Antigua and Barbuda considers suspending citizenship by investment programme

Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that the government of Antigua and Barbuda is considering a suspension of its Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) as early as November 12. The potential move is intended to preserve the nation's visa-free access to Europe’s Schengen Area following mounting pressure from the European Union.

European officials have expressed concerns regarding the adequacy of background checks within CIPs across several Eastern Caribbean nations, including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. The EU has raised questions about whether the programmes allow individuals who would otherwise require visas to bypass security protocols via newly acquired citizenship.

While the European Commission previously requested a phase-out of the programme by June 2028, the current discussions focus on an earlier suspension to maintain bilateral visa-waiver arrangements. Prime Minister Browne has called for a meeting of regional heads to seek a coordinated response, though he noted that individual governments must ultimately decide their own course of action.