Grenada Citizenship by Investment
Grenada citizenship can be obtained in exchange for an investment on the country, which can be a donation to a government fund starting at $150,000, or the purchase of real estate from $220,000.
The Grenada Citizenship by Investment program provides investors and their family members with a second passport that allows visa-free travel to over 140 countries including the UK, EU Shengen countries, China, Russia and Singapore. Grenada citizens can also apply for the USA E2 visa.
Grenada’s investment program allows qualified investors to become global citizens through obtaining citizenship and being granted a second passport – all within a short turnaround period. With dual-citizenship, you can call this spectacular island nation your home country – picture beautiful beaches, a sublime climate, and the freedom to enjoy visa free travel to more than 140 countries. Citizenship by investment in Grenada clearly has its advantages.
Grenada’s CBI program
Citizenship by Investment in Grenada provides individuals with a unique pathway to obtain a second nationality through making a minimum investment into the country, usually through a real estate investment or government donations. Visa free travel and significant tax benefits are significant advantages of this investment program.
Why Grenada? If you visit Grenada in the West Indies, you will marvel at the beauty of this Caribbean island – known as the “Spice Island”, with unspoiled landscapes, the perfect climate, and stunning beaches.
To obtain Grenada citizenship (essentially the Grenada Golden Visa, but not named as such), the investment program is relatively straightforward – you can make a payment into a real estate project or to Grenada’s National Transformation Fund. Indeed the government has put into play this CBI to create investment opportunities, attract high net worth investors, and improve the country’s economic standing by creating substantial business, sustainable employment opportunities, and environmental security. Grenada also has many excellent teaching facilities, such as St George’s University, one of the best medical universities. Alongside this, and a significant advantage of choosing Grenada for your investment act, is that Grenada is the only Caribbean country whose citizens can apply for the USA E 2 visa.
Grenada citizenship benefits
There are an array of investment benefits to the Grenada citizenship by investment program. With a stable government, strong tourism industry, booming trade climate, alongside its lifestyle perks as an island paradise, the investment program goes a long way in allowing citizens to enjoy a wide range of perks.
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- Fast citizen application process: One of the quickest turnarounds to be granted citizenship after your investment act and investment application submission. You will be able to get your citizenship processed in as little as 60 days with this short processing time.
- Family members are covered: Your entire family will be included – your spouse, dependent children under 30, dependent parents, dependent grandparents, qualified unmarried siblings, or an additional dependent – providing them with a route to obtain Grenadian citizenship and a second passport. The whole family can have dual citizenship and enjoy the perks of greater visa free travel and visa free access.
- Dual citizenship: Grenada allows dual citizenship, meaning that you will not have to give up your first passport. These benefits of the Grenadian passport can also be passed down to future generations.
- USA visa opportunity: Grenada is the only Caribbean country whose citizens can apply for the E2 Visa in the USA.
- No Residency requirement: You will not be required to reside in Grenada at any stage of the application process.
- Flexible requirements: There are no interviews, education, or management experience requirements in the process.
- Visa free travel: The Grenadian passport allows its citizen’s visa free travel to over 140 countries, including the UK, European Union countries, Europe’s Schengen area, China, Singapore, and Hong Kong, for varying time periods. Visa free travel and visa free access provide you with increased global mobility.
- Attractive tax advantages: Grenada imposes no tax on worldwide income, capital gains, or inheritance tax, and there are many tax benefits to the CBI program. No tax on worldwide income and on other taxes is a significant advantage to Grenada’s CBI program.
- No country restrictions: All applicants are welcome and there are no country restrictions, although there are due diligence checks that are conducted.
Grenada citizenship requirements and eligibility
Although the application process is fast, you will need to be eligible to apply and there are certain requirements to acquire Grenadian citizenship. The citizenship requirements are as follows:
The primary applicant must:
- Be over 18 years old.
- Have an outstanding character.
- Be in good health.
- Hold a clean criminal record.
- Pass a detailed background check.
- Provide proof of funds, which must be legal income.
There are certain general and supporting documents that you will need to complete, which we will provide you with later in the article. An important benefit of the Grenada CBI program is that it extends to the primary applicant’s whole family so that they can also unlock the perks of a second passport. Indeed, the Grenada passport by investment is available to the individual’s family and is one of the key benefits of the program.
