Barbados rejects citizenship by investment in new immigration reforms

Barbados is implementing new immigration reforms that establish a permanent residency pathway for investors while explicitly ruling out the sale of citizenship. Home Affairs Minister Gregory Nicholls informed the Senate that the new legislative framework, which includes the Immigration Bill and the Barbados Citizenship Bill, does not grant nationality or passports to individuals through monetary investment.

Under the proposed regime, a foreign national can apply for permanent residency by investing at least BDS$5 million (approximately US$2.5 million) into approved national development projects. Qualifying sectors may include infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare, education, and technology.

To obtain citizenship, investors must still follow standard naturalization processes. This includes holding permanent resident status, meeting specific residency time requirements, and passing stringent national security and public health checks. The government aims to replace previous ministerial discretion with a transparent statutory law.