Antigua and Barbuda revealed in early July that it had received a formal request from the European Commission regarding its citizenship-by-investment program.
In a letter dated June 25, 2026, and signed by European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, Brussels reportedly asked the Antiguan government to phase out the program by June 1, 2028.
According to Antigua and Barbuda, four other Eastern Caribbean countries received similar communications: Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia. The European Commission, however, has not made the letter public.
A transition period through June 1, 2028
The European Commission reportedly proposed a 24-month transition period before the programs are shut down.
By September 2026, the five governments would also be expected to strengthen their screening procedures for citizenship applicants and systematically exclude individuals subject to European Union sanctions.
Antigua and Barbuda’s response is then expected to be considered in the Commission’s next report on the visa suspension mechanism, due in December 2026.
The June 1, 2028, deadline is not the announced date of an automatic suspension of visa-free access. According to the Antiguan government, it is the date by which the Commission wants the citizenship-by-investment programs to have been discontinued.
Five countries currently eligible for visa-free Schengen travel
The countries concerned are:
- Antigua and Barbuda;
- Dominica;
- Grenada;
- St. Kitts and Nevis;
- St. Lucia.
Their citizens can currently travel to the Schengen Area without a visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. All five countries remain on the EU’s visa-exempt list. When ETIAS is introduced in 2027, their citizens will therefore generally be required to obtain the electronic travel authorization, provided their visa-free status remains in place.
Their citizenship-by-investment programs, sometimes referred to as “golden passport” programs, allow foreign nationals to acquire citizenship in exchange for a predetermined investment or financial contribution.
The European Union argues that these programs may allow people who would normally require a visa to obtain a passport granting visa-free access to the Schengen Area without having any genuine connection to the country awarding them citizenship.
Citizenship-by-investment programs become a new ground for visa suspension
The EU’s visa suspension mechanism was strengthened on December 30, 2025.
Operating a citizenship-by-investment program can now, in itself, constitute grounds for triggering the mechanism. The Commission is therefore no longer necessarily required to first demonstrate an increase in irregular migration or identify a specific failure in security screening.
The European regulation does not, however, automatically revoke visa-free access for countries operating such programs. Any suspension would require a separate EU procedure and decision.
The change nevertheless gives Brussels additional leverage in its talks with the Caribbean governments.
About 107,000 passports issued through the five programs
In its eighth report on the visa suspension mechanism, published in December 2025, the European Commission estimated that the five countries had issued approximately 107,000 passports through their citizenship-by-investment programs.
Caribbean authorities recorded 13,113 applications in 2023 and 10,573 in 2024. The Commission also pointed to short processing times and what it considered low rejection rates, including 1.7% in Antigua and Barbuda, 5.3% in St. Lucia, and 6.5% in Dominica in 2024.
The five governments have since harmonized their minimum investment threshold at $200,000, strengthened certain screening measures, and adopted common standards for transparency and information sharing.
Those changes have not been enough to resolve the EU’s concerns. The Commission continues to view the operation of these programs by visa-exempt countries as a potential security risk for the Schengen Area.
Caribbean governments prepare a joint response
The leaders of the five countries met in Roseau, Dominica, on July 10, 2026, to review the Commission’s communication and coordinate their response.
In a joint statement released three days later, they emphasized that revenue generated by the programs helps fund infrastructure, healthcare, education, housing, disaster recovery, and climate resilience policies.
They agreed to send a high-level diplomatic delegation to Brussels and work with the European Union to find “balanced and sustainable solutions.” The governments want any transition to be accompanied by new sources of financing and stronger economic cooperation with Europe.
Antigua and Barbuda, for its part, has said its program will continue operating while discussions are underway. The government describes it as a vital source of non-tax revenue and argues that it cannot be abandoned without an alternative economic solution.
It has nevertheless said it intends to strengthen screening procedures and continue a constructive dialogue with the European Commission.
VisasNews Take
The June 1, 2028, deadline is not currently the date on which Schengen visa requirements will take effect for citizens of the five countries. According to Antigua and Barbuda, it is the date by which the European Commission wants their citizenship-by-investment programs to be discontinued. Any suspension of visa-free access would require a separate EU decision. For now, travel requirements remain unchanged.
