Grenada launched its Citizenship by Investment Program in 2013, and has become a popular choice for HNWI’s looking to increase their global mobility and secure citizenship in safe and economically stable Caribbean country.
Grenada provides its citizens with visa-free travel to 143 countries including the UK, Ireland, The Schengen Area, China, Russia, Singapore and Hong Kong. But what makes Grenada unique is that it is the only Caribbean nation with an E2 treaty with the US. This treaty provides its citizens, including new investors with a potential route to the US residency via the E2 investor visa.
On top of the government donation, applicants will need to pay the following fees:
The National Transformation Fund (NTF) was created by Grenada’s government back in 2013 in order to boost the prosperity of Grenada’s economy.
The National Transformation Fund finances projects in tourism, agriculture, and alternative energy and is a genuine way for investors to contribute to the growth of their new nation’s economy.
The non-refundable contribution is a effectively a donation to the government fund. However it is an investment in the sense that investors are awarded citizenship in Grenada in exchange for their economic contribution to the country.
The main applicant must demonstrate that they are at least eighteen years old; in good health and have enough funds to afford such an investment. The source of funds must be legal, and in order to ensure the requirements listed above are fully adhered to, the Government of Grenada subjects applicants to strict due diligence procedures. Supporting documentation will be required.
The government contribution option is straightforward. The applicant is effectively paying a one off fee and this economic contribution to Grenada is made in direct exchange for citizenship.
Therefore this option is better suited to candidates for those who are not interested in the hassle that comes with making and maintaining a real estate investment. The initial outlay is also less than the real estate option.
The following government fees are charged for applicants applying for citizenship in Grenada:
Government fee up to a family of 4: $50,000
Fee for Additional Dependent Children: $25,000
Fee to add a Parent or Grandparent: $50,000
Fee to add a Sibling: $75,000
In addition to these fees the government also charges the following fees:
This is an investment and if capital preservation is important then there are some fantastic hotel projects in Grenada approved under the CBI program. Such projects provide investors with the opportunity to earn annual returns and some of these projects offer annual stays at the hotel each year for investors who would like to visit Grenada on holiday.
There are also options for clients who are interested in purchasing a holiday home or even relocating to Grenada. For those interested in applying for the E2 Visa it is important to create ties to the country to become eligible, and an advantage of the real estate option is that certain investments can provide such ties giving investors the opportunity to obtain both proof of a local address and a tax identification number.
Additionally, the main applicant must be at least eighteen years old; in good health and have enough funds to afford such an investment. The source of funds must be legal and the government of Grenada will require supporting documents for their stringent due diligence checks.
Applicants must maintain their investment for a minimum period of 5 years in order to keep their citizenship in Grenada. After this 5 year period investors can resell their investment. If the investment is resold to another foreigner then the new buyer will also become eligible to apply for citizenship in Grenada under the CBI Program.
For clients interested in ensuring that their investment is resold after 5 years the True Blue Hideway project in Grenada offers a guaranteed buyback at market value.
New citizens of Grenada are entitled to apply for the E2 Visa in the United States whether they applied for citizenship in Grenada via the donation or the real estate route.
That said, the US government expects news citizens in countries like Grenada to have developed ties with the country. So for those who are not planning to spend much times in Grenada then the real estate option offers an easier way to build ties to the country since in many cases you will be provided with a local address and a local tax ID.
For those interested in relocation to Grenada or spending a significant amount of time in the country each year, it will be easy to develop ties to the country and in this scenario the real estate option offers no significant advantage.
You do not need to wait. As you soon as you become a citizen in Grenada you are entitled to apply for the E2 Investor Visa.
From start to finish the process for the E2 Investor Visa is about 2 months. Therefore, it is realistically both acquire citizenship in Grenada and then residency in the US through the investor visa in a matter of 6 months.
Yes, investors can apply for E2 visas for their spouse and dependent children under the age of 21 to reside in the US with them. The family members can either apply at the same time as the main applicant or after the investor has obtained his visa.
The spouse of the investor has the right to work and the dependent children can study in the US at either a public or private school.
Yes, investors can apply for E2 visas for their spouse and dependent children under the age of 21 to reside in the US with them. The family members can either apply at the same time as the main applicant or after the investor has obtained his visa.
The spouse of the investor has the right to work and the dependent children can study in the US at either a public or private school.
For Grenadian citizens the E2 Visa is valid for a period of 5 years. There are no limits to how many times the visa can be renewed so it can used to reside in the US indefinitely, however the E2 Visa does not lead to a green card or citizenship.
In order to qualify for the E2 Investor visa, applicants have the choice to buy an existing business, set up and invest in a new business or invest in a franchise.
Investing in a franchise can make life easier since you are able to replicate an already successful business model, benefit from an established brand and access the support and infrastructure of the franchise such employee training, equipment and marketing tools.
If you are in good health, a person of good character, with no criminal record and have sufficient resources to invest then you will be a good candidate Grenada’s citizenship by investment program.
The Government will deny the application of any applicant who:
The main applicant can add the following family members as dependents on their application:
unmarried.*
Application times vary, since they are a partly dependent on how quickly the client can gather all the necessary documentation. However the full application process generally takes between 90-180 days. Note that the COVID-19 pandemic may effect application times.
Yes, the entire CBI process including acquisition of any approved real estate investment can be achieved remotely.
Grenada is a small Caribbean Island nation situated in the Lesser Antilles in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela and South West of The Grenadines.
Otherwise known as the “Island of Spice”, Grenada is comprises of the main island plus six smaller islands. Initially a French colony, Grenada was taken over by the British who ruled for over two century.
Grenada obtained independence from the UK in 1974 and as part of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II is the reigning monarch and head of state. Grenada with its population of 107,000, as its nickname would suggest is a major spice producer. The island is also a hugely popular international tourist destination and a major player in the offshore banking sector.