Investors and high-net-worth individuals often wonder whether the Caribbean citizenship obtained through investment is permanent or in other means it is granted for life. The answer is definitely yes, as citizenship acquired by investment is a status that an individual will always hold.
Caribbean countries, such as Dominica, St. Kitts & Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, and Grenada, legally offer individuals and families irrevocable second citizenship and passport in only four to six months.
Caribbean Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs are legally entrenched in law and do not require applicants to renounce their existing citizenship. In all countries, citizenship is passed to future generations.
Naturalization through investment is protected under the constitutional provisions of citizenship, which means that individuals holding citizenship have the same rights and privileges as any other citizens, including the ability to live, work, and study.
Citizenship’s validity Vs. Passport’s validity
However, it’s crucial to emphasize that a citizenship’s validity is completely different from a passport’s validity. Individuals who hold citizenship are given a passport that has expiration dates. For instance, Dominica, and St. Kitts and Nevis, provide passports that are valid for ten years, while Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, and Grenada’s passports are valid for five years only. Hence, when a passport expires, it can be renewed as long as the individual remains a citizen.
Loss of citizenship
Individuals can lose their citizenship in very rare circumstances. This happens in two cases, either when individuals voluntarily renunciate it, or if the government revokes it. Although it seems uncommon, citizens can renunciate or give up their citizenship if they wish to be naturalized in another country that does not allow dual citizenship, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, China, or Japan.
Another reason to lose Caribbean citizenship is revocation. This may occur in rare circumstances, for instance, if the government finds out that the applicant had lied in their citizenship application or in other cases if the citizen is convicted of treason. If a naturalized person commits significant crimes, their citizenship, whether obtained through investment or any other route, may be revoked by the nation. Governments must follow the court’s ruling, but people have the right to seek due process in order to preserve their citizenship.
Revocation clauses are definitely not the way to filter out undesirables; instead, the government, throughout the citizenship application process, is required to conduct thorough due diligence. As a result, the occasional bad actors will be prevented from becoming citizens by being disqualified beforehand.
Citizenship forever
Once a person lawfully obtains citizenship by investment, he will maintain this status forever. This allows him to renew the passport each time it expires and enjoy the benefits of citizenship.
Citizenship holders should refrain from conducting any criminal activity, adhere to tax obligations, and follow the laws of the country. Therefore, it’s crucial to carefully review the terms and conditions of the specific citizenship-by-investment program they are interested in to understand the rights and responsibilities associated with it.
Main requirements for irrevocable citizenship
Caribbean CBI programs will only accept individuals of outstanding character and repute. To ensure only credible persons of impeccable standing are given citizenship and to protect the integrity of its citizenship investment program, Caribbean governments assign distinguished private investigative agencies to conduct a comprehensive due diligence procedure on all applicants older than 16 years of age. Only individuals with no criminal record and whose funds have been legally derived will be permitted to acquire citizenship.
The applicant must not be considered a potential national security risk, not be involved in any activity likely to cause disrepute to these countries, and not have been denied a visa to a country with which one of these countries has visa-free access. Applicants should have excellent health and must show that they do not suffer from any contagious diseases. They must officially commit to making the investment before applying to the investor program, but they do not actually have to pay the whole amount until they receive approval.
