Dominica Citizenship Benefits and Application Process

If you possess a Dominica second passport, you can:

• Stay and run business on the island that boasts a pleasant tropical climate and peaceful stress-free conditions.
• Enjoy visa-free travel to over 100 countries across the globe. Dominica citizenship visa-free countries comprise the EU member states, as well as the UK, Switzerland, and more.
• Operate a business in a minimal taxation economy. The country signed double taxation agreements with the US and other states that ensure significant business savings.
• Make use of taxation incentive packages for the business that offer reduced rates or exemption from import tax duty, depending on the business type and revenue.
• Access Caribbean duty-free markets to offer your products or services.
• Get Dominica citizenship for your new children without extra investment. You will only have to pay a standard government fee to register a newborn child.

Dominica citizenship by investment program came into effect in 1993. It is one of the first investment citizenship programs worldwide, and the most affordable. While the investment criteria were supposed to be increased in 2016, the government postponed the cost increase indefinitely. Moreover, some charges went down making Dominica passport cost manageable.

If you wish to gain Dominica citizenship by investment, the process will be quick and painless, because:

• You can choose an authorized agent to take care of communication and documentation necessary to join the program.
• You are not required to stay on the island for any length of time prior or after you get Dominica double citizenship.
• There are no laws that require you to visit Dominica to attend a government-held interview throughout the due diligence checks.
• You are not required to transfer the full sum of your contribution before your application is finalized.
• You can choose between two available contribution options and have the whole family become Dominica citizens.

Ultimately, the application includes only five steps:

1. Choose and contact an agent to deal with your request and interact with the CBIU (Citizenship by Investment Unit).
2. Submit all necessary papers, translated in English and notarized, and fill in the disclosure form, the investment agreement, and other papers.
3. Wait for the CBIU to check your background and submit a recommendation to the state officials, you will be notified of the results in a letter.
4. Once your application is approved in principle, receive instructions on how to complete the investment payment.
5. Wait for a certificate of registration that proves your Dominica citizenship, sing the Oath of Allegiance to the Commonwealth of Dominica in front of a notary to complete your citizenship procedure. You can apply for a passport once you are recognized as a full citizen.

The maximum application processing time is six months, though most applicants are granted citizenship within 12 to 14 weeks. However, these estimations do not include the time necessary to fill in the forms and collect the required papers. The timeline does not include filling in the Dominica passport form and receiving the document. All passport-related procedures take place after citizenship is granted and may come at an additional cost.

Anyone willing to make a minimum required contribution to Dominica economy can become a citizen. You must be an adult (18 years and older), possess good character and no criminal record. The documentation package will include dozens of documents, from your birth and marriage certificates to college diplomas and application forms. All papers should be translated into English and notarized.

Good health is among the essential requirements for Dominica citizenship. You have to go through HIV, blood and urine tests and attach a medical questionnaire and certificate to your application. Medical records should be completed by a licensed professional.

As of May 2017, your application does not require personal and bank references, financial reports, and vaccination chart. The application regulations may change without prior notice. However, your agent will be made aware of them and notify you of the new requirements as they come into effect.

If you opt for making a donation to the Economic Diversification Fund (EDF), the lowest acceptable investment per applicant is $100,000. To get the citizenship extended to your spouse and two children, you will need to contribute an extra $100,000. Due diligence review will cost you $7,500 for one person and an additional $4,000 for every family member over 16 years old. Due diligence charges may be extended considering your current citizenship status and individual circumstances. Obligatory processing fee is $1,000, while the Certificate of Naturalisation cost is $250/person. If you need to get the passport sooner, expedited charge will add $1,200 for every family member to your overall expenses.

If you decide to gain citizenship by way of buying real estate property, the minimum contribution should be $200,000. Besides the property cost, you are also required to pay obligatory government fees that go from $25,000 per person and up to $70,000 for an applicant with 6+ dependents. Processing and due diligence charges for real estate and EDF citizenship options are equal.

While buying real estate requires higher upfront expenses, you can return your money after selling the property. However, according to the Dominica laws, you must keep the property for at least three years and can only resell it after five years of becoming a citizen. It is hard to assess whether the real estate prices will go up or down in this period; therefore you cannot know for sure how much money you will be able to recover.

According to the Dominica citizenship by investment rules, you cannot contact CBIU directly or submit papers without an intermediary. If you are ready to embark on a journey to become a citizen, your first step is finding a reliable agent to take care of documentation and guide you through the application process.

Be cautious when choosing an agent, as scam websites offer false Dominica passport for sale. These have nothing to do with a legitimate citizenship program, and sometimes their prices are much higher than government-regulated fees. Do not look for Dominica citizenship for sale, instead rely on authorized agents to help you become a legitimate citizen with a passport that can get you in 120 countries without a visa.