Dominica is a state in the Caribbean: its second name is the Commonwealth of Dominica. Investors can obtain Dominica citizenship if they contribute $100,000 or more to the state Economic Diversification Fund. The fund operates within the Dominica Citizenship by Investment Program framework.
Fund’s tasks and goals
Dominica’s EDF was established in 1993. The legal basis for the fund's work is set out in Section 101 of the Constitution of Dominica, the Citizenship Act and Dominica Citizenship by Investment regulations.
The money that investors contribute to the Dominica state fund goes to the country’s socio-economic development. For example, in 2020, money from the fund was allocated to construct a new Marigot Hospital. The hospital has an intensive care unit, maternity, outpatient and radiological departments, a trauma centre, ambulances, and the necessary modern equipment.
How Dominica’s EDF spends investors’ contribution money
🌊 $40.7 mln on flood protection | It saved the population from flooding: they deepened the river bottom, built river dams and structures that regulate drains and riverbeds |
🏘️ $40.7 mln on constructing new homes | They built a thousand earthquake-resistant houses for 6,680 families and planned to build five thousand more homes like that |
🚘 $20.8 mln on transport and roads | They repaired and built bridges, roads and airports |
📚 $26 mln on education | Dominica's youths gained an opportunity to attend the best educational institutions in the USA, Canada, and the UK |
💼 $23.3 mln on business and employment | 3,896 Dominica citizens got jobs, and 4,500 business owners received financial support |
💧 $64.7 mln on water supply | Every Dominica citizen gained access to clean drinking water |
♻️ $2.2 mln on renewable energy | They built a geothermal power plant with a 7MW capacity |
The Government of Dominica regulates the EDF's work. The state fund regularly provides the Government with data on the money from the citizenship program.
Dominica issued 5,814 passports to investors and their families from 2017 to 2020. The Citizenship by Investment Program has brought $1.2 billion to the country.
Minimum requirements for the Dominica EDF contribution
If applicants choose the contribution to the Dominica Economic Diversification fund, their investment will be non-refundable.
The minimum Dominica EDF contribution is $100,000, and the amount depends on the number of applicants. Investors can add their spouses, financially dependent children under 30, and parents over 65.
Additional applicants are usually referred to as "dependants" since they must be significantly financially dependent on the investor, the main applicant. They will receive the same Dominica citizen rights as the investor.
Minimum Dominica EDF contribution amount, depending on family size
Number of applicants | Contribution amount |
Investor | $100,000 |
Investor and their spouse | $150,000 |
Family of 4, including the investor | $175,000 |
Family of 4 or more, including the investor | $175,000 + $25,000 per additional applicant under 18 + $50,000 per additional applicant over 18 |
Additional EDF fees
Investors and dependants pay state fees along with the main Dominica EDF contribution. The amount depends on the number of applicants and their ages.
Fee type | Amount |
Processing | $1,000 per application |
Due Diligence | $7,500 for the investor $4,000 for their spouse $4,000 per additional applicant aged 16 or older |
Passport issuance | $1,200 per applicant |
Naturalisation certificate | $250 per applicant |
Why investors choose the Dominica citizenship program
Visa-free travel to 144 countries worldwide — this opportunity is granted to investors with Dominica passports. These are three-quarters of the planet’s independent states. Visa-free destinations include the Schengen Area, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
2 to 6 months take the procedure of obtaining an investor’s Dominica “golden passport” in exchange for a non-refundable state fund contribution. It is much faster than obtaining citizenship of an EU country.
For comparison, Malta citizenship for exceptional services by direct investment is obtained in a minimum of 14 months. Getting citizenship of other EU countries takes 5 to 12 years. At the same time, investors' expenses for Dominica citizenship are several times lower than European Union citizenship costs.
Dominica’s CBI program has been recognised as the best for four consecutive years, starting from 2017.
Top 10 citizenship programs for investors in 2022
Ranking | Program’s country | Points indicating the program’s convenience for investors, based on 9 criteria | Share of the maximum possible points (100) |
1 | Dominica | 81 | 90% |
1 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 81 | 90% |
3 | Saint Lucia | 78 | 87% |
4 | Grenada | 73 | 81% |
5 | Antigua and Barbuda | 69 | 77% |
6 | Malta | 60 | 67% |
7 | Montenegro | 56 | 62% |
8 | Vanuatu | 55 | 61% |
8 | Egypt | 55 | 61% |
10 | Turkey | 53 | 59% |
The ability to obtain a 10-year US visa is another Dominica passport advantage. With a B-1/B-2 visa, investors can visit the USA for business or travel purposes. A visa can be obtained at a US consulate in any country that allows free entry with a Dominica passport.
Reducing a tax burden. Investors also choose the Dominica citizenship program to optimise taxes for themselves and their businesses. In Dominica, residents don't pay taxes on dividends, interest, royalties, or real estate.