;)
;)
DOMINICA CITIZENSHIP
The island of Dominica offers the most affordable legal citizenship-by-investment program in the world. Created in 1993 as a stimulus for domestic economic growth, the program is a reliable option in the global community.
The Commonwealth of Dominica became one of the Caribbean's few republics upon its 1978 independence from the United Kingdom. The island is a full and participating member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
One of the most naturally beautiful places in the world, this volcanically active island located in the lesser Antilles is known as the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean,” and is largely covered by thick rainforest and spotted with hot "sulfer" springs. Averaging only 50,000 visitors a year, tourism is still in its infancy in Dominica, where the principal economic generator continues to be in the agricultural sector. If you enjoy adventure and an active lifestyle, then Dominica may be for you. Although there are some great "boutique" style hotels, do not expect to find 5-star service or pampering on this island.
The island has one of the lowest GDPs in the Caribbean however, and the low standard of living for the local is visually appearant. Dominica is just less than 300 square miles (750 km2) with the majority of the English-speaking population (72,660) living around two centers on the west coast; Roseau and Portsmouth. The two cities are connected with a modern costal highway (recently completed and maintained by the Chinese government). Roseau is the political and commercial center of the island. Portsmouth is more tourism oriented and less developed area with a large international university with about 5,000 international students.
A Dominica passport allows visa-free travel to more than 100 countries (see table in the side column), including the United Kingdom and Caribbean and Commonwealth nations. Dominica will also have visa-free access to the EU Shengen region by the start of 2015. Dominica imposes no residency requirements and no taxes on non-residents, however residents of Dominica are subject to substantial taxes on income produced on the island.
The first step towards Dominica citizenship is commencing a background due diligence check. This service is performed by a Government authorized third party investigationagency, and costs between US$7-15k per family. After an initial review the agency will define the fee to be charged based on the citizenship, age and number of countries in which the applicants have lived. After the fee is paid directly to the investiagion agency, Due diligence can take from 4-8 weeks.
Once the background check has been initiated, NTL Trust will help you begin the citizenship application. It often takes a few weeks to prepare the citizenship application and required documents. The application process is very detailed, and all documentation must be correct. The Dominica government requires that all documents be no more than 3 months old and notarized. Non-refundable government fees (application fee, processing fee, naturalization fee, stamp fee) for citizenship application are approximately US$4k, for the investor only, and includes the family members. The application process is a lot of paperwork and can be tiresome.
All applications for the Dominica citizenship program are reviewed and submitted by a registered and licensed government agent. NTL maintains operations in Roseau through our partners, WHITCO, a registered citizenship agent. The agent fees range from US$20k for a single application to US$25k for a family application
Real Estate Option : NEW for 2014
Now you can qualify for Dominica Citizenship through a real estate investment of US$200,000. With this option, each family member will also pay a government fee of US$50,000, and other Due diligence and local agent fees do apply.
Donation Option
If the investor is the sole applicant (no citizenship for family), the single investor would be required to make an investment of US$100k.
For families looking for second citizenship, the investment schedule is listed below:
| Single Applicant |
US$100,000 non-refundable investment |
| Applicant plus spouse |
US$175,000 non-refundable investment |
| Family Application Two (Applicant plus one spouse and two children below the age of 18 years) |
US$200,000 non-refundable investment |
| Additional Children (added to family application) |
US$50,000 - each child 18 years and below US$100,000 - each child 18 - 25 years |
In the case that the applicant is not accepted, the contribution is returned minus the application fee. The granting of the citizenship is the sole discretion of the government of Dominica – most applicants are only denied when due diligence reveals false information or that the applicant has a criminal record.
When the investor has been approved, the payment is made to an Dominica government account. Dominica views the economic citizenship program as part of its national capital mobilization portfolio and channels above mentioned funds towards school construction, hospital renovation and promotion of the offshore sector.
Once the required background interview is completed and documents submitted, a Certificate of Naturalization and passport may be issued in as fast as eight weeks. However, processing times can vary depending upon the country of current citizenship. The Minister of Legal Affairs will sign the Certificate of Naturalization authenticating citizenship of the Commonwealth of Dominica.