DOMINICA CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT PROGRAMME
The Commonwealth of Dominica, formerly a British colony, is an island state of 750 sq. km in the Windward Islands. Dominica is an island of remarkably unspoilt beauty, where lush, green forests roll across hills that stretch from shore to shore. English is the nation’s official language, but French is also spoken widely.
Dominica has been offering a Citizenship-by-Investment Progamme since 1993, enabling HNWIs and their families to enjoy all the benefits of being Dominican, in exchange for a contribution to the government.
Dominica boasts pristine beaches, acres of unspoiled tropical rainforests and offers some of the best diving and hiking in the Caribbean. From the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Morne Trois Pitons National Park, to the development of a geothermal plant, Dominica’s philosophy is to protect and preserve its untainted and unparalleled beauty
REQUIREMENTS/INVESTMENT OPTIONS
The Dominica Citizenship-by-Investment Programme requires you to make a significant financial investment in the country in return for citizenship for you and your family.
To qualify for citizenship, you must be over 18 years of age and meet the due diligence requirements. You may select one of the following two investment options:
- Make a non-refundable donation to the Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) starting from USD200,000
- Purchase qualifying real estate valued at least USD200,000in a government-approved project
Donation
Dominica established the EDF as one component of an island mobilization portfolio. The government set it up with the goal of national development. They utilize generated funds to fund public and private sector projects. These include the building of schools and hospital renovations.
Real Estate
Applicants could also choose to purchase real estate with a minimum value of USD200,000 from a governmentapproved real estate project.
QUALIFYING DEPENDANTS
As the main applicant, you can add your spouse as a dependant. Like you, they must be over 18 years of age, be of good character, not have been diagnosed with any serious illnesses, and not have been prosecuted for any crimes carrying a custodial sentence of more than six months.
You can also include children up to 30 years of age if they are enrolled in full-time study or an unmarried daughter under 25 who remains in the family home. Daughters who are aged 25-30 and are enrolled in full-time study are eligible too.
You can also include mentally or physically disadvantaged children of any age. Parents and grandparents over the age of 65 qualify as dependants.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
In addition to fulfilling one of the two investment options above, you and your dependants must have clean personal backgrounds, with no criminal record. The Citizenshipby-Investment Unit (CIU) is the government authority
responsible for processing and examining all applications. They will perform strict due diligence checks.
They will revoke your application if you have been denied a visa to a country that has a visa-free travel arrangement with Dominica. If they identify you as a potential national security risk or a reputational risk, they will reject your application. As they will, if you are subject to a criminal investigation.
DUAL CITIZENSHIP
There are no restrictions on dual citizenship in Dominica.
TAXATION
- Resident individuals, which are those who reside in Dominica for at least 183 days a year, are not taxed on their worldwide income.
- The individual income tax rates are progressive 15% on the first XCD 20,000, 25% on the next XCD 30,000 and 35% on the excess.
- There are no capital gains, net worth or inheritance taxes in Dominica.
- Stamp duty is imposed on the transfer of real estate at a rate of 2.5% and is paid by the seller. The buyer pays stamp duty at a rate of 4%.
SUMMARY OF KEY ADVANTAGES
- Visa-free travel to 153 countries including the Singapore, Hong Kong, and China.
- Full citizenship with passport granted to you, your spouse, children, parents, and grandparents.
- Additional identification documents with biometrics, including a National ID, Tax ID and a Driver’s License.
- Lowest priced programme in the Caribbean for a single applicant.
- No physical presence requirement.
- Offer citizenship by marriage and descent.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Month 1
Initial due diligence.
Following the successful screening, we will provide you with a Client Agreement (CA) to review and sign.
Upon receiving the signed agreement and retainer payment, our legal team will complete all necessary government forms and supporting documents. If you make a property investment, you will need to execute a sales and purchase agreement with the developer. We will liaise with the property developer and the Dominica Citizenship by Investment Unit (CBIU) on your behalf.
Months 2-3
Before submitting your documents, we comprehensively review your application to ensure your file complies with the CBIU’s requirements. Our legal team will complete its final checks before submitting the relevant forms.
The CBIU will undertake its own due diligence and review all the paperwork. You and any dependants over the age of 16 will have to attend a mandatory interview. We will continue to work closely with the CBIU throughout the process to ensure your application is timely and efficiently processed.
Months 4-6
The CBIU will assess your application, and upon approval, you must make all necessary contributions and pay any applicable government fees. After completion of final relevant payments, the CBIU will send out Certificates of Naturalization followed by your passports.
