The Citizenship by Investment Programs (CIP) in the Caribbean and Vanuatu are quite different with prices and fees. They also work different.
The biggest difference between the Caribbean CIP’s and the Vanuatu DSP/VCP schemes is the contribution fees. Unlike other Caribbean programs, Vanuatu citizenship program has Lawyer/Agent fees already included in the contribution. For Caribbean CIPs agent fee is extra
Vanuatu DSP: US$ 130,000 for one person ($80K goes to Govt and $50K goes to Lawyer and agent) plus $5000 due diligence fee. This is the minimum price set by Vanuatu citizenship commission. It cant be cheaper than this, it goes against govt rules. Application forms can be downloaded for free. New rules simplify Oaths now can also be taken through video conferencing
Caribbean CIP: Take for example Saint Lucia: $100K donation, plus $7500 due diligence fee plus Lawyer/Agent fee( $10K to $15K) one person
We tell client to understand the fee structure property. Don’t pay extra to agents!
The other important difference is speed in processing applications. Vanuatu is the fastest in the world with citizenship approvals possible in 1 month, if all documents in order. All caribbean programs take 3-4 months.
Here are some of the important differences between Vanuatu CBI and Caribbean CIP
| Vanuatu | Caribbean CIP | |
| Geo Location | Pacific | Caribbean |
| Govt Contribution | USD 130,000 | USD 100,000 |
| Lawyer / Agent fe | Included in the contribution (US$50,000 fixed by Govt) | Additional ($10,000 to $15,000 depending on dependents) |
| Real Estate Investment | not available | $200,00 onwards |
| Due diligence fee | $5000 per application | Applies to all family members above certain age. $7,500 (main, half for children) |
| Processing times | 1 month | 3-4 months |
| Application process | Easy | Medium |
| Visa free to Schengen / UK | yes | yes |
| USA and Canada | visa required | visa required |
| Passport time | 30-50 days | 90-120 days |
| Passport validity | 10 years | 5-10 years |
| E-2 visa option | not possible | Possible with Grenada |
| Commonwealth | yes | yes |
| Right to vote | not possible | possible |
| Passport power (visa free) | 129 countries | 140+ countries |
| Who cannot apply? | depends | depends |
| Personal visit | not required | not required |
| Oath | yes | yes |
We hope this tip will help you deeper understanding with the pricing structure of the programs. We believe these small tips will save lot of money for families during these tough times of Covid pandemic.