For the Grenada passport by investment, the following family members may apply:
- Spouse
- Children under the age of 18
- Children aged 18 to 29, supported by the main applicant or spouse
- Children aged 18 or over that are physically or mentally challenged
- Parents or grandparents of the main applicant or spouse, if fully supported by the main applicant
- Siblings of the main applicant or spouse, whether biological or adopted, aged at least 18, unmarried, and with no children
What is the total Grenada citizenship cost?
The Grenada citizenship cost begins at $150,000. You may choose between two investment options:
- A non-refundable contribution to Grenada National Transformation Fund (NTF)
- The purchase of real estate at a government pre-approved project
Grenada citizenship by investment options:
Grenada NTF
The NTF was established when the CBI program was introduced in 2013, to assist in boosting the economy in the country, in addition to securing resilience, diversifying the market structure, and increasing prosperity.
The primary applicant must make a minimum investment of $150,000 to the NTF, or $200,000 for a family of up to four members. An additional non refundable donation of $25,000 is needed for each additional family member. The NTF fees can be seen in full here:
Grenada National Transformation Fund: Minimum Donation
- Single applicant: $150,000
- Main applicant + up to 3 family members: $200,000
- Additional family members: $25,000 each
- Parent or grandparent aged under 55: $50,000 each
- Sibling: $75,000 each
Grenada real estate route
There are two options that you can consider if you are opting for the Grenada citizenship by investment real estate option.
Option 1: For a single application, an independent investment into real estate in a government-approved project at a minimum value of $350,000 needs to be made.
Option 2: For joint investments into a pre-approved Grenada tourism accommodation sector, a minimum donation value of $220,000 is needed per investor, up to a total investment value of $440,000.
The condition of an investment into real estate is that the investment must be held for at least five years if the buyer wishes to acquire citizenship.
Grenada real estate government fees:
Additional Grenada CBI fees will apply for both the NTF and real estate routes. The due diligence fee is as follows:
Apart from the due diligence fee, there are other fees that you will also need to consider, which are outlined below in the respective charts for an NTF investment or a real estate investment. Note that government fees can change at the discretion of Grenada’s government.
Tax considerations for Grenada’s CBI program
Citizens and residents of Grenada can enjoy the attractive tax regime of the island. There are no capital gains, inheritance tax, or wealth tax on worldwide income or assets imposed by Grenada. However, it is important to note that some local taxation measures apply.
Important tax considerations:
- The individual annual income tax rate for locally generated income for the first XCD 36,000 per annum is exempt, the next XCD 24,000 is taxed at 10%, and the excess thereof at 28%.
- For companies, there is a flat tax rate of 30%. A withholding tax of 15% on payments sent to a non-resident for interest (excluding bank deposits), rental income, lease premiums, licenses, royalties, management charges, commissions, and fees is applicable.
- In Grenada, VAT is 15%. For hotels, villa-type accommodation, and dive activities this is 10%.
- Property transfer tax for Grenada citizens is generally 5% and is payable by the vendor or seller. Government approved projects may be subject to a reduced rate.
- Annual taxes in Grenada include property tax, which stands at 0.2% of the market value for residential property as it relates to land and 0.3% on a building.
- Stamp tax on business receipts is 0.70% if gross received is more than XCD 300,000.
Procedure / timeframe for the Grenada investment program
The Grenada citizenship by investment processing time and approval usually takes between 60 to 90 days.
The investment application is assessed by Grenada’s CBI Committee (CBIC) and the application process is handled by authorized international marketing agents, alongside a local agent.
Once the citizenship application is submitted to the CBIC, the Grenadian government will assess each application carefully. CBIC undertakes a strict routine due diligence process to secure application approval. For the due diligence process, if the applicant makes a false statement or fails to include relevant information in the citizenship application, then they will be declined. While the due diligence is being carried out, an initial deposit is required from the investor.
Once the due diligence checks are approved, qualified foreign investors will need to provide the investment into Grenada and the proof of the respective investment. Following this foreign direct investment, citizenship documents and a Grenadian passport are issued.
