United States buyers are heading to the Caribbean not only for a seasonal and enjoyable vacation but also to purchase properties. Americans’ purchase of properties on some islands has increased significantly. While making these purchases, the benefit of what comes with the purchase is notable: obtaining a second passport from the island nation.
Five Caribbean nations — Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia — now offer citizenship-by-investment (CBI). Through this program, foreign nationals can obtain citizenship in exchange for investing in real estate, typically beginning with at least US$300,000.
In return, they gain visa-free access to as many as 150 countries, including Europe and the United Kingdom, and the right to hold dual citizenship from the islands participating in the CBI program.
“We have never seen demand like this before,” said Nadia Dyson, a real estate agent based in Antigua and the owner of Luxury Locations Real Estate. She continued, “Right now, 99% of our buyers are looking for properties that qualify for citizens by investment.”
The programs attract a wave of interest from United States citizens, particularly amid growing political polarization and cultural uncertainty in their homeland.
According to Henley & Partners, a global investment migration consultancy company, applications for citizenship-by-investment rose to 64 % in the first quarter of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. Inquiries about citizenship-by-investment were up by 53%.
“It used to be a side benefit,” Nadia Dyson explained. “We used to cater mostly to lifestyle buyers for a vacation property – but everything has shifted over the past 18 months. Now buyers come in saying, “I want citizenship – and I want a house that feels like home.”
The report also stated that the appeal of a second passport, especially one offering global mobility and potential tax advantages, has become a major motivator for U.S. high-net-worth individuals. It adds, “For many Caribbean real estates is no longer just an escape—but an insurance policy.”
Outside of the European Continent, the U.S. millionaires and billionaires are increasingly seeking citizenship in Caribbean nations, Turkey, and, perhaps unexpectedly and surprisingly, the island nation of Nauru in Micronesia has also been sought after.
