Grenada citizenship by investment

Grenada — the small island nation in the south-eastern Caribbean, also known as the “Spice Isle” — runs one of the world’s most highly regarded citizenship-by-investment programmes. With investment starting from USD 235,000, investors may obtain Grenadian citizenship for their whole family within 4–6 months without setting foot on the island.

The biggest difference between Grenada citizenship by investment and every other Caribbean programme is the E-2 visa treaty with the United States — allowing Grenadian citizens to apply for a long-term investor visa to live and do business in the United States.

A detailed article onthe country of Grenada.

An overview of the Grenada citizenship-by-investment programme

The Grenada Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme was established in 2013 under the Citizenship by Investment Act passed by the Parliament of Grenada. In 2016, the government restructured and upgraded the programme, making Grenada one of the most reputable and tightly regulated CBI programmes in the Caribbean region.

The programme is administered by theGrenada Investment Migration Agency (IMA), which is responsible for assessing applications, carrying out security background checks and granting citizenship. All candidates aged 17 or over must undergo an online interview as part of the enhanced background checking process.

The programme permits dual citizenship — investors keep their current citizenship on obtaining Grenadian citizenship. Citizenship is permanent and may be passed on to a future spouse as well as to later generations.

The main investment options

The Grenada citizenship-by-investment programme offers 2 main investment routes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages suiting different investor objectives.

Option 1: a contribution to the National Transformation Fund (NTF)

This is the simplest and most economical route. Investors make a non-refundable contribution to the National Transformation Fund (NTF), which is used to develop infrastructure, tourism, education and healthcare in Grenada.

The minimum contribution is USD 235,000 for the main candidate and a family of up to 4. Each additional family member must contribute a further USD 25,000. This is a non-refundable investment — investors do not get the money back after completing the process.

The advantages of the NTF route are that the process is simple and quick, does not depend on a property project and is the lowest total-cost option, particularly for a family of 4. The only disadvantage is that the contribution cannot be recovered or generate a return.

Option 2: investment in approved property

The list of approved properties can be found athere.

Investors buy property in projects approved by the Government of Grenada at a minimum of USD 270,000. In addition, investors must make a further non-refundable contribution of USD 50,000 to the NTF, together with the associated processing and background check fees.

The property must be held for at least 5 years where it is to be resold to the next CBI investor. Where it is sold to an ordinary buyer (not through the CBI programme), investors may sell at any time after purchase. Approved property projects are usually luxury resorts, hotels and upmarket residential developments.

The advantage of the property route is that investors own a tangible asset, with the ability to recover their capital and generate a return through letting or resale. The disadvantage is the higher total cost (the property plus the additional NTF fee) and dependence on the project’s progress.

Item	The NTF fund	Property
Minimum investment	$235,000 USD	$270,000 USD
Additional NTF payment	No	$50,000 USD
Capital recovery	No	Yes (after 5 years)
Rental income	No	Yes
Estimated total cost (1 person)	~$244,500 USD	~$340,000+ USD
Estimated total cost (family of 4)	~$258,350+ USD	~$370,000+ USD
Complexity	Low	Medium

Requirements and who is eligible

To qualify for the Grenada citizenship-by-investment programme, the main candidate must meet the following requirements. Candidates must be 18 or over, have a clean police record and no criminal convictions. Candidates need to demonstrate lawful sources of funds and be in good health (including an HIV test). The programme requires no language test or in-person interview (interviews are conducted online).

In particular, the programme does not require investors to travel to Grenada before, during or after the assessment process. The entire process may be completed remotely through a licensed agent.

Restricted countries include Iran, North Korea, Russia, Belarus, Sudan and Afghanistan. However, citizens of Iran, Sudan and Afghanistan may apply where they have been living outside those countries and meet all the other criteria.

On family members, the Grenadian programme has the broadest scope of inclusion among the Caribbean programmes. Specifically, an application may include a spouse, children under 30 (including financially dependent adult children), unmarried siblings aged 18 or over, and the parents and grandparents of both the main candidate and the spouse — with no age limit. This is a considerable advantage compared with other programmes, which usually allow only a spouse and children to be included.

The benefits of Grenadian citizenship

Visa-free access to 148+ countries and territories

The Grenadian passport allows visa-free travel or visa on arrival in more than 148 countries and territories. The list includes all 26 Schengen Area countries (Europe), the United Kingdom, mainland China (for up to 30 days — Grenada is the only Caribbean CBI island nation with this privilege), Singapore, Hong Kong, Russia, Turkey, Malaysia and many others. The Grenadian passport is ranked among the world’s 30 strongest passports.

From late 2026, the European Union will apply the ETIAS electronic travel authorisation system to visa-free travellers, including Grenadian citizens. ETIAS is not a visa but a light security screening step before entry, and does not change existing visa-free rights. Similarly, the United Kingdom also requires an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for Grenadian citizens entering the United Kingdom.

The E-2 visa to the United States — an exclusive advantage

This is the most important advantage and the factor making Grenada citizenship by investment stand out from every other Caribbean programme. Grenada is the only Caribbean CBI country with a treaty for theE-2 investor visa with the United States, signed in 1983.

The E-2 visa is a non-immigrant visa allowing citizens of countries with a treaty with the United States to invest in and run a business in the United States. There is no maximum time limit — provided the business remains in operation and complies with the rules, the E-2 visa may be renewed indefinitely. The visa is usually granted initially for 5 years.

