Grenada
Grenada Citizenship by Investment Programme
Grenada operates the only Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programme whose passport opens the door to the United States E-2 Treaty Investor visa — a credible path to live and operate a business in the US without an EB-5 commitment. The programme is administered by the Investment Migration Agency (IMA) under the Citizenship by Investment Act No. 15 of 2013 and offers two principal routes: a non-refundable National Transformation Fund (NTF) donation from USD 235,000, or an investment of USD 270,000 (qualifying share) to USD 350,000 (full unit) in a government-approved real-estate project held for five years. The Grenadian passport delivers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to roughly 147 destinations, including the full Schengen Area, the UK (six months, ETA), and uniquely among CBI passports a bilateral visa-free arrangement with China (30 days). Grenada announced in its December 2025 budget that it will repeal and replace the 2013 Act with new legislation in 2026 as the Eastern Caribbean jurisdictions move to a harmonised regional regulatory authority (ECCIRA).
Figures drawn from primary law and official sources — programmes change, so we confirm the exact current terms with admitted local counsel before you applyHow you qualify.
Donation
National Transformation Fund (NTF) non-refundable contribution. USD 235,000 covers a single applicant OR a family of up to four (main applicant plus three qualifying dependants). Each additional qualifying dependant beyond four: USD 25,000 (per the harmonised OECS / Caribbean MoA schedule). A parent or grandparent under 55 carries an additional USD 50,000; an additional unmarried, childless sibling of the main applicant or spouse carries USD 75,000. The NTF amount sits above the USD 200,000 OECS-wide floor agreed in the March 2024 Caribbean Memorandum of Agreement (in force 1 July 2024).
Real Estate
Investment in a government-approved real-estate project (approved projects are listed on the IMA site). USD 270,000 = minimum for a qualifying SHARE in an approved project (raised from USD 220,000 by SR&O 12 of 2024, in force 1 July 2024); USD 350,000 = minimum for a FULL freehold unit. Mandatory five-year holding period. A separate government fee of USD 50,000 applies to the real-estate route (covering applicant plus up to a family of four). Discounting, rebates and guaranteed buy-back arrangements are prohibited.
Enterprise
Approved-enterprise / significant-investment route: USD 2,000,000 from a single investor, plus a USD 50,000 government contribution. Sector, structure and equity conditions attach to the approved enterprise and are confirmed in writing on engagement. Rarely used relative to the NTF and real-estate routes.
What Grenada costs — for your family.
Non-refundable. Covers the main applicant plus up to three dependants; each additional dependant beyond four adds USD 25,000.
Approximately 4–6 months from a complete, compliant file to approval.
Professional fees are confirmed through the licensed local agent on engagement and are additional to the figures above. The application fee of USD 1,500 applies per applicant of any age; a small Oath of Allegiance fee (USD 18.60, aged 17 and over) applies at approval. A parent or grandparent under 55, and a dependent sibling, each carry a further contribution (USD 50,000 and USD 75,000) shown in the estimate.
Global mobility.
to the full Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period under the EU-Grenada short-stay visa-waiver agreement signed 28 May 2015 (ETIAS pre-authorisation will apply once live). Grenada's waiver remains in force.
for up to six months; an electronic travel authorisation (UK ETA) is required before travel.
No visa-free tourist entry (not in the US Visa Waiver Programme). Crucially, Grenada is the only Caribbean CBI country with a US E-2 Treaty Investor agreement, so Grenadian citizens can apply for the renewable E-2 visa to live in and run a qualifying business in the United States (applicant, spouse and children under 21).
(no visa-free or eTA access for Grenadian citizens).
Approximately 147 visa-free, visa-on-arrival or eTA destinations. Includes a bilateral visa-free arrangement with China (up to 30 days, in force since 10 June 2015) -- a distinctive benefit. Grenada retains full Schengen access.
What you’re really after — and the cleaner route to it.
Most clients who consider Grenada want the same things: stronger mobility, a considered fallback, and greater flexibility for the family. Grenada can grant a second passport — but it confers no right to live, work or settle in the European Union, and no path to an EU passport.
If a European foothold is any part of your objective, residence by investment achieves it directly — a euro-denominated home, legal residence in the EU, and, held over time, a lawful route to European citizenship. We map both, honestly, against what you are actually trying to achieve.
What's involved.
