Citizenship of Dominica for US$ 100,000

How should you proceed to acquire citizenship of Dominica in the Caribbean? We invite you to apply for our services to become a Dominican citizen in 2020. The Dominican passport is the most affordable passport in the world and it takes only three to four months to obtain one. Citizenship of Dominica means low taxes, visa-free travel around the world, the possibility to live in any country, and many other enticing things. From the text below, you will learn exactly how much a Dominican passport costs, what procedures you have to go through in order to obtain one, and what application documents you have to collect.

Dominica is an island located in the Caribbean basin to the south of Martinique and to the north of Guadalupe. Its area is 751 square kilometers (290 sq. miles) and its coastline is 148 kilometers (91 miles) long. The population of the island is 73,500 people (according to the World Bank report of 2016). Twenty thousand of them live in the capital city of Roseau and the largest city in the country called Portsmouth.  

The official name of the country is the Commonwealth of Dominica. This phrase is found in various official documents and it helps disambiguate the country’s name to distinguish it from Dominican Republic, which is a different state in the Caribbean.

Dominica gained independence from the United Kingdom on November 3, 1978 and now it is a country with a bright combination of European and African cultures and a home to many Island Caribs, the Indians of the pre-Columbus epoch. The official language of the country is English even though Creole is often spoken there as well. The dominant religion in Dominica is Catholicism.

Dominica boasts mild tropical climate and it is often called “The Nature Isle” because of its abundant flora and fauna. There are several National Parks in the country where you can find pristine tropical forests and lush vegetation. A number of lakes and waterfalls as well as the world’s second largest hot spring can be found in Dominica. There are also 365 rivers in the country, one per each day of the year. Thus, it is not surprising that Dominica is very popular with hikers and divers who come to the island all the year round.

The major export items include agricultural products such as coffee, cacao, bananas, citrus and other tropical fruits. In addition to that, the country exports rum, wood, and soaps. Tourism including the increasingly popular ecotourism brings a considerable portion of income to the Dominican state budget.

There are two airports in Dominica: Melville-Hall (DOM) and Canefield (DCF). Melville-Hall is the larger airport and most flights use this air gate located in the northeastern part of the island one hour away from Roseau. Canefield airport, in its turn, is located very close to the capital city but it has a one-kilometer-long runway that suits local charter flights and private planes. There is air connection with the United States, Europe, and other Caribbean states in Dominica.

Dominica is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the Caribbean Development Bank, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Organization of American States (OAS).

Citizenship by investment in Dominica: how to obtain a Caribbean passport

The local currency is the East Caribbean dollar (XCD), but it is pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate: 1 USD = 2.7169 XCD. However, Dominica launched the ‘citizenship by investment’ program in 1993 and its participants have been able to make payments in US dollars ever since. Moreover, since rather recent times, payments are also accepted in euros and British pounds.

IMPROTANT: Any payment made in EUR or GBP shall be equal to the required program payment indicated in US dollars at the exchange rate effective on the date of transfer. The payment that does not come up to the required amount will be rejected as insufficient.  

In order to qualify for Dominican citizenship by investment the applicant has to be over eighteen years of age. (This concerns only the main applicant while his or her dependent children can be younger.) The investment options are as follows:

• A non-refundable donation of US$ 100,000 (or the equivalent in EUR or GBP) to the Economic Diversification Fund of Dominica for a single applicant; additional payments are required in the case of family application and their amounts depend on the total number of family members;

OR

• A refundable investment of minimum US$ 200,000 into Government-approved real property in Dominica.

The Government of Dominica encourages foreign nationals to participate in the ‘citizenship by investment’ program to facilitate the growth of the national economy, create new jobs, improve the business environment in the country, and contribute to the nation’s prosperity in general.

Citizenship of Dominica in exchange for investment into real estate in the country

In order to obtain Dominican citizenship through investing into real estate you have to purchase property that is worth at least US$ 200,000. However, the following mandatory payments are also involved:

• US$ 25,000 as an application fee for a single applicant;
• US$ 35,000 as an application fee for an applicant with a spouse;
• US$ 35,000 as an application fee for an applicant with three dependents such as the spouse and two children, for example;
• US$ 50,000 as an application fee for a family of up to six people in total;  
• US$ 70,000 as an application fee for a family of seven members or more.

The property shall remain in the new Dominican citizen’s possession for five consecutive years. After this term expires, the property can be sold and the citizenship retained. Besides, the following payments are also due:

Application processing fee
US$ 1,000

Due diligence fees

• Main applicant — US$ 7,500
• Spouse — US$ 4,000
• Dependents 16 years of age and older US$ — 4,000 per each dependent

Naturalization certificate
US$ 250 per person

Fast-tracked passport issuance 
US$ 1,200 per passport

You should also take into account all the applicable bank commissions as the state application fees have to reach their destinations in the required amounts.

