Six Documents You Need to Apply for Citizenship by Investment

The document set for a Caribbean Citizenship by Investment application is precise. The CBI units do not improvise — they verify identity, standing, and source of funds against a defined list of original documents, each attested through specific channels. Most applicants are surprised by the depth of the required set. None of them are surprised twice.

This is the core list.

1. Government-issued identification

A valid passport is the primary identity document. A driver’s licence and national identity card are typically requested as supplementary identification. Each must be valid, in the applicant’s current legal name, and consistent with all other documents in the file.

PassPro: we obtain certified copies through trusted in-country agents where the originals cannot leave your possession.

2. Original birth certificate

A certified original birth certificate, attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country of issue, is required. If the document is in a language other than English, an official translation is also required, attested.

PassPro: we coordinate the attestation and translation through licensed providers in the country of issue — typically a four-to-six-week process for documents from outside the Caribbean.

3. Marriage certificate (where applicable)

If you are married and applying with your spouse, the original marriage certificate is required — attested by the issuing country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and translated where necessary.

If you are divorced, the decree absolute is required. If you are widowed, the death certificate of the prior spouse.

4. Police clearance certificate

A police clearance certificate — issued by the relevant national police authority — is required from:

• Your country of citizenship
• Every country where you have resided for more than six months in the preceding ten years

For most applicants this means one to three certificates. For internationally mobile principals it can mean more. The certificates have a validity window (typically 90 days from issue) so timing matters.

PassPro: we manage the timing across multiple jurisdictions to ensure all certificates remain valid at the moment of submission.

5. Proof of residence

A recent utility bill, bank statement, or government correspondence showing the applicant’s name and current residential address. Typically required to be no more than three months old at submission.

6. Source-of-funds documentation

This is the most extensive part of the file. The applicant must demonstrate that the funds for the investment and all attendant fees come from legitimate origins, with a clear documentary trail. Acceptable evidence includes:

• Twelve months of bank statements at the time of application
• Salary or employment records for income-based wealth
• Sale documents for property or business divestments
• Investment statements for portfolio income
• Inheritance documentation where relevant
• Professional letters from accountants, lawyers, or banking relationship managers

The standard is high. The CBI units engage independent providers (World-Check, Exiger, and similar) to verify every claim.

What PassPro handles

In practice, you do not assemble all of this alone. PassPro provides a structured document checklist tailored to your specific circumstances at the start of the engagement, coordinates attestation and translation through trusted providers in each relevant jurisdiction, and packages the final file for submission to the authorised CBI unit.

You provide the originals. We manage every other step.

Why thoroughness matters

The single most common reason a CBI application is denied is inconsistency or omission in the document set — not because the applicant has anything to hide, but because the file was prepared without sufficient attention to detail. The CBI units cross-reference every document against the others. Discrepancies that would be overlooked in casual reference become flags in due diligence.

A well-prepared file is the structural prerequisite for a well-managed application.

For a private conversation about how the document process would work in your specific circumstances, reach a senior advisor.