizenship.
Dual citizenship permitted (you can keep your original nationality, if your country allows).
Good reputation and stability of Dominica’s CBI programme. Relatively low cost among Caribbean CBIs.
Opportunity to invest in real estate and derive value (e.g. rental income, resale after holding period) when using the real estate route.
Here are some illustrative examples (hypothetical) to show how people use this programme:
Usually about 3 to 6 months from submission to approval in principle; full process depends on whether investment is done, documents are in order, etc.
Yes. You can include your spouse, dependent children, and sometimes parents/grandparents under certain conditions. Children may be accepted up to age 30 if fully dependent.
No. There’s no residence requirement either before or after naturalization.
No, Dominica allows dual (or multiple) citizenships. Whether you can keep your original nationality depends on your home country’s laws.
Yes. All applicants age 16 and over must attend a mandatory interview. Usually virtual. There is a fee for the interview.
If you’re from certain countries (Belarus, Iran, Northern Iraq, North Korea, Russia, Yemen, Sudan), there are enhanced due diligence requirements, and some restrictions may apply.
There are due diligence and processing fees, government application fees, passport fees, certification fees, possibly interview fees. The exact total depends on how many dependents, the route (donation vs real estate), etc.
Yes — typically after holding the approved property for a minimum period (often 3 years) under the real estate option.