Citizenship of Dominica in exchange for a donation

The Dominican Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) was established in the frameworks of the ‘citizenship by investment’ Government program. This is an instrument of capital mobilization aimed at the development of the national economy. The capital that the EDF generates is used for various projects in the state and private sectors.

Apart from other areas, the EDF-generated funds are used for the following activities: (1) school construction; (2) hospital reconstruction and development; (3) stadium construction; (4) facilitation of the offshore services development. As far as the private sector is concerned, the money raised by granting Dominican citizenship to foreign nationals in exchange for investment is mostly used to support tourism development in the country, informational technologies, and agriculture.

In order to obtain Dominican citizenship by making a donation to the EDF the following payments have to be made and their amounts depend on the number of applicants:

• A single applicant: a non-returnable donation of US$ 100,000;
• An applicant with a spouse: a non-returnable donation of US$ 175,000;
• An applicant with three dependents: a non-returnable donation of US$ 200,000;
• For any additional main applicant’s dependent: a non-returnable donation of US$ 25,000.

Some additional fees are also due when applying for Dominican citizenship in exchange for a non-refundable donation:

 Dominica citizenship by investment: the acquisition process

The process of obtaining citizenship of Dominica in exchange for investment contains the following major steps:

Dominica citizenship by investment – Step 1

The first step involves choosing the authorized licensed agent in Dominica who will file the application on your behalf. Applicants for Dominican citizenship cannot contact the Government Citizenship by Investment Unit (CBIU) but have to use the services of an authorized immigration agent.

Dominica citizenship by investment – Step 2

The second step involves establishing working contacts with the authorized agent of your choice who will provide assistance to you in completing the forms and preparing the documents that have to be submitted to the CBIU. You will have to fill out official application forms, undergo medical examinations, acquire several certificates and confirmation documents that have to be written in English, notarized, and apostilled. If you are buying property in Dominica, you will have to submit a preliminary purchase agreement (you are not supposed to pay the whole sum for the property at this stage of application).  

Dominica citizenship by investment – Step 3

Your application will be inspected by the immigration agent and the country’s authorities. The information that you will have supplied will be validated. The CBIU officials will consider your application and issue approval or rejection recommendations to the Government of Dominica.

You will receive a letter from your immigration agent informing you that your application has been provisionally approved (thus, you will obtain government’s “consent in principle”), or its consideration has been prolonged, or it has been rejected. By the way, less than three months usually pass between filing the application for citizenship and obtaining “Consent in Principle”.

Dominica citizenship by investment – Step 4

When all the forms are completed and all the documents submitted, your authorized agent will send them to the CBIU and will keep in touch with the Unit on your behalf. The agent will be in correspondence with the CBIU and will reply to their queries and information requests should they have any.

Currently, an interview with the applicant for Dominican citizenship is not mandatory as it used to be before. However, a video interview may be required on the government officials’ request.

Dominica citizenship by investment – Step 5

If your application for citizenship has been approved (the “consent in principle” has been obtained), the letter from CBIU will also contain a request to make the required donation (if you are acquiring Dominican citizenship with a non-refundable donation), or to finalize the property purchase deal.

When CBIU receives the payment confirmation, it will issue the registration certificate to you that will serve as a confirmation of your citizenship. You or your authorized immigration agent can use this certificate to file an official application for the passport of Dominica.  

When receiving the Dominican passport, every new citizen has to sign an oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth of Dominica. The oath has to be signed in front of a public notary, judge of peace, or an authorized government official.  

We would like to stress that the process of applying for Dominican citizenship remains confidential with the exception of cases when the applicant’s information has to be checked by authorized international agencies.

The passports issued to investors are normally valid for ten years. Passports issued to children under the age of sixteen are valid for five years. Expired passports or those that have no blank pages left can be easily extended for a small charge at the Dominican Passport and Immigration Department or in any Dominican consulate anywhere in the world. In other words, you do not have to travel to Dominica in order to extend your passport.

Dominica citizenship by investment – the required documents.

The following documents are required in order to obtain a Dominican passport with the ‘citizenship by investment’ Government program:

