Caribbean nations prepare for EU discussions on citizenship-by-investment

Five Eastern Caribbean nations—Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia—are preparing for technical discussions with the European Union regarding their citizenship-by-investment (CBI) programmes. The engagement focuses on critical issues including due diligence, regulatory safeguards, and the potential impact on visa-free travel.

The European Union has revised its Visa Suspension Mechanism, creating a framework where CBI arrangements could lead to the suspension of visa-free access under certain conditions. The participating countries, which operate under the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulators Agreement, aim to demonstrate that their programmes maintain robust security and identity verification standards to protect international mobility and economic benefits.

Separately, the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Programme has been ranked first in the 2026 Citizenship-by-Investment index for the sixth consecutive year. The programme received perfect scores in due diligence, product certainty, ease of processing, and mandatory travel or residence, highlighting its focus on strict screening procedures and transparent governance.