Dominica offers a direct route to second citizenship, unlocking visa-free travel to 145 countries, tax advantages, and a plan B in the Caribbean for the whole family.
There are legal paths to citizenship: birth, marriage, naturalisation, and investment. The investment route stands out as the fastest and most straightforward. A minimum contribution of $200,000 to the country’s economy grants applicants a Dominica passport in 6 months or more.
This article breaks down how to get Dominica citizenship and why it appeals to global investors.
Dominica citizenship offers various benefits.
1. Travel to 145 countries visa-free. Dominica citizens can travel freely to the Schengen countries, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
A visa-free stay in the Schengen Area is 90 out of 180 days. China and Singapore are open for 30 days of visa-free stay, and Hong Kong is available for 90 days.
2. Return on investment. Investments in Dominica’s real estate are refundable. Investors can sell their purchased property after 3 to 5 years to recoup their investment. During ownership, they can also earn rental income ranging from 2% to 5% per annum.
3. Backup plan. Dominica citizens can enter the country anytime, even if the borders are closed to foreigners. Therefore, Dominica can become the investor’s safe haven, allowing them to move there if something happens in the investor’s country of origin.
4. Tax optimisation. Dominica citizens do not pay taxes on dividends, interests, or royalties from abroad. Additionally, there are no taxes on capital gains or inheritance in Dominica.
5. Opening bank accounts in Dominica. The investor can open a bank account in Dominica either in person or remotely. To do so, they must fill in an application form at the bank or on its website and undergo banking Due Diligence. For Dominica citizens, the process can be completed in a few minutes, while foreigners may need to wait several days.
The National Bank of Dominica, Commonwealth Bank and Trust and Paxum Bank are among the reliable Dominica banks.
6. Business development. Dominica citizenship allows investors to open international companies on the island. The country protects the company and its assets by not recording the founder's data in the commercial register, ensuring privacy.
7. Citizenship for the whole family. Investors obtain Dominica passports not only for themselves. Their spouses, children, parents, and grandparents can get citizenship too.
8. Dual citizenship permitted. Dominica allows investors to keep their existing nationality while holding a Dominica passport—no need to renounce your original citizenship.
9. No residency requirement. There’s no obligation to live in or even visit Dominica before or after you obtain citizenship, so you can complete the process entirely by proxy if you wish.
10. CARICOM membership. As a Dominica citizen, an investor becomes a full member of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, gaining the right to live, work and study in fellow CARICOM states under the Single Market and Economy regime.
CARICOM is an organisation of 15 Caribbean nations and territories formed to promote economic integration, cooperation, and free movement across member states. Dominica citizens can establish businesses, seek employment, pursue higher education, and invest in any participating country without the usual visa or work-permit requirements.
According to the Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship Act, one can become a Dominica citizen by birth or descent, marriage, naturalisation, or investment.
1. Citizenship by birth or descent. A child born on the territory of Dominica can automatically get Dominica citizenship, regardless of their parents’ nationality. A person can also obtain a passport if at least one of their parents is a Dominica citizen.
Citizenship by descent is available to individuals born outside Dominica who have at least one parent who is a national of Dominica. To apply, the applicant must complete the official Application Form for Citizenship by Descent, available on the Government of Dominica’s website.
The submission must include the applicant’s birth certificate, proof of the parent’s citizenship in Dominica, and other supporting documents. Once approved by the Ministry of National Security, Labour and Immigration, the applicant takes the oath of allegiance and receives Dominica citizenship.
2. Citizenship by marriage. A person who marries a Dominica citizen can obtain citizenship. However, the couple must be married for three years before the foreign spouse can get a passport.
A foreign national married to a Dominica citizen submits a filled‑out Application Form for Citizenship by Marriage, along with the required documents.
The list of required documents includes the marriage certificate, the spouse’s proof of Dominica citizenship, police clearance, a medical certificate, a bank reference, passport copies, and personal testimonials. After approval, the applicant takes the oath and pays a registration fee before acquiring citizenship in Dominica.
3. Citizenship by naturalisation. Dominica citizenship is granted to someone who has lived permanently in the country for at least seven years.
Those seeking citizenship by naturalisation must also meet the following requirements:
4. Citizenship by investment. Wealthy foreigners can obtain Dominica citizenship by investing at least $200,000 in the country’s economy.
The program allows the investor to add family members to the application, including spouses, children, parents, and grandparents.
The process is remote and confidential, with passports issued within 6 or more months.
An investor who seeks to obtain Dominica citizenship has to meet several requirements:
The investor can add family members to the application, including a spouse of the opposite sex and without criminal records, dependent children under 30, and dependent parents and grandparents over 65.
Investment is the fastest way to become a Dominica citizen: the process usually takes 6 or more months. All matters regarding the program are regulated by the Citizenship by Investment Unit.
