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US travel ban alarms all

Regional 03 Jul, 2025 Follow News

Four Eastern Caribbean nations are under new scrutiny from a recently leaked United States State Department memo raising concerns over the future mobility of their citizens and the broader implications for their citizenship-by-investment (CBI) programmes.

This directive signals a significant expansion of potential US travel restrictions, affecting 36 countries beyond those already targeted. Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia are all prominent providers of Citizenship by Investment programs, which allow foreign investors to gain citizenship in exchange for substantial economic contributions.

The list of countries facing potential restrictions extends beyond the Caribbean, encompassing 25 African nations, as well as several from Central Asia and the Pacific. They are added to 19 countries already on the list.

A key concern cited in the memo is the sale of citizenship without a residency requirement. The memo also referenced other issues, such as alleged incidents of “anti-American activity” in the US by nationals of listed countries.

The affected governments have been given a strict 60-day deadline to meet newly defined benchmarks and submit an initial action plan outlining their compliance intentions. Countries that fail to comply risk full or partial suspensions on the entry of their nationals into the US.

Despite prior efforts by Caribbean governments to reform their CBI programs and align them with international due diligence standards—often in consultation with US agencies—their inclusion in this memo signals a broader shift in Washington’s assessment of risks associated with economic citizenship.

The lack of formal communication from the US government has prompted concern among Caribbean leaders. Antigua and Barbuda Foreign Affairs Minister Chet Greene said: “We will not be bullied. Our foreign policy is one of principle,” defending the CBI program as a legitimate tool for economic development and pledging to “fight like hell” to protect it.

The potential US travel restrictions is a significant challenge for Eastern Caribbean nations that rely on Citizenship by Investment programs.  Some programs, like those in St Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, and Grenada, offer a donation option to a government fund. The minimum donation amount varies, but it generally starts around $100,000 per applicant. Another option involves investing in approved real estate, with minimum amounts typically ranging from $200,000 to $400,000 but can be much more. It has generated billions for these small countries and hugely boosted their economies.


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