Growing Interest in “Golden” Visa Programs
There’s a noticeable trend among American elites gravitating towards “golden” visa programs, often in appealing locations. This time, the focus is on certain Caribbean islands: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia.
These islands provide Citizenship by Investment (CBI) initiatives, commonly known as “Golden Passports.” To get one, applicants can make two types of investments.
The first option involves making a direct contribution to the government, which is typically categorized as support for the economic diversification fund route. The second option is more tangible — purchasing pre-approved property starting at $200,000.
Interestingly, many of these Caribbean destinations don’t impose taxes on wealth, gifts, inheritances, foreign earnings, or capital gains. The CBI programs enable investors to keep their current citizenship while enjoying visa-free access to numerous countries worldwide.
Nadia Dyson, who runs Antigua’s Luxury Locations Real Estate, shared that there’s been a noticeable uptick in interest. “Right now, about 70% of all clientele are pursuing citizenship, predominantly from the US,” she noted.
She added that, unlike last year, when buyers were mostly focused on a lifestyle and occasionally considering citizenship, there’s now a clear demand for homes coupled with citizenship.
Meanwhile, New Zealand has also seen an increase in Americans looking into “active investor plus” visas. Recent changes to visa regulations aimed at attracting wealthy individuals have made things easier, such as lowering the English language requirements and reducing the minimum time spent in the country.
In a span of less than three months, New Zealand received 189 Golden Visa applications — a stark contrast to the previous total of 116 applications collected over two and a half years. A significant portion of these applications came from US citizens.
In this context, former New Zealand Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash noted that demand for such visas is on the rise. “With so much global unpredictability right now… there’s a war in Europe, tensions in the Middle East, and shifts in the US government,” he commented. “People aren’t just searching for tax havens anymore; they’re seeking secure places for themselves and their families.”
