1. Start with the legal routes
Dominica currently offers a non-refundable Economic Diversification Fund contribution or an investment of at least US$200,000 in a government-approved real-estate project. St Kitts and Nevis currently offers the Sustainable Island State Contribution, the Public Benefit Option, approved developer real estate, or approved private real estate. Both can grant citizenship after approval, but the way capital is contributed or invested is materially different.
2. Headline minimums
For a single applicant, Dominica's published entry point is US$200,000, while St Kitts and Nevis starts at US$250,000. That US$50,000 gap is only the first comparison: adult due diligence, dependant charges and professional costs can move the final totals in different directions.
3. Family pricing
Dominica's EDF rises from US$200,000 for one applicant to US$250,000 for the main applicant plus up to three qualifying dependants, after which further dependant charges apply. St Kitts and Nevis sets the SISC at US$250,000 for either one applicant or a family of up to four. That means the single-applicant gap largely disappears for a four-person household before the remaining fees are added.
4. Real estate and recoverable capital
The approved real-estate route starts at US$200,000, with separate government and due-diligence fees. The qualifying interest is generally held for at least three years, or five years if it is later to qualify another CBI purchaser. By comparison, Developer real estate starts at US$325,000. Approved private real estate starts at US$325,000 for a qualifying condominium interest or US$600,000 for a qualifying single-family home. A seven-year holding period applies to programme real estate. The better economic structure depends on whether the applicant values simplicity or wants capital to remain in an asset.
5. Due diligence and process
Applications must be submitted through an authorised agent. Applicants aged 16 and over are subject to interview requirements, and due diligence can be enhanced depending on the case. Applications are submitted through authorised agents. Main applicants are interviewed, and due-diligence fees currently start at US$10,000 for the main applicant with separate charges for qualifying dependants aged 16 or older. Neither programme should be treated as an automatic transaction once the investment money is available.
6. Presence requirements
Dominica does not impose a routine physical-residence period as a condition of the standard CBI route. The programme is designed for applicants who do not need to relocate as part of the standard application process, although applicants must comply with interview and any case-specific requirements. Applicants should distinguish ordinary residence from interviews, oaths, biometrics and limited post-citizenship presence conditions.
7. Programme-specific cautions
Dominica has operated a statutory CBI programme since 1993. Prices and dependant definitions can change by regulation, so applicants should check the CBI Unit before committing funds. St Kitts and Nevis is the longest-running modern Caribbean CBI programme. Its rules have changed materially in recent years, including route names, pricing, interview requirements and property thresholds. These details can matter more than a small difference in the headline contribution.
8. How to compare them for your own case
Run the same applicant profile through Dominica and St Kitts and Nevis using current official fees, then compare how much capital is permanently spent, how much may remain invested and which family members qualify. That side-by-side budget is more informative than comparing only the two headline contributions.
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