• D1 — Information form;
• D2 — Fingerprint and photograph form (the fingerprints shall be taken by an authorized official);
• D3 — Medical form and examination certificate (to be issued by an authorized medical doctor);
• D4 — Investment agreement (applies only if you are acquiring citizenship through a donation to the EDF; to be signed by the main applicant);
• Property purchase agreement (applies only if you are acquiring citizenship by purchasing real estate in Dominica);
• Application for citizenship form № 12 (two completed and notarized copies);
• Color copies of all applicants’ passports;
• Birth certificates (if children are included in the application);
• Marriage license (if applicable);
• Criminal records issued by police departments of the applicants’ country of citizenship or residence. If the applicants have resided in several countries over the last ten years, criminal records issued in all countries of residence shall be submitted. Every applicant above the age of sixteen shall submit a criminal record. If children between twelve and fifteen are included in the application, their parents’ sworn testimony is required according to which the child has never been legally prosecuted;  
• Color copies of driving licenses;
• Color copies of all other official identification documents;
• Color copies of the documents reflecting the applicants’ military services, if applicable;
• Color copies of the documents certifying change of personal name (excluding change of name due to marriage), if applicable;
• Eight passport size photographs of each applicant;
• A proof of residential address (a rent agreement or a utility bill);
• Color copies of university or college diplomas;
• A Letter of Recommendation from the school principal for children between twelve and eighteen;
• A notarized affidavit of financial support of children between eighteen and thirty years of age;
• HIV test results (for all applicants above twelve years of age);
• Blood and urine test results;
• A Letter of Recommendation from a professional;
• Employment certificate or tax report;
• Bank statements for the last twelve months;
• A notarized affidavit of sources of capital;
• Business reports or résumés;
• A letter to the minister;
• Documents confirming payments of all state duties.

All the copies shall be notarized prior to submission. All the application documents shall be in English. In case they are translated into English, the translations need to be notarized and apostilled.

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that since May 1, 2017 the following documents do not have to be submitted when applying for citizenship of Dominica:

• A letter of recommendation from the bank;
• Personal reference;
• Immunization schedule;
• Audited financial reports.

However, the immigration agent will inform you that a letter of recommendation from your bank and audited financial reports for the last two years are required by the bank that will handle your payments of Dominican state duties.

Dominica citizenship by investment – the benefits of the Caribbean passport

When you become a citizen of Dominica, you will be able to enjoy multiple benefits that this status brings. The benefits include, but are not limited to, the following ones:

• Life in a peaceful and friendly jurisdiction and awareness of the fact that you have contributed to the well-being of the people of Dominica by investing in the country;
• Global mobility and visa-free travel to over 120 countries including Schengen zone countries, Great Britain, Singapore, and Hong Kong among many others;
• Minimal taxes: no wealth tax, nor gift tax, nor inheritance tax, nor capital gains tax, nor foreign income tax (this is going to change soon, though). Dominica has made double taxation avoidance agreements with the USA, the CARICOM countries as well as many other national states;
• The possibility to acquire the tax resident status if you reside in Dominica for more than six months in a calendar year;
• The possibility to have dual (triple, and so on) citizenship;
• The freedom to live in any country of the world, as there are no Dominican residence requirements to those who have obtained citizenship of the country through investment, neither prior to application nor after obtaining the citizen status;
• No restrictions on income repatriation nor import of capital;
• Generous business incentives that include corporate tax breaks and import duties exemption;
• The fact that the local currency is pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate guarantees financial stability in the country;
• Investors in Dominica gain duty-free access to the Caribbean basin markets.

Dominica citizenship by investment – professional assistance

Citizenship by investment of US$ 100,000 in Dominica is an opportunity not to be missed. We have already helped a large number of clients become citizens of this warm Caribbean country and we invite you, dear readers, to join the group of the lucky ones. This is the least expensive second passport opportunity in the world!

You certainly realize that applying for citizenship of a foreign country is a difficult and time taking process. A lot of legal and paper work needs to be done. Our Dominican partner company experts have vast experience in helping clients obtain Dominican citizenship.

They will make every effort and use all their connections to make you and your family citizens of Dominica. Of course, there may appear some unforeseeable circumstances. But if all the documents are collected and properly completed, we give you a 100% guarantee that with our assistance you will be able to obtain Dominican citizenship by investment.

Our Dominican partner charges between US$ 25,000 (for a single applicant) and US$ 30,000 (for a family application) for their services. The money shall be paid in two installments: 50% on signing the service agreement and 50% on application approval.

50% of the overall pay can be returned to the client in case his or her application is rejected while all the application documents contain true and exhaustive information. (We assure you, however, that such situations hardly ever happen. If all documents are in good order, the application will be approved.)

At the same time, no reimbursement will be made in case the applicant submits false or misleading information when applying for Dominican citizenship by investment.

Our partner company in Dominica works directly with an authorized immigration agent. All the payments shall be made to the account of our Dominican partner and the company will transfer the funds to the immigration agent’s account.

All state duties that are charged for application processing and due diligence procedures are to be transferred to the account of the Dominican Government. Our partners in the country know the procedure from A to Z, which means that their assistance will let you save a lot of time, money, and nervous cells while achieving the result that you seek.

The four stages of cooperation with our Dominican partner and their durations are described in the table below:

Please write to us to [email protected] in case you have any questions about acquiring citizenship of Dominica in exchange for investment. We will be happy to assist you in raising the level of your personal freedom.

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