Dominica is moving away from a fully remote citizenship by investment model. Under new rules announced by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit on 10 June 2026, successful applicants will be required to travel to Dominica to collect and renew their passports.
The change affects one of the long-standing features of Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment program: the ability to complete the entire process without visiting the island.
Skerrit said new citizens “will have to come to Dominica to receive and renew your passport as a citizen.” He added that the requirement is intended to help new citizens develop greater appreciation for Dominica’s people, culture, and development goals.
Part of a wider Caribbean shift
The announcement follows the creation of the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority, or ECCIRA.
In September 2025, five Caribbean countries with citizenship by investment programs — Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia — agreed in principle to introduce a common physical presence requirement and establish a regional regulator.
At the Caribbean Investment Summit 2026, ECCIRA supported a physical presence model under which successful applicants would need to spend at least 30 days in their country of citizenship within the first five years after approval.
This is separate from a residency requirement, but it signals a shift toward requiring a more visible connection between investor citizens and the country granting citizenship.
Further details on how Dominica’s new requirement will operate are expected to be announced alongside the country’s upcoming national budget.
International pressure on Caribbean CBI programs
The change comes amid growing scrutiny from the United States and the European Union over Caribbean citizenship by investment programs.
Western governments have increasingly focused on whether economic citizenship is supported by a meaningful connection to the country granting nationality. Programs with no residency or physical presence requirement have drawn particular attention.
Caribbean governments have responded by strengthening due diligence and introducing measures intended to show a “genuine link” between new citizens and the country.
St Kitts and Nevis has also been moving toward a physical presence-based model for investment citizenship.
What this means for applicants
For now, the practical effect appears limited. The announcement focuses on collecting and renewing Dominica passports in person, rather than creating a new full residency obligation.
However, it points to a clear policy direction: Dominica Citizenship by Investment is becoming less remote and more connected to the island itself.
Applicants should watch for:
- the official implementation date
- whether the requirement applies only to passport collection and renewal
- how existing citizens will be treated
- whether future rules will include a broader physical presence obligation
- how the 30-day regional proposal may be implemented
Existing and pending applications
Industry reports suggest that applications submitted before the end of June 2026 may be processed under the current criteria, meaning no in-person visit would be required.
However, the government has not formally confirmed a cut-off date. Applicants should not rely on unofficial timelines until Dominica publishes the official implementation details.
The main takeaway is that Dominica’s citizenship program is no longer expected to remain fully detached from the country itself. As Caribbean CBI programs face greater international scrutiny, physical presence and a stronger connection to the country are becoming more central to the future of economic citizenship.
Source article: www.globalcitizensolutions.com
