Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced that successful applicants under Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program will be required to travel to the country in person to collect and renew their passports. The move marks a significant departure from the program’s longstanding remote-processing model and aligns Dominica more closely with regional reforms being implemented across the Caribbean under increasing scrutiny from the United States and the European Union.
Speaking at a press conference on June 10, Skerrit confirmed that newly approved citizens will no longer be able to complete the entire process remotely. Instead, they will be required to visit Dominica before receiving their passports and again when renewing them. According to the Prime Minister, the requirement is intended to strengthen the connection between new citizens and the country, allowing applicants to develop a better understanding of Dominica’s culture, people, and national development goals.
Since its launch in 1993, Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment program has been known for its accessibility. Applicants have traditionally been able to complete the entire process without visiting the country, relying on licensed agents and virtual interviews. No residency or physical presence requirements applied either before or after citizenship was granted. While this approach contributed significantly to the program’s international appeal, it has increasingly attracted criticism from foreign governments and international partners.
Regional Context
Dominica is one of five Caribbean nations offering citizenship by investment, alongside Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. In September 2025, the five countries signed an agreement establishing a regional regulatory framework and introducing a common physical presence requirement of at least 30 days during the first five years of citizenship. Implementation of the agreement was delayed until mid-2026 following Saint Lucia’s December 2025 general election, which temporarily paused the legislative process required to enact the reforms.
Dominica’s own implementing legislation remains under development. Skerrit indicated that further details, including the practical requirements associated with passport collection and physical presence, are expected to be announced as part of the government’s upcoming national budget.
US and EU Pressure
The timing of the reform reflects growing international pressure on Caribbean citizenship programs. Over the past several months, both Washington and Brussels have expressed concerns regarding the absence of meaningful residency or physical presence requirements for economic citizens.
In December 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation imposing partial travel restrictions on Dominican nationals, citing the lack of a residency requirement among the factors underlying the decision. Subsequently, the US Department of State reduced the validity period of visitor visas issued to Dominican citizens from ten years to three months and included Dominica in a January suspension of immigrant visa processing affecting multiple countries.
The European Union has adopted an even more critical position. In December, European officials warned that the operation of citizenship by investment programs could, in itself, provide grounds for suspending visa-free access to the Schengen Area and have continued to encourage Caribbean governments to phase out such programs altogether.
The Dominican government views the current reforms as necessary to preserve the long-term viability of its citizenship program. Revenue generated through the CBI program has played a significant role in financing public housing projects, healthcare facilities, educational infrastructure, and climate-resilient development initiatives throughout the country.
What About the Caribbean Five?
Several neighbouring jurisdictions have already begun implementing similar changes. In January, Saint Kitts and Nevis announced plans to phase out its traditional donation-based model in favour of a framework emphasizing genuine connections to the country through physical presence, business activity, and long-term engagement. Officials described the initiative as the most significant transformation in the history of the program. Antigua and Barbuda, which already maintains a physical presence requirement, has also indicated that it may increase the obligation to 90 days in response to concerns raised by the United States.
Dominica citizenship applications submitted before the end of June 2026 are expected to be processed under the current framework, which does not require an in-person visit. However, the government has not yet announced an official cutoff date.
For prospective applicants, the direction of travel is clear. Dominica is moving away from a fully remote citizenship model and toward a framework that requires a demonstrable physical connection to the country. The forthcoming budget is expected to clarify the number of days applicants will be required to spend in Dominica and how the new requirement will be integrated into the passport issuance process. What is already evident, however, is that Dominican citizenship will no longer be available through a purely remote process with no physical presence requirement.