To apply for an E-2 visa, Grenadian citizens need to invest a substantial sum in a business operating in the United States (the general reference level is from USD 100,000 to USD 200,000), demonstrate that the business is capable of creating jobs and contributing to the local economy, and submit a detailed business plan. The spouse of an E-2 visa holder has the right to work in the United States, and children under 21 may accompany them.

According to Henley & Partners, to qualify for an E-2 visa, Grenadian citizens (who obtained citizenship through CBI) need to have resided continuously in Grenada for 3 years before applying. However, where the application is made through the spousal route (a derivative E-2 visa), the 3-year residence requirement may be waived — an advantage Turkish citizenship does not have.

Tax advantages

Grenada is ranked number 1 for tax optimisation in the global investment migration industry’s annual report. The country charges no worldwide income tax, no wealth tax, no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax. This is an ideal environment for high-net-worth individuals wishing to optimise their international tax structure.

The application process and processing times

The Grenada citizenship-by-investment process is designed so that investors can complete it remotely without travelling to Grenada. Under the law, the involvement of a Licensed Agent is mandatory — investors cannot file an application directly themselves.

The first step is choosing a licensed agent and carrying out a preliminary eligibility assessment. The second step is preparing the application, including a valid passport, birth certificate, marriage or divorce certificate (where applicable), police certificate, financial documents, professional or business documents, health insurance, and the CBI application forms. All documents must be notarised, translated into English, and no more than 3 months old from the date of issue.

The third step is filing the application and background checking. The IMA carries out comprehensive security background checks through independent international firms, including criminal record checks, financial history and legal compliance. All candidates aged 17 or over must complete an online interview (which may be in English or another language).

At the fourth step, where the application receives Approval in Principle, investors must complete the investment within 30 days. After the investment is confirmed, the Citizenship by Investment Committee issues the certificate of citizenship and the Grenadian passport. Investors need not travel to Grenada to collect the passport — the agent will arrange for it to be sent to the investor.

On processing times, official sources say the process usually takes from 4 to 6 months from the date of filing to approval. However, actual data from agents shows an average of 7–8 months (including the application preparation stage and the wait for the passport to be issued after approval), with the fastest cases around 3.5 months. Grenada does not currently offer an official expedited processing service.

Comparing Grenada with other Caribbean programmes

Grenada competes directly with 4 other Caribbean CBI programmes: Dominica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, and Antigua & Barbuda. Below is a comparison table of the main factors.

Item	Grenada	Dominica	St. Kitts & Nevis	St. Lucia	Antigua & Barbuda
Minimum contribution	$235,000	$200,000	$250,000	$240,000	$230,000
Minimum property investment	$270,000	$200,000	$325,000	$300,000	$325,000
E-2 visa to the United States	Yes	No	No	No	No
Visa-free access to China	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Visa-free access to Schengen	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Siblings included	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes
Processing times	4–8 months	3–6 months	3–6 months	3–6 months	4–6 months

Grenada has the cheapest NTF investment level for a family of 4 (USD 235,000, against higher levels in St. Kitts & Nevis). However, Grenada’s decisive advantage is the E-2 visa to the United States — no other Caribbean programme offers this benefit. In addition, Grenada, together with Dominica and Antigua & Barbuda, is one of only 3 Caribbean CBI countries with visa-free access to mainland China.

For further reference on citizenship-by-investment or residence-by-investment programmes, investors may consult theResidence and citizenship by investment map.

Points to note

Although the Grenada citizenship-by-investment programme has many outstanding advantages, investors need to note a number of important points.

• First,on future residence requirements: the Government of Grenada, together with the 4 other Caribbean CBI countries, has agreed to introduce a residence requirement during 2026, pending final review. Where this is adopted, investors may need to travel to Grenada or meet a certain stay requirement — differing from the current policy, which requires no residence.
• Second,on the NTF contribution: this is a non-refundable investment. Investors need to understand clearly that the USD 235,000 contributed to the NTF cannot be recovered in any form.
• Third,on the E-2 visa and the 3-year residence requirement: under Henley & Partners’ current guidance, Grenadian citizens who obtained citizenship through CBI need to have resided continuously in Grenada for 3 years before qualifying for an E-2 visa. In addition, the AMIGOS Act was passed by the United States Senate in December 2022 — where approved by Congress and the President, this Act will restrict access to the E-2 visa to citizens who have resided for at least 3 years in the country of application. Investors need to follow this legislative development.
• Fourth,on rigorous background checking: Grenada applies a comprehensive security background checking process through independent international firms. The background check fee is USD 5,000 for the main candidate and USD 5,000 for a spouse. The interview fee is USD 1,000 for each member aged 17 or over.

Conclusion: who Grenada suits

Grenada citizenship by investment is the optimal choice for investors with one or more of the following objectives. Where the main objective is access to the United States through a business route, Grenada is the only option in the Caribbean region thanks to the E-2 visa treaty.

Where global freedom of movement including China, Europe and the United Kingdom is needed, the Grenadian passport offers the broadest coverage in the Caribbean CBI group.

Where a multi-generational family (parents, grandparents, siblings) is to be included, Grenada has the most flexible family inclusion scope. And where an optimal tax environment is sought, Grenada tops the global ranking for tax optimisation among CBI programmes.

With investment from USD 235,000, processing times of 4–8 months, and an entirely remote process, the Grenada citizenship-by-investment programme offers a comprehensive solution for Vietnamese investors seeking a second citizenship with a strategic outlook towards Europe, the United States and Asia alike.