St. John’s Antigua – Antigua and Barbuda is preparing to introduce changes to its Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP), taking into account a series of recommendations made by the United States, the European Union, and other international partners.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne revealed that the government, along with other CIP-participating countries in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), will take harmonised legislation to their respective parliaments by the end of July or early August.

“We have a consultative mechanism in place with the US  and other countries, the Europeans as well as the UK,  and they have made recommendations.  In fact, we’ll be going to Parliament, all of us within the OECS,  CIP space,  we’ll be going to Parliament, if not by the end of July/August to make changes to our programs because we now have harmonized laws and regulations and we’re literally taking all of their issues on board,” Browne said.

This move comes amid a leaked memo from the U.S. State Department warning that citizens from 36 countries—including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Lucia, and Saint Kitts and Nevis—could face visa restrictions if certain immigration and security benchmarks are not met within 60 days.

One of the proposed changes is a stricter residency requirement. Currently, Antigua requires CIP applicants to spend at least one week in the country; Prime Minister Browne said the government is open to increasing that to two weeks.

Browne warned however that his government is unprepared to make any drastic shift in program structure that reduces its appeal.

“In as much as we will continue to cooperate with our international partners, including the US, whatever changes we make, they have to be done in such a way that they do not make us uncompetitive and it doesn’t result in any significant reduction in revenues because many of these countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, they’re dependent on these additional non-tax revenues,” he explained further.

The proposed legislative changes to CIP are expected to address due diligence, transparency, and uniformity in pricing and processing—key areas of concern raised by the U.S. and EU.

Governor, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank – Timothy N.J. Antoine, Chair of the Interim Regulatory Commission (IRC), along with the IRC delegation and Legal Drafting Consultant, Lydia Elliott, meet with Department of Immigration on Day 3 of the ECCB CBI/CIP Regional Regulator Initiative Consultations in Antigua and Barbuda. The engagements will be held, 14 to 17 April.

Travel Ban Unlikely

At a press briefing on Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed that visa policies are under review in accordance with national security concerns.

While Bruce declined to speak in detail about the decision-making process or which countries are being specifically targeted, she reiterated the U.S.’s commitment to high security standards in the visa process.

“The visa adjudication process has got to ensure that U.S.-bound foreign travelers do not pose a threat to the national security and public safety of the United States,” Bruce said. “That is, I think, a very low bar and is a bar that every nation should be able to adopt.”

Prime minister Browne confirmed Saturday that the country is one under review and that the government has received direct correspondence from the United States. He noted however that they remain engaged in active dialogue.

He also dismissed fears of a travel ban, expressing confidence in the ongoing diplomatic process. “We [the government] have the  diplomatic skills to make sure that the relationship does not deteriorate to the extent the United States has to take any such hostile position  against our people. “

Criticism from within and without 

Prime minister Gaston Browne also addressed prime minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) who he said is hurting what he described as “investment immigration programs”.

In April, Dr. Gonsalves reiterated that citizenship programs are “race to the bottom”.  He said that he was opposed to selling passports on the grounds of “practicality” and “sustainability”.

Browne however, in his recent response, said that countries like SVG, though lacking their own CIP, benefit indirectly through regional economic stability and foreign reserves largely supported by CIP revenues from Antigua and Barbuda and St. Lucia.

“St. Vincent is one of perhaps the smallest contributors to the foreign reserves of the OECS,’ he noted. “We contribute the majority of the foreign reserves to keep the currency stable. So, technically speaking, St. Vincent is actually benefiting from CIP,.”

Demonizing investment immigration programs, Browne argued, is unfair and unhelpful. “Countries with these programs have done significantly well. They’ve built better infrastructure and created more opportunities for their people,” he said. He added that while it remains a domestic decision whether a country implements such a program, well-regulated CIP initiatives are beneficial.

Browne also pointed to U.S. President Donald Trump’s implementation of the ‘Gold Card’ –  a type of residency permit to gain U.S. citizenship. “My understanding is that hundreds of billions of dollars have been raised already. And if you have these very wealthy countries, developed countries, who don’t need to have investment immigration programs, why should anyone think that small countries like ours should not have similar programs,” he questioned

Despite growing international pressure, Browne reassured the public that a U.S. travel ban on Antigua and Barbuda citizens is unlikely.

“I mean, where we think they will affect competitiveness, we continue to consult and to  engage in dialogue to come to a consensus … So this issue that we will be banned or let’s say the OECS, CIP country citizens will be banned going into the US. I don’t think we’ll ever get to that stage because at the end of the day, all of us understand the importance of the US market to our country and our people. “

Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants

Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department announced stricter screening procedures for international students and cultural exchange visitors applying under the F, M, and J visa categories. The move is part of broader efforts to strengthen national security and public safety.

Applicants will now be required to make their social media profiles publicly visible to consular officers as part of a more rigorous vetting process. “All applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public,’” the State Department said.

According to the statement, visa applicants will now undergo more comprehensive vetting—including a review of their online presence—as part of new measures aimed at identifying individuals deemed inadmissible to the country.

The move is expected to impact international students and exchange visitors applying for study and cultural exchange programs across U.S. institutions. It comes amid a broader push by U.S. authorities to enhance border security and safeguard against potential threats.

Visa appointments for F, M, and J categories, which had been on hold, are expected to resume shortly at overseas posts, with applicants being advised to check embassy and consulate websites for availability.

The State Department noted that the updated screening protocols are part of an ongoing effort to ensure that individuals entering the United States “credibly establish their eligibility” and are genuinely pursuing educational or exchange-related objectives.