Antigua & Barbuda's real 2026 minimum is $230,000, not the $100,000 many guides still quote. Full cost breakdown, fees, and what changed.
If you have been researching Antigua & Barbuda's Citizenship by Investment program, you have probably seen two different numbers: some sources quote $100,000, others quote $230,000. Only one of those is current. Antigua raised its minimum in the 2024 Caribbean-wide price harmonization, and a lot of content online — including, until this update, a figure on our own site — never caught up. Here is what the program actually costs in 2026, sourced directly from Antigua's Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU).
How much does Antigua & Barbuda citizenship by investment cost?
There are three investment routes. Pick one, then add the fixed government and due-diligence fees that apply regardless of which route you choose:
- National Development Fund (NDF): a $230,000 non-refundable contribution — flat for a single applicant or a family of up to 4, plus $15,000 for each additional dependent
- Approved real estate: $300,000 in a pre-approved development, held for a minimum of 5 years ($200,000 each if two investors purchase jointly)
- University of the West Indies (UWI) Fund: $260,000, inclusive of processing fees — available only to families of 6 or more, and it includes one year of UWI tuition for a family member
On top of the investment itself, every application carries fixed government fees:
- Government processing fee: $10,000 for a single applicant, $20,000 for a family of up to 4
- Due diligence fee: $8,500 for the principal applicant, $5,000 for a spouse, $2,000 per dependent aged 12–17, $4,000 per dependent 18+
- Passport issuance: $300 per person
Worked example — a family of four (two adults, two dependents aged 12–17) applying through the NDF route: $230,000 contribution + $20,000 processing fee + $17,500 due diligence ($8,500 + $5,000 + $2,000 × 2) + $1,200 for four passports = roughly $268,700 total. Family composition changes the due-diligence and passport lines, but the $230,000 contribution and $20,000 processing fee stay flat up to a family of 4.
These figures are sourced directly from Antigua's official Citizenship by Investment Unit fee schedule, verified 2026-08-25. Caribbean CBI pricing has changed before and can change again — confirm the current schedule before committing funds.
What is the National Development Fund (NDF)?
The NDF is Antigua & Barbuda's government development fund and the fastest, most straightforward of the three routes — most NDF applications process in 3–5 months. Unlike the real estate route, the money is a donation, not an investment: you do not get it back, and there is no property to manage or eventually sell. That trade-off — no ongoing asset, but no 5-year hold and no market risk either — is why the NDF is the route most families choose.
Citizenship by investment vs. a "golden visa" — what is the difference?
Antigua's program is often searched alongside "golden visa," but the two are structurally different. A golden visa (like Portugal's or Greece's) grants residency first, with citizenship — if available at all — arriving years later after a separate application. Antigua's CBI program grants citizenship directly, with no residency period required beforehand and no need to relocate. What you get is a second passport, not a residence permit, and it happens on a single timeline rather than two.
Who qualifies, and what does the passport actually get you?
Eligibility is straightforward compared to most immigration programs — there is no points system and no minimum score:
- Applicants 18 or older, with no serious criminal record and no significant adverse background
- A proven, legitimate source of the investment funds
- A clean bill of health — a medical certificate is required
- Family inclusion: spouse, dependent children up to age 26, parents over 58, and — uniquely among Caribbean CBI programs — unmarried siblings of the applicant or spouse
The passport itself gives visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 150+ countries and territories, including the UK and the Schengen area. Antigua permits dual citizenship, so there is no need to renounce an existing nationality. The only ongoing residency obligation is minimal: 5 days of physical presence in Antigua & Barbuda within the first 5 years after citizenship is granted — after that, none. That is part of why the 2024 price increase happened in the first place: the EU has pushed back on Caribbean CBI programs precisely because of how little presence they require. If you want the fuller regulatory picture, see our coverage of the EU's Schengen threat to Caribbean CBI programs.
The investment amount is only the headline number — due diligence, processing, and passport fees add a meaningful amount on top, and which route makes sense depends on your family size and whether you would rather hold a hard asset or make a straightforward donation. See the full eligibility criteria and step-by-step process on our Antigua & Barbuda Citizenship by Investment page, or get a free initial assessment of your specific situation.
