Antigua and Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) has made its way back to the list of economic hurdles, after an internal memo from the United States government showed that the country is now named among four OECS nations facing possible U.S. visa restrictions.

A leaked memo from the U.S. State Department, published by The Washington Post, revealed plans to impose travel bans or limitations on citizens from 36 countries—including Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts & Nevis, and Saint Lucia—if they fail to meet new immigration benchmarks within 60 days.

Signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and dated June 14, 2025, the memo highlights concerns about the sale of citizenships without meaningful residency requirements. In Antigua and Barbuda, for instance, CIP applicants are only required to spend five days in the country within five years of receiving citizenship.

CIP citizenship also comes with various benefits to include:

  • Visa waiver allowing access to over 150 countries (including Schengen region, UK and Europe, Canada, Hong Kong & South Africa).
  • Citizenship for life for the applicant and their dependents.
  • Acceptance of Dual Citizenship.
  • Zero taxes on global income, inheritance, capital gains, wealth or gifts.

A minimum non-refundable contribution of US$230,000 per application to the National Development Fund (NDF) of Antigua and Barbuda qualifies an individual or a family of up to four people for citizenship under the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program.

Example of CIP naturalization document

The U.S. also flagged national security concerns, including weak civil documentation systems, high visa overstay rates, and reported “anti-American activity” by some passport holders.

Governments have until next Wednesday at 8 a.m. to submit an initial action plan outlining how they intend to comply with the new criteria. Failure to do so could trigger travel sanctions.

On Monday, Antigua and Barbuda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, E.P. Chet Greene, says the government has received no formal communication from Washington and says the matter is simply “speculative” for now.  “It is not a matter for us to comment on or react to because there’s simply nothing to react to except for social media presence and comments,” he added.

EU Also Tightening Grip

The United States isn’t the only global power pressuring CIP nations. The European Union (EU) is also tightening its visa rules, raising red flags about the risk of so-called “golden passports.” In March 2025, the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties voted overwhelmingly in favour of new amendments that target investor citizenship programmes, especially from countries with visa-free access to the EU.

The updated visa suspension mechanism enables the EU to revoke visa-free travel if there’s a significant spike in illegal migration, security concerns, or misuse of asylum provisions. If Antigua and Barbuda’s CIP is deemed a backdoor for third-country nationals into Europe, it could result in a suspension of visa-free travel.

Even without a full suspension, Antiguan passport holders may face heightened checks when entering the EU.

Regional Response and Reforms

Antigua and Barbuda’s CIP is one of its major revenue streams, contributing millions of dollars annually to programmes such as Social Security and other critical state initiatives. Despite the controversy, the government has long defended the programme as essential to economic development and have made many attempts to improve its vetting process throughout the years.

Facing growing international pressure, the OECS countries have taken steps to standardise and regulate their CIPs. Last year, Antigua and Barbuda raised its minimum investment threshold in line with a regional Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) among five OECS states.

The updated fee structure includes:

  • US$230,000 for families of up to four under the NDF option
  • US$245,000 for families of five or more
  • US$300,000 minimum for University of the West Indies (UWI) fund option
  • US$325,000 for real estate investments
  • Business investment thresholds remain at US$1.5 million for individuals or US$400,000 in joint ventures

The countries also committed to:

  • Sharing applicant data through a new digital portal operated by the Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) in Barbados
  • Banning the use of passport images and visa-free destinations in CIP advertisements
  • Strengthening post-approval screening
  • Recovering cancelled or revoked passports

A regional regulatory authority is now in development, spearheaded by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). The proposed body will enforce a unified legal framework across all participating countries, monitor due diligence processes, license service providers, and oversee international engagement.

ECCB Governor Timothy Antoine recently completed consultations across all member states. A final policy meeting with OECS prime ministers is expected soon, after which the draft legislation will be circulated for public and stakeholder review.

Nigeria overtakes China in CIP applications

Nigerian nationals now dominate CIP applications, overtaking Chinese applicants since 2020. While China previously accounted for up to 44% of total applications, recent reports show Nigeria with nearly 17% of submissions during the second half of 2020.

Increase in African applicants (CIU report from January to June 2024)

This marks a significant shift from earlier years, pre COVID-19, when Chinese applicants made up almost a third of the programme’s intake.

While applicants continue to come from other African countries, Nigeria seems to be leading the process ahead of its African counterparts like Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa. The reason for this shifting trend may be due to the government’s efforts to establish an air route in Antigua to boost travel between Africa and the Caribbean.