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Over 100000 Caribbean passport issued to investors worldwide
The popularity of Caribbean passport is matched by the value of Caribbean passport globally, with the number of visa-free countries increasing.
Reports from the European Commission have shown that global interest in Caribbean passport programmes has remained steady over the years, with over 100,000 people issued with the passport due to the mobility, security and investment opportunities for individuals and their families.
These reports also highlight the efforts of the Caribbean Passport Programme units to improve security screening processes to maintain the attractiveness of these programmes and compliance with security policy standards.
On the Caribbean Passport and Caribbean Citizenship Program
The European Commission presented its seventh Special Report on the Caribbean Passport in late 2024, which shows the number of applications processed and Caribbean passports granted to investors applying for the Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Programme.
The report showed that over 100,000 individuals have obtained a Caribbean passport and over 50,000 applications have been processed since 2014, underscoring the strength of the Caribbean Passport Programme within post-investment immigration programmes.
While the report may not be consistent or complete, it does show the real trends in the number of people who have obtained Caribbean passports over the past ten years, represented by five countries: Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Antigua & Barbuda.
These countries received over 50,000 applications, and the largest share was for Dominica and Saint Kitts and Nevis, which alone issued over 70,000 Caribbean passports, highlighting the value of these two programmes in particular among other Caribbean programmes.
The reason for the higher number of passports compared to the number of files is that each file may contain more than one passport, giving major investors the opportunity to add their family members to the file in order to obtain passports within a single submitted file.
Beneficiary Nationalities and Rejection Rates
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As for the number of individuals who obtained Caribbean passports by nationality, the European Agency indicated that citizens of Iran, China, Russia, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Nigeria were among the highest nationalities that obtained Caribbean passports.
The report concluded by referring to the rejection rates within these programs, highlighting the rejection of approximately 2,200 applications, which is a relatively small number compared to the number of successful applications, which is calculated at a rejection rate of only 3% of the files that were actually processed.
Statistics on the countries that offer Caribbean passports
1. Caribbean passport from Saint Kitts
The data showed that more than 35,000 passports were issued to applicants for the Caribbean passport program from Saint Kitts alone. The report did not provide data for the past two years for applicants, although applications decreased in these two years due to reforms and increased amounts to obtain a Saint Kitts and Nevis passport through investment.
How to Get a St. Kitts and Nevis Passport
This Caribbean passport is obtained either by contributing $250000 for a family of 4 or by purchasing a property worth at least $400,000 provided the property is not sold within the first 7 years.
2. Grenada Caribbean Passport
In 2024, the Grenada Immigration and Investment Agency published data on citizenship and applicant numbers for the Grenada Citizenship through Investment Program for the first time, and its statistics showed how Grenada broke the record in 2024 for the number of applications processed in a single year.
How to Get a Grenada Passport
An applicant and up to 3 people can obtain a Grenada Caribbean passport after contributing $235,000 to the Grenada economy or investing $270,000 in real estate in Grenada, in addition to making a $50,000 contribution.
3. St Lucia Caribbean Passport
The Saint Lucia Citizenship Program issued more Caribbean passports in 2023 than in the previous seven years combined, with an average annual processing of 250 applications and in 2023 it processed 4,076 files with a slight decrease in 2024.
How to Get a St Lucia Passport
A family of four needs to donate $240,000 to the St Lucian economy or purchase an approved property for $300,000, plus the possibility of investing $500,000 in redeemable government bonds.
4. Dominica Caribbean Passport
The report noted that the Dominican Citizenship Program data for 2022 is still being read, despite Dominica losing visa-free access to the UK in 2023, but about 5,500 people were granted in the first half of 2024 only, proving its remarkable resilience due to the low-cost solutions in its program.
How to Get a Dominican Passport
To get a Dominican passport, you either need to donate $200,000 to the Dominican Economic Fund or invest in real estate and make a combined contribution of $275,000.
5. Antigua and Barbuda Caribbean Passport
The Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship Program averages around 400 passports per year, except for 2024 when the number of passports granted increased due to the investment threshold for the other four Caribbean countries combined increasing in 2024 and Antigua requesting an extra month to postpone this and rely on the old requirements.
How to Get an Antigua and Barbuda Passport
Grenada requires a real estate investment of $325,000 that can be resold after 5 years or a contribution of $230-260,000 for a family of 4-6.
Caribbean citizenship programs offer a wide range of benefits to applicants and require them to meet some simple requirements in addition to the investment to be fully eligible. To learn more about the Caribbean Passport Program, contact one of our immigration consultants or read our articles on citizenship by investment programs.
About Author
Taher Shehab
As co-founder and CEO, Taher Shehab has guided Global Citizen Consultants to be a leader in providing citizenship by investment in over 20 territories, including the Caribbean.
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