The Dominica Citizenship by Investment Program is one of the most popular immigration investment programs in the Caribbean. This program offers investors and their families a second citizenship and passport in as little as six months without the need to visit the country. Dominica’s passport allows visa-free travel to some 115 countries and dual citizenship is legally permitted.
In August 2022 the government announced some changes to the citizenship Dominica program that took effect in September 2022.
What are the changes?
The changes redefine the parameters of who qualifies as a dependent of the citizenship by investment program and the corresponding fee structure. The new regulations add more detailed requirements for financially dependent adult children and have eliminated siblings, adopted siblings, parents or grandparents under age 65 as dependents.
Eligible members of the applicant’s family are: The applicant’s spouse, a child under the age of 18 of the applicant, a son between the ages of 18 and 30 who is financially dependent on the applicant and, who is enrolled in an institution of higher education, a daughter of the applicant under the age of 25 who lives with and is wholly supported by the applicant, a child over the age of 18 with a physical or mental disability who is financially supported by the applicant, and the principal applicant’s parents or grandparents age 65, or older, who are financially supported by the investor. Only families with more than six members are affected by the change.
The investment amount for real estate or the Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) has not changed, except for the government fees required with each investment option.
For the real estate option, the new fee structure is as follows:
- $25,000 for the lead applicant.
- 35,000 for the principal applicant and up to three dependents.
- 50,000 for the principal applicant and up to five dependents.
- 25,000 for each additional qualifying dependent.
Under the EDF contribution option, the new rate structure is as follows:
- $100,000 for the principal applicant.
- 150,000 for the principal applicant and spouse.
- 175,000 for the principal applicant and up to three dependents.
- 25,000 for each additional dependent under the age of 18.
- 50,000 for any additional dependents age 18 or older.
The changes allow applicants to carefully consider their investment options based on their family composition and the age of their dependent children.