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Overview of Dominica Citizenship by Investment Program

The Dominica Citizenship by Investment Program was established back in 1993. It is one of the longest-running and most reliable citizenship by investment schemes whereby you get a second passport in return for your donation to a government fund or purchase of real estate. Bear in mind that an investment in properties is both a lawful way of getting a second citizenship and a profitable way of investing money.

Dominica stands out among other Caribbean islands with its unique nature, austere volcanic peaks, forests full of exotic plants and animals, picturesque waterfalls, fresh-water lakes and unusual beaches. The islands attract over 200,000 eco-tourists each year.

Benefits of investing in Dominica passport

To apply for a passport of Dominica, an investor does not need to speak the language or take a test in local culture and traditions.
Citizens by investment are not required to live on the islands or even spend any time there.
The whole process of obtaining a second passport can be done remotely as it is required by law to submit an application to and communicate with the citizenship by investment unit only through an agent. You can get your Dominica passport from the comfort of your home.
Citizenship applications are processed quickly: it takes 3 to 6 months.
Dominica accepts dual nationality and guarantees 100% confidentiality to its new citizens.
Passport of this country is much more affordable than European citizenship by investment obtained under similar schemes. If you are single and have no dependants, Dominica program is the cheapest among other Caribbean citizenship by investment programs.

Who can apply for Dominica citizenship by investment

Dominica government is interested in attracting foreign investors, therefore there are minimum application requirements:

Main applicant must be at least 18 years of age.
All applicants must be in good health.
An investor must have clean criminal record.
Main applicant must have access to legally sourced funds that are sufficient to make a required investment/contribution and cover additional costs.

Dependent family members you can add to your application

A spouse.
Children under 30 years of age, including from previous marriages.*
Parents and grandparents over 55 years old.*
Siblings not older than 25 who are unmarried and have no children.*

Besides, you can apply for a Dominica passport for a baby that was born after you obtained your citizenship.

*Children aged over 18, as well as parents and siblings, must be financially dependent on the main applicant.

Important!

Dominica does not accept citizenship applications from residents of Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. However, if a national of these countries have not lived there for the last 10 years, does not have significant assets and does not do any business there, an exception may apply.

Two ways to invest in Dominica citizenship

One of the biggest advantages of Caribbean passport schemes is a choice of investment options. Dominica offers two.

Non-refundable contribution to Economic Diversification Fund

Investment amount – from $100,000

As you can guess from the heading above, this is a donation which cannot be recovered once you get your passport. By making it, you are contributing to the construction of schools, hospitals, transport infrastructure, as well as local tourism industry and agriculture.

A single applicant must be prepared to invest at least $100,000, excluding due diligence, passport and other fees.

Dependants come at an additional cost. Have a look at three calculations: for one applicant, for a couple and for a family.

Cost of Dominica citizenship by investment in the government fund


Donation	$100,000	$150,000	$175,000
Due diligence fee	$7,500	$11,500	$11,500
Processing fee	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000
Passport fee	$1,200	$2,400	$4,800
Naturalisation certificate	$250	$500	$1,000
Total:	$109,950	$165,400	$193,300

*A family includes two adults and two minor children under 16. If you want to add an additional adult dependant, the donation will be $25,000 per person or if it is your or your spouse’s brother/sister aged 18 to 25, they will cost you another $50,000 each plus additional due diligence fee of $4,000 for each dependant over 16.

Purchase of real estate in Dominica

Investment amount – from $200,000

You can contribute to the island economy by buying a share in a hotel under construction, a spa facility or a villa – one of the government approved projects. On the one hand, the state involvement significantly reduces a choice, but, on the other hand, it minimises risks by eliminating unscrupulous developers and fraudulent schemes.

The minimum purchase amount of $200,000 does not increase if you want to add dependants to your citizenship application. Unlike a one-off donation, you can return most or all of your money after 3 years. However, there is an additional government fee to pay.

You can make up for a part of the purchase costs if you decide to rent your property out. Dominica is popular for eco-tourism, so you can even gain on your investment if you sell after the required 3 years after you receive Dominica citizenship.

If for any reason you do not want to invest in a share in a hotel or an off-plan resort scheme, you can co-invest in a villa. Please bear in mind that in this case each investor must contribute at least $200,000.

Cost of Dominica citizenship by investment in real estate


Purchase of real estate	$200,000	$200,000	$200,000
Due diligence fee	$7,500	$11,500	$11,500
Processing fee	$1,000	$1,000	$1,000
Government fee	$25,000	$35,000	$35,000
Passport fee	$1,200	$2,400	$4,800
Naturalisation certificate	$250	$500	$1,000
Total:	$234,950	$250,400	$253,300

*Family includes two adults and two minor children under 16. If you want to add an adult dependant, the government fee will be $25,000 per person or if it is your or your spouse’s brother/sister aged 18 to 25, they will cost you another $50,000 each and additional due diligence fee of $4,000 for each dependant over 16.

Caribbean passport is not a popular relocation tool; it is more of a solution to a visa-free travel around the world. You would need a reliable property management company to take care of your real estate in a most efficient manner. Imperial & Legal team will be happy to assist you in this matter.

5 steps to Dominica citizenship by investment

Standard processing time is 3 to 4 months. However, it can take longer depending on your circumstances.

Get in touch with Imperial & Legal

Timeframe: 1 day

Our experts are intermediaries between you and Dominica citizenship by investment unit. We can arrange a consultation with an Imperial & Legal adviser either in our office or remotely by phone or WhatsApp/Zoom/Skype video call. Once we sign a service agreement, our advisers will review your circumstances to eliminate the risk of refusal at the very beginning and present your case in a most favourable light.