To qualify, the investor must either make a non-refundable contribution to the state fund or buy real estate in Dominica.
Contribution to the Dominica Economic Diversification Fund must be at least $200,000. It is not refundable. The sum of investment depends on the family composition. While a single applicant pays $200,000, a family of up to four people must contribute at least $250,000.
As of 2025, Dominica has the lowest entry threshold among the ‘Caribbean Five’ — the five most popular countries offering citizenship by investment. Unlike the others, Dominica keeps the required amount the same whether the investment is a donation or in real estate, even though real estate allows for a potential return. Most other programs raise the bar for real estate to reflect that added benefit.
Real estate purchase. The minimum investment is $200,000+, and the property must be government-approved. The investment sum is fixed.
Real estate can be sold after three years if the investor sells it to someone who does not participate in the CBI program and after five years if the person does participate.
Additional expenses. Apart from the investment, applicants must cover other costs, such as Due Diligence, passport fees, and naturalisation certificate fees. The total cost varies depending on the number of people in the application.
The investor pays a Due Diligence fee of $7,500 for themselves and $4,000 for every additional applicant over 16.
For those buying real estate, there is also a state fee that depends on the family composition. The fee is $75,000 for a single applicant and $100,000 for a married couple or a family of up to four people.
| Type of expense | Investor | Married couple | Family of 4 with two children aged 12 and 17 |
| Real estate | $200,000 | $200,000 | $200,000 |
| State fee | $75,000 | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Due Diligence | $7,500 | $11,500 | $15,000 |
| Other fees | $3,300+ | $4,100+ | $6,500+ |
| Total | $285,800+ | $311,600+ | $314,000+ |
When applying for citizenship by naturalisation or other grounds, the applicant must provide a document package that includes:
If the application is approved, the investor must take an oath at the registry and pay a registration fee of $2,000 at the Treasury Department.
According to the experience of Immigrant Invest lawyers, obtaining Dominica citizenship takes 6+ months. It consists of several steps: collection of documents, Due Diligence, interview, and fulfilment of investment requirements. Immigrant Invest agents accompany the investor through the whole procedure.
Dominica ranks second among the leading Caribbean nations for citizenship by investment. The first spot belongs to St Kitts and Nevis.
In the first half of 2024 alone, Dominica approved 5,484 citizenship applications through investment, with rejection rates remaining notably low at 3.2%. These figures reflect the program’s strong global appeal and the government’s streamlined application process.
The Dominica passport is valid for 10 years for individuals over 16 and 5 years for those under 16.
Citizenship is granted for life, so the only requirement is to renew the passport. Using an expired passport is illegal and can lead to imprisonment.
The applicant does not need to come to Dominica to renew the passport. The procedure can be completed at the Dominica consulate in your country of origin. The application must be filed two months before the expiration date.
It is necessary to provide the following documents:
Dominica fully recognises dual citizenship. It means the country does not require people to renounce their existing citizenship when obtaining a passport of Dominica.
However, some countries, such as Afghanistan, Iran, and Thailand, do not permit dual citizenship. If you are from one of these countries, you might have to renounce your first nationality.
Learn about unique opportunities that the Dominica investment program can offer
The time a person will need to get citizenship in Dominica depends on the way of getting it.
According to the Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship Act, one can become a Dominica citizen by birth or descent, marriage, naturalisation, or investment. To become a citizen by naturalisation, a foreigner must live in the country for seven years.
The fastest way to obtain a Dominica passport is by investment. The whole process usually takes at least 6 months.
Dominica citizenship can be obtained by:
All these ways have different requirements.
The fastest way is to get a Dominica passport by investment. It will take 6 or more months.
There are two investment options:
There are two investment options under the Dominica citizenship by investment program: a non-refundable contribution and real estate purchase. Both of them require a minimum investment of $200,000.
A Dominica passport allows its holder to enter 145 countries without a visa. Among visa‑free destinations are the Schengen countries, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Yes, Dominica allows dual citizenship. That means you do not need to renounce your first citizenship when you obtain a second passport in Dominica. However, some countries do not allow their citizens to have dual citizenship. Therefore, you should check it in advance.
The Dominica passport is valid for 10 years if it is owned by someone over 16 years old and for 5 years if it is owned by someone under 16.
No, you cannot work in the UK without a special working visa as a Dominica citizen.
Yes, Dominica citizens are allowed to travel visa-free to countries of the Schengen Area. They can stay there for 90 out of 180 days.
Additionally, the Dominica passport gives its holders the right of visa-free entry to 145 countries.
Dominica offers a peaceful lifestyle, warm climate, and stunning natural surroundings, making it attractive to those seeking a slower pace of life. While infrastructure is developing, the island provides a safe environment, friendly communities, and a low cost of living compared to many other countries.
