Russians and Belarusians Now Eligible for Second Citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda has now reopened its doors to Russians and Belarusians seeking second citizenship.

Advantages of an Antigua and Barbuda Second Citizenship

According to Passport Index, it is the 22nd most powerful passport with a mobility score of 139. Second citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda is advantageous and coveted for the following reasons:

. Lifetime citizenship

Citizenship does not come with an expiry date.

Visa-Free or Visa-on-Arrival Entry

There are 195 countries in the world and you can enter 151 of them without a visa or get a visa on arrival with an Antiguan and Barbudan second citizenship. You can stay in the 26 countries of the Schengen Area or Hong Kong for 90 days. You can remain in the UK for 90 days and in Singapore for a month (30 days).

. Temporary US visitor visa

You obtain a short commercial trip (B1) or travel (B2) visa to the US as a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda. With a B visa, you are also eligible for medical treatment in the US

. Tax benefits

Antiguan and Barbudan citizens are exempt from income tax. In contrast, countries like Finland (56.95%), Japan (55.07%), and Belgium (50%) levy high income taxes. Property tax in Antigua and Barbuda does not exceed 0.5%.

. Good government

A parliamentary democracy runs the country. The highest officials are the Governor-General and the Prime Minister. As Antigua and Barbuda is part of the Commonwealth, it actively strives for diplomatic relations with other nations to achieve national growth and international goals.

. Remote citizenship

You are not legally obliged to check into the country at a determined frequency for your citizenship to remain valid.

. No proficiency assessments

Your cultural and linguistic background will not hinder your application. You do not need to clear exams like IELTS or TEF. Your professional background is not assessed to determine if you will be a valuable asset to the country.

. Swift processing duration

Selected candidates can obtain Antiguan and Barbudan second citizenship in as little as three months.

. No citizenship exclusivity

An Antiguan and Barbudan citizen can hold dual or multiple citizenship from anywhere in the world.

Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship Requirements by Investment

There are certain rules to abide by while applying for the process:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Own real estate at a value of at least USD 200,000, which one must retain for five years. Two people can jointly own the property as well but must pay USD 200,000 each.
• Must own a business worth USD 1.5 million individually or jointly by contributing USD 400,000 each.
• Must contribute at least USD 100,000 to the National Development Fund.
• Must donate a minimum of USD 150,000 to the University of the West Indies.

Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship Application Procedure

The Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) is a government body that is the sole organisation responsible for processing citizenship applications. They carefully go through the data provided by the applicants and then decide on their acceptance or rejection.

The process, albeit simple, is strictly supervised and thoroughly checked so that no case of false information can pass through their investigation. All the documents that one must provide to this organisation are simple, and no one should have any problem producing these.

After CIU accepts an application, the applicant can collect their passport from Antigua and Barbuda. This entire process can take anywhere from three to four months, depending there are no mistakes in the documents on the applicant's part.

Normally, there is a requirement for anyone wanting to obtain citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda to reside there at least for five days during the first five years. But due to the pandemic, CIU has temporarily discontinued this clause. We must mention that this suspension will last only till 31 August 2022.

Conclusion

An Antiguan passport possesses several advantages. It ranks within the top 30 for the most powerful passports in the world. With second citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda, you can travel to 151 countries without a visa or obtain a visa upon arrival. UNO Capital advises and assists eligible candidates to secure their second citizenship smoothly and swiftly. Book a free consultation and begin your journey.

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