To apply for Dominica citizenship through the CBI programme, applicants must meet specific criteria and make an eligible investment. The requirements are designed to ensure that candidates are of good character and are committed to contributing to the economic development of the country.
Dominica’s CBI programme is built on the foundation of maintaining a strong, reputable citizenship base. Therefore, applicants must demonstrate that they are of good character and have no criminal background. Additionally, they must not be involved in activities that would endanger the reputation or safety of Dominica. Applicants must meet all the key requirements shown below..
Citizenship Eligibility
Dominica is known for its strict due diligence procedures, ensuring that only reputable individuals are granted citizenship. As part of the application process, all applicants and their dependents will be subject to thorough background checks. These checks assess the following:
- Criminal record: Applicants must have no criminal history. A police clearance certificate is also required from any country the applicant has resided in for more than six months in the past ten years. For children aged twelve to fifteen, a sworn affidavit by the parent confirming that a child does not have a criminal record is required.
- Financial standing: Applicants must demonstrate that they have sufficient legal funds to meet the investment requirements.
- Reputation: Applicants must not have been involved in any activities that would tarnish the reputation of Dominica’s CBI programme.
- Interviews – All applicants sixteen years of age or over will be required to attend a mandatory interview. During this time, a third-party due diligence agency will perform stringent background checks on the information you have provided.
- The government of Dominica uses reputable international due diligence firms to ensure the integrity and security of the process.
Age Eligibility
- Minimum Age: Applicants must be 18 years or older at the time of application. Both individual applicants and families with dependents can apply under the programme.
- Dependents: In addition to the main applicant, family members can be included in the citizenship application. Dependents eligible for inclusion are: Spouse: The spouse of the main applicant is eligible for citizenship.
- Children: Unmarried children between the ages of 18 and 30 who are financially dependent on the main applicant can be included in the application.
- Parents/Grandparents: Dependent parents or grandparents over the age of 65 who are financially supported by the applicant can also be added.
Banned Nationalities
- Belarus
- Russia
- All nationals from Northern Iraq are banned from applying for the Citizenship by Investment Programme of the Commonwealth of Dominica. This includes specific nationals from the Kurdistan region of Iraq, namely nationals from the cities of Erbil, Amedi, Dahuk, Kirkuk, Lalish, Raniya, Soran, Sulaymaniyah and Zakho.
- Yemen – Government Circular – Suspension of Yemeni Applications – 15.01.24
- Application from nationals of North Korea and Sudan will be refused unless the applicant has (1) not lived in these countries for at least ten years, (2) no substantial assets there, and (3) not performed any business or similar activity, in whole or in part, in or with the countries.
Source of Funds
When the process reaches the stage of evidencing the origin of the applicant’s funds, and its complexity depends on the circumstances specific to each case. If an applicant claims that their source of funds is from the sale of real estate, then a sale and purchase agreement in support must be provided.
Business Profits – If an applicant is an entrepreneur or self-employed and own their own companies, then their source of funds is commonly linked/derived from the profits of their business. The applicant will need to provide a copy of the shareholder’s certificate, memorandum of association, or company incorporation documents.
Cryptocurrency – If applicants have derived their source of wealth from cryptocurrency, an increasingly popular instance as the world of virtual assets continues to advance, then an applicant must show the origin of the funds they invested in a sworn affidavit. Here, the applicant explains how they purchased cryptocurrencies, the value of the cryptocurrencies in US dollars, how they made a profit, and confirm that they will be liquidated in the amount required for payment of the investment. In such cases, applicants must also show a copy of their crypto portfolio showing purchases and sales.
