Antigua and Barbuda plans to suspend citizenship-by-investment passports

Antigua and Barbuda's government has signalled that it plans to suspend its citizenship-by-investment (CIP) programme, the scheme that sells passports and citizenship to foreign investors. Prime Minister Gaston Browne said the cabinet is considering 12 November 2026 as the suspension date, choosing that step over losing visa-free travel to the European Union.

Key facts

• Proposed suspension date: 12 November 2026, still under cabinet consideration
• What is affected: Antigua and Barbuda's citizenship-by-investment programme, running since 2013
• Cost to applicants: from US$100,000 for a passport and citizenship, plus investment in a local development sector such as real estate
• EU deadline: participating island states have until mid-2028 to phase out their programmes
• Visa-free benefit at stake: stays of up to 180 days in the Schengen area

Why is this happening?

The United States and the European Union have been pressing participating Caribbean nations to end their citizenship-by-investment schemes, arguing that people with dubious backgrounds use the local passports to enter the EU. The EU has given the island nations until mid-2028 to completely phase out their programmes, citing internal security concerns about foreigners buying and travelling on local passports when they would not qualify for a visa from their home countries.

Browne said recent meetings with the US produced only a restatement of opposition to a scheme that brings in hundreds of millions in development revenue to Antigua and its neighbours. Officials argue the revenue is needed to replace taxes lost from regional duty-free trade and the collapse of sugar and banana export schemes to the EU in recent decades.

What does visa-free access mean for the region?

Visa-free access for the sub-region allows locals to travel to EU member states and remain there without a visa for up to 180 days. Browne said the choice is between keeping the CIP programmes and keeping that access.

What is happening in neighbouring countries?

It is not clear whether Antigua and Barbuda's neighbours will follow suit. The CIP has been a major revenue earner for the federation with Barbuda and nearby Eastern Caribbean states including St. Kitts, Saint Lucia, Dominica and Grenada for much of the past decade.

Saint Lucia's Prime Minister Phillip Pierre said last month, ahead of a meeting with EU officials at the UN, that his country has no intention of stopping its CIP programme and will do all it can to strengthen it. St. Vincent's near year-old government, meanwhile, has announced plans to establish a CIP programme to bring in revenue.

What this means for travellers

Travellers considering citizenship by investment in Antigua and Barbuda should note that the cabinet has not made a final decision, and the proposed suspension date is 12 November 2026. Anyone weighing a CIP application in the wider region should check the position of each individual country, since the source describes no regional consensus and says each state may decide independently.

Browne has called a meeting of participating states' leaders for early next week to try to reach a consensus, but said that without agreement each country will take its own decision.