For families considering a second citizenship, recent developments in Antigua and Barbuda are an important signal that the current Citizenship by Investment landscape may not remain available indefinitely.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has indicated that Antigua and Barbuda’s Cabinet is leaning towards suspending its Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) in response to growing pressure from the European Union over Schengen visa-free access. While no final decision has been announced, the government is expected to confirm its position to the European Commission by November 12.
The development follows a formal request from the European Commission earlier this year for Antigua and Barbuda, along with the other Eastern Caribbean countries operating citizenship by investment programmes, to phase them out by June 1, 2028.
For prospective applicants, the message is increasingly clear: if second citizenship forms part of your family’s long-term plans, now is the time to understand your options. Speak with our team to learn more.
What Has Antigua and Barbuda Announced?
Prime Minister Browne said preliminary Cabinet discussions favour suspending the programme in order to protect Antigua and Barbuda’s visa-free access to Europe’s Schengen Area. However, a final decision has not yet been made.
This follows months of negotiations between the European Union and the five Eastern Caribbean countries currently operating citizenship by investment programmes: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia.
In June, the European Commission formally requested that these programmes be phased out by June 1, 2028. Antigua and Barbuda initially pushed back against a unilateral phase-out, with the government highlighting both the economic importance of the programme and the significant reforms already introduced across the region.
The latest comments from Prime Minister Browne suggest the government’s position may now be shifting.
Importantly, November 12 should not currently be viewed as a confirmed closing date for applications. Based on the information available, it is a deadline connected to the government’s response to the European Union. Details of any suspension, transition period or eventual phase-out have yet to be formally confirmed.
Why Is the Programme Under Pressure?
The European Union has increased its scrutiny of investor citizenship programmes in recent years, particularly where citizenship can be obtained through investment without what the EU considers a sufficient “genuine link” to the country.
Changes to the EU’s Visa Suspension Mechanism came into effect in December 2025. Under the revised rules, operating an investor citizenship programme without such a genuine link can itself provide grounds for suspending visa-free access to the Schengen Area.
Caribbean governments have responded with significant reforms, including stronger due diligence, regional oversight and moves towards increased residency requirements. Antigua and Barbuda has also proposed increasing its post-citizenship physical-presence requirement from five days to 30 days.
However, the EU’s position increasingly points to a more fundamental issue with the structure of citizenship by investment itself, rather than simply how individual programmes are administered.
What Could Come Next?
At Citizens International, we have long believed that Caribbean citizenship programmes are likely to become more expensive, more selective and require a greater physical presence in the country.
Recent developments reinforce that view.
While the timing and structure of future changes remain uncertain, we believe the longer-term direction could see traditional citizenship by investment evolve towards models requiring a more meaningful connection to the country. This could include longer physical-presence requirements or, eventually, a residency-to-citizenship model where applicants establish residency before becoming eligible for citizenship.
For families considering a second citizenship, that distinction matters.
Today, Antigua and Barbuda still provides an established route to citizenship with defined investment and eligibility requirements. Future pathways may involve considerably more time and physical presence before citizenship can be obtained.
Citizenship Should Be About More Than a Passport
These developments also reinforce something we have long believed at Citizens International: second citizenship should form part of a broader long-term strategy.
Antigua and Barbuda offers much more than international mobility. For many of our clients, the decision is also about creating another place to call home, owning property in a stable Caribbean jurisdiction, preserving wealth internationally and giving their family greater choice for the future.
That is why we increasingly see property, residency and citizenship as interconnected rather than separate decisions.
For clients choosing the real estate route to citizenship, an investment can provide both a qualifying pathway under the current programme and a tangible long-term asset in Antigua and Barbuda.
Considering Second Citizenship? Now Is the Time to Explore Your Options
There is still considerable uncertainty around what happens next. Antigua and Barbuda has not announced a final suspension of its Citizenship by Investment Programme, and the details of any transition towards a potential 2028 phase-out remain subject to further government and regional discussions. But the direction of travel is becoming clearer.
If a second citizenship forms part of your family’s plans, we believe now is an important time to understand the options available and consider whether applying under the current framework is right for you.
Citizens International is a licensed agent in Antigua and Barbuda, with a team that includes Antiguan citizens who understand what it means to live, invest and build a future here. We can guide you through the current citizenship requirements, approved real estate opportunities and the wider considerations involved in establishing a long-term connection to Antigua.
Speak with our team for a confidential consultation about your options under the current programme.
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