Prepare documents and submit an application

Timeframe: 2-4 weeks

Our advisers will prepare all documents to be submitted with your citizenship application. Copies of documents, unless originals are provided, must be notarised and in some cases legalised. Each applicant must go through a health check and submit recent HIV test results. If you buy a property, you should choose one from the approved list, sign a sale and purchase agreement and make a deposit.

Wait for Dominica government to process your application

Timeframe: 2-4 months

Upon receipt of your application, Dominica authorities conduct their due diligence through independent parties and depending on the results approve or refuse your application. If you are successful, go to the next step.

Make an investment

Timeframe: 4 weeks

Once your citizenship application is approved, proceed to making the required investment – either a donation to the government fund or payment of the remaining purchase price of the chosen property.

Get your Dominica passport

Timeframe: up to 2 weeks

When the Dominica Citizenship by Investment Unit confirms the receipt of your funds, you and your family will get certificates of naturalisation. Our team at Imperial & Legal will use them to file your passport applications. Collecting your Dominica passports will be the last step on your way to second nationality. You can either do it in person in our office or ask us to courier it to your home address.

5 unique opportunities for Dominica passport holders

1. Freedom of movement

With a Dominica passport, you can cross borders of over 140 countries around the world, including the UK, EU states, South Korea and Singapore. They also include 12 states that have a simplified visa procedure with Dominica when a visa is issued in the airport on arrival.

2. Favourable tax regime for Dominica residents

Tax residents of Dominica do not pay income tax and have no wealth, gift, inheritance, foreign income or capital gains taxes. The government has also signed double taxation agreements with many countries worldwide.

3. Excellent business environment

Dominica-registered companies trading abroad do not pay tax on foreign profit. The government also offers significant tax and export incentives to support businesses.

Dominica businessmen have a duty-free access to several Caribbean markets. There are no restrictions on the repatriation of profits and imported capital.

4. Economic and political stability

Dominica remains an island of stability while this cannot be said about some other Caribbean states. It boasts a laid-back atmosphere that at the same time is conducive to business activities. Local currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar, is pegged to the US dollar.

This tiny island state can become both your second home and plan “B” in case the worst comes to the worst in your home country.

5. Unique natural beauty of Dominica

If you decide to settle here, it will all be yours to enjoy – pristine nature that is so different from popular tropical resorts. Dominica’s rugged volcanic peaks organically co-exist with lush forests, fresh-water lakes, scenic waterfalls, fast rivers and outstanding coastline – it is a paradise for outdoor lovers and divers.

If you wish to enjoy all benefits that Dominica offers to its citizens, get in touch with our experts at Imperial & Legal. Our qualified advisers will help you and your family to obtain Dominica citizenship by investment in no time and at a minimum cost.

FAQ about Dominica citizenship by investment

How a Dominica passport can benefit me?

First of all, it is common to invest in citizenship of this Caribbean country to be able to travel around the world without wasting time and money on visa applications.

As of early 2021, Dominica passport allowed for a visa-free or a visa-on-arrival access to 143 countries. It includes all EU states, the UK and Singapore. You can stay in Europe for up to 90 days in a row and up to 180 days in the United Kingdom.

As Dominica is part of Commonwealth, by acquiring this second nationality you get opportunities to study in the UK on more favourable terms and use it as a first step to British citizenship.

Is Dominica a good country to live?

It is for those who would like a slow-paced, steady lifestyle on a tropical volcanic island far from the hustle and bustle of busy financial hubs.

Dominica is a popular destination among eco-tourists as it offers a huge variety of Caribbean flora and fauna, tropical rainforests, austere volcanic landscapes, geysers, hot springs and stunning black and yellow sand beaches.

Besides, it is a good jurisdiction to register an offshore company. Permanent residents would be able to enjoy all the perks of its flexible taxation system.

However, in a majority of cases, investing in a Dominica passport is a simple and relatively cheap way of travelling freely around the world.

Where shall a single investor invest their money to get Dominica citizenship?

A one-off contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund is often called the most efficient solution as it only requires $100,000. Add $9,500 to that to cover additional fees and charges.

Yet, we suggest that you should choose this option if you do not have a lot of money or you need a second passport as soon as possible. It is also a great investment for those who prefer simple solutions – pay the money, get your passport and forget about it until it is time to extend it.

However, if you have enough funds, have a look at both investment options paying special attention to the amount that you won’t be able to get back.

Comparison of 2 investment options for a single applicant under Dominica citizenship scheme

Type of payment	Contribution to Economic Diversification Fund	Purchase of real estate
Investment	$100,000	$200,000
Due diligence fee	$7,500	$7,500
Processing fee	$1,000	$1,000
Government fee	0	$25,000
Passport fee	$1,200	$1,200
Naturalisation certificate	$250	$250
Total:	$109,950	$234,950
Total non-refundable:	$109,950	$34,950

You can see that you can get most of your money back after 3 years if you invest in real estate, therefore purchasing a share in a hotel or a villa would be a good option provided you have time and money.

How to protect my investment in Dominica properties?

The government did their best to minimise risks for foreign investors. You are allowed to invest only in projects from developers that have been approved by the state.

As the whole citizenship application process is done through an agent, experts at Imperial & Legal will offer their advice as to which projects could be of interest to you, will help you insure your purchase and find a reliable property management company to make sure you get a monthly rental income.