News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Aug. 14, 2023: In a recent development, UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has made the decision to halt visa-free entry into Britain for citizens from Dominica. This decision is a direct response to the concerns surrounding the country’s citizenship-by-investment (CBI) programs, which grant citizenship to individuals through investment.
Braverman explicitly cited the misuse of the CBI programs as the rationale behind this move. She stated, “Careful examination of Dominica’s implementation of their citizenship by investment initiatives has revealed clear and evident misuse of the system, including conferring citizenship upon individuals known to pose risks to the UK.”
According to the UK government, concerns surrounding Dominica’s programme include:
Poor due diligence around applications, including those of dependents.
The provision for name changes upon receipt of citizenship.
The lack of a residency requirement for applicants.
The granting of citizenship to nationals of other countries who ordinarily require visas to enter the UK, consequently leading to increased levels of asylum applications.
Notably, the Dominican government attempted to address the UK’s concerns by revoking some of the recently issued CBI passports. However, this effort proved insufficient to prevent the suspension of visa-free access.
A particularly concerning aspect highlighted was the issuance of passports to individuals from the UAE who had previously been denied entry to the UK. This crucial information had not been disclosed in their CBI applications, leading to Braverman’s decision.
As a result of the actions of a few individuals abusing the system, all citizens of Dominica are now required to go through the visa application process to travel to the UK and EU. Dominica is not the first CBI countries to face allegations of corruption, inadequate due diligence, or passport sales to unsuitable individuals. St. Kitts and Nevis encountered a similar scandal nine years ago, prompting efforts to improve their program’s integrity.
In response to these developments, other Caribbean nations with CBI programs, including Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia, are under heightened scrutiny. The European Commission presented these nations with demands to maintain visa-free access to the EU, including stricter due diligence, mandatory applicant interviews, and increased investment thresholds.
St. Kitts and Nevis’ CBI Unit swiftly responded by announcing an increase in its minimum CBI investment to $200,000.
Despite these crises and fluctuations in visa-free arrangements, citizenship by investment remains a persistent option. Governments continue to seek investment through such initiatives, demonstrating the enduring allure of these programs.
Citizenship by investment offers a broader spectrum of rewards beyond the passport’s travel power, emphasizing the profound value of belonging to another nation. While visa-free travel holds allure, the rights and privileges conferred by citizenship in another country are equally significant. Dual citizenship offers both travel benefits and a second home, along with potential benefits for future generations.
