The Antigua CIU CEO Answers Common Applicant Queries
The questions that come up most often in early conversations with Antigua applicants — answered by the head of the Antigua Citizenship by Investment Unit, with PassPro's commentary alongside.
A formal office interior with a single chair, framed by clean architectural lines.
Charmaine Quinland-Donovan, then-Chief Executive Officer of the Citizenship by Investment Unit of Antigua and Barbuda, sat down with PassPro to answer some of the questions that come up most often in conversations with new and prospective citizens. Her answers, reproduced below, remain a useful reference point for anyone considering the Antigua and Barbuda programme.
On the difference between citizens by birth and citizens by investment
Is there any difference between a citizen by birth and a citizen by investment in the eyes of the government and the law?
The original 2018 answer described the position at that time. Descent, child-registration and voting rules should now be checked against current Antigua and Barbuda law and the family’s facts; this interview should not be used as a substitute for current legal guidance.
On the rights and duties of citizenship
What is the government’s commitment to citizens in terms of their rights, duties, and the protection they receive from the state, within the nation’s borders and abroad?
By law, all citizens — whether by birth, registration, or naturalisation — are entitled to protection by the state and to due process under our legal system. Citizens are entitled to reside on the island, and they can choose to settle on our twin-island paradise at any time.
On protecting visa-free access to the UK and Schengen Zone
What does the government of Antigua and Barbuda do to protect the visa-free accessibility rights that its citizens currently enjoy?
The due diligence process we employ is multi-tiered and stringent, and we work to go above and beyond standard global best practice. For instance, we operate with a Restricted Country list — nationals of restricted countries are only eligible to apply for citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda under the Citizenship by Investment programme if they migrated before the age of majority, or have maintained permanent residence in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, or the UAE for no less than ten years. They must also have no economic ties to any restricted country.
We continue to stay abreast of the ever-evolving issues around security and border control. We feel it is our responsibility — not only to the people of Antigua and Barbuda but to the international community — to ensure that the process we employ consistently and adequately meets the border security standards of partner nations.
PassPro’s note
This interview is retained for historical context. Since it was published, the United States has partly suspended visa issuance to Antigua and Barbuda nationals, and in October 2026 the Prime Minister said Cabinet was considering a programme suspension to preserve Schengen access; no final decision had been announced as of 26 October. For current programme terms and travel rules, see our Antigua and Barbuda programme page.
If you would like to speak privately about whether a Citizenship by Investment programme fits your circumstances, reach a senior advisor at PassPro.
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