Dominica Citizenship by Investment 2026: Costs, Requirements and Process

Direct answer: Dominica offers two principal citizenship-by-investment routes in 2026: a non-refundable contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund (EDF) or at least US$200,000 in government-approved real estate. The official EDF minimum is US$200,000 for a main applicant and US$250,000 for a main applicant with up to three qualifying dependants. Government, due-diligence, interview, passport, agent and document costs are additional. Applications must be submitted through a licensed Authorised Agent, and applicants aged 16 or over must attend a mandatory interview.

Important: Fees and programme rules can change. Obtain a dated, itemised quotation from an official Authorised Agent before paying or reserving property.

Dominica CBI at a glance

Route 1: Economic Diversification Fund

The EDF is a non-refundable government contribution. Official 2026 programme information lists:

• US$200,000 for the main applicant;
• US$250,000 for the main applicant and up to three qualifying dependants;
• US$25,000 for each additional dependant under 18; and
• US$40,000 for each additional dependant aged 18 or over.

This can be simpler than acquiring an asset, but the contribution is not recoverable. It should not be described as an investment with an exit value.

Route 2: approved real estate

The applicant invests at least US$200,000 in a government-approved project. Official guidance states that the property must generally be held for at least three years from citizenship, or five years if it is resold to another CBI applicant.

Real estate creates a potential asset, but also introduces additional questions:

• Is the project currently approved?
• What exactly does the investor own?
• Is construction complete and operational?
• Which government and transaction fees apply?
• What annual fees or usage restrictions apply?
• Is resale limited to another CBI buyer?
• How realistic is the developer's exit or income illustration?

Programme approval is not a guarantee of return, liquidity, construction quality or resale price.

What other costs should be budgeted?

The headline threshold is not the total cost. A family quotation may include:

• processing fees;
• due-diligence fees by age and family member;
• the official mandatory-interview fee, listed as US$1,000 per application;
• certificate and passport fees;
• Authorised Agent and legal fees;
• medical examinations and police certificates;
• notarisation, apostille and translation;
• courier and bank-transfer charges; and
• real-estate government, transaction and developer charges.

For the real-estate route, government fees vary with family composition. Request a schedule that separates recoverable investment, non-refundable government costs and private professional fees.

Who can apply?

The official FAQ states that the main applicant must be at least 18, have a clean criminal record and satisfy the programme's requirements. Dependants must fit the current legal definitions and provide supporting evidence.

Evidence can include:

• passports and civil-status records;
• police clearances;
• medical examination results;
• address and residence history;
• employment or business records;
• bank statements and financial statements;
• source-of-wealth explanation;
• source-of-funds evidence; and
• dependency, education or support evidence for family members.

Documents generally need to be recent, in English or officially translated, and properly notarised or legalised.

The application process

Step 1: Verify and appoint an Authorised Agent

Dominica does not accept direct applications. Check the agent against the official CBIU list before sharing documents or paying fees.

Step 2: Choose the route and price the whole family

Compare the EDF and real-estate routes using total cost, risk, holding period and exit—not the minimum threshold alone.

Step 3: Build the evidence file

Collect civil, medical, police and financial documents. Resolve inconsistent names, addresses, dates and corporate ownership before submission.

Step 4: Complete due diligence and interview

The CBIU and external firms conduct background, sanctions, reputation and source-of-funds checks. Applicants aged 16 or over must attend an interview.

Step 5: Government review

The Authorised Agent submits the file and handles official communication. The CBIU may request clarification or additional evidence. No adviser can guarantee approval.

Step 6: Approval in principle and investment

After approval in principle, the applicant makes the EDF contribution or completes the approved real-estate investment and supplies proof.

Step 7: Naturalisation certificate and passport

After the investment is confirmed and remaining conditions are completed, the certificate of naturalisation is issued. The passport application follows through the official process.

What commonly delays a file?

• missing or expired documents;
• unexplained transfers shortly before application;
• complex company or trust structures;
• inconsistent employment, address or travel histories;
• undeclared litigation, refusal or political exposure;
• difficulty proving dependency;
• unanswered due-diligence questions; and
• choosing an unauthorised intermediary.

An organised file is not guaranteed to be fast, but it is easier to review and defend.

Dominica CBI checklist

• Verify the Authorised Agent.
• Confirm nationality and dependant eligibility.
• Obtain a dated total-cost quotation.
• Separate investment from non-refundable fees.
• Review approved-project status and contracts.
• Prepare source-of-wealth and source-of-funds evidence.
• Disclose adverse facts with professional guidance.
• Prepare every applicant aged 16 or over for interview.
• Do not transfer the qualifying investment before the correct stage.
• Verify passport-mobility claims immediately before relying on them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply directly to Dominica's CBIU?

No. The official CBIU requires applications to be submitted through a licensed Authorised Agent.

How long does Dominica CBI take?

Official guidance says applicants should generally expect at least three months from submission to approval in principle. Additional checks or missing documents can extend the process.

Is the US$200,000 real-estate investment refundable?

It is an asset purchase rather than a donation, but recovery depends on the project, contract, holding rules and a future sale. Return of capital is not guaranteed.

Does investment guarantee citizenship?

No. Approval remains at the government's discretion after due diligence and completion of programme conditions.

How Capitals28 Can Help

Capitals28 can prepare a family-specific programme comparison, coordinate evidence readiness and help the client identify the official and regulated professionals required for the application and investment review.

Request a Dominica CBI cost and eligibility review.

Sources

1. Dominica CBIU: How to apply — accessed 2026-07-01.
2. Dominica CBIU: Application process — published 2025-07-04; accessed 2026-07-01.
3. Dominica CBIU: Frequently asked questions — accessed 2026-07-01.
4. Dominica CBIU: Costs and fees — published 2025-02-28; accessed 2026-07-01.
5. Dominica CBIU: Requirements — published 2024-12-20; accessed 2026-07-01.

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Editorial Notes

• Revalidate the official fee schedule and approved-project list immediately before publication.
• The official CBIU has published both “approximately 60–90 days” and “at least three months”; the article uses the more cautious formulation.
• Claims intentionally excluded: guaranteed approval, guaranteed timeline, guaranteed resale and fixed visa-free access.
• Potential schema type: Article, HowTo, FAQPage.