- Family inclusion
- Spouse; dependent children under 18, and children 18-30 who are full-time students or otherwise financially dependent; unmarried dependent children with disabilities; parents and grandparents of the main applicant or spouse (there is no hard minimum age, but a fee differential applies: those aged 55+ fall within the standard contribution while a parent or grandparent under 55 carries an additional USD 50,000 contribution); and unmarried, childless dependent siblings (aged 18+) of the main applicant or spouse, each at an additional USD 75,000. Grenada is one of the more generous CBI programmes for multi-generational family inclusion. Newborns and a future spouse can generally be added after grant.
- Due diligence
- Multi-layered mandatory due diligence run by the IMA with external risk-intelligence providers, strengthened since 2023 and under the March 2024 OECS Memorandum of Agreement. A compulsory interview applies to main applicants and selected dependants (interview fee USD 1,000 per person aged 17+). Government due-diligence fee USD 5,000 per applicant aged 17+ (children 0-16 generally exempt). Source-of-funds and source-of-wealth evidence required throughout. Applications must be filed through an IMA-licensed Local Agent.
- Timeline
- Approximately 4-6 months from a complete, compliant file to approval-in-principle, subject to due-diligence findings and interview scheduling. Passport issuance follows completion of the qualifying investment/contribution after approval.
- Physical presence
- No residence, no minimum stay and no language requirement; no visit to Grenada is required to apply or to maintain citizenship, which is for life and passes to future generations. A mandatory interview applies (main applicants and selected dependants aged 17+); it is conducted by the IMA and can be held virtually rather than requiring travel to Grenada. Biometric/fingerprint data (Form 2) is collected as part of the file.
- Tax
- Grenada levies no tax on worldwide income, no capital gains tax, no inheritance or estate tax and no wealth tax for individuals who are not tax-resident. Citizenship alone does not create Grenadian tax residency. Property transactions and approved-project investments carry local transfer/stamp duties. Clients must assess their home-country tax exposure with counsel; CBI does not by itself sever an existing tax residency.
How Grenada citizenship is delivered.
We prepare and assemble your file and direct the sequence; our admitted Grenada agent — licensed to file with the authority — carries the in-country submission. Each step is tagged with who acts.
- 01
Service agreement & engagement
Handled togetherDaysWe agree the scope and engage. The formal service agreement sits between Kestrel and our admitted Grenada agent — licensed to file with the Investment Migration Agency (IMA) — so your application is handled end to end by professionals accountable to us, while we direct and keep the file on track.
Your part — Confirm your objectives and complete the engagement.
- 02
File preparation & 48-hour audit
Handled together2–4 weeksWe assemble your complete application file — the IMA forms, civil-status certificates, police clearances, medicals and source-of-funds evidence. Within 48 hours of receiving the digital file the agent returns a formal audit confirming it is submission-ready; any gap is flagged and resolved before anything is lodged.
Your part — Provide the documents you hold; we direct certification, translation and legalisation through licensed professionals.
- 03
Bank review & funds clearance
Our admitted agent1–2 weeksGrenada requires every applicant to be cleared by the receiving bank for the funds transfer before the file is submitted to government. The agent submits the file to the bank for review and clearance.
- 04
Invoice & dispatch of originals
Handled togetherDaysOnce you are cleared for the funds transfer, the official invoice is issued and the original file is couriered to the agent's Grenada office.
Your part — Settle the invoice and courier your original documents.
- 05
Official application to the IMA
Our admitted agentDays to fileOn receipt of the file and payment of the processing, due-diligence and agent fees, the agent prepares and submits the official application to the Investment Migration Agency, and an official application receipt is issued. Submissions have been digitised since 2020, which speeds updates on a file's progress.
Your part — Make the qualifying contribution or real-estate payment when called.
- 06
Due diligence, interview & approval
Handled together≈4–6 monthsThe IMA conducts its multi-layered due diligence and a compulsory interview. On approval it issues an official approval notice requiring the balance of all outstanding payments within 30 days and the executed Oath of Allegiance.
Your part — Attend the interview (it can be held virtually) and sign the Oath of Allegiance.
- 07
Certificate of Registration
Our admitted agentWeeksOnce all balances are settled and the executed Oath received, the agent provides the documents to the IMA to initiate processing of your Certificate of Registration — the formal record of your Grenadian citizenship.
- 08
Passport issuance
Our admitted agentWeeksOn the Certificate of Registration, the agent submits the passport application to the immigration authorities and arranges for your passport to be couriered to you once it is issued.
Steps, durations and fees are indicative and verified to official sources; the regulated work is carried out by our admitted Grenada agent, and final positions are confirmed in writing before you commit. Programme rules change — we re-confirm yours at the time of filing.
- Two principal routes: NTF donation from USD 235,000, or approved real estate from USD 270,000 (share) / USD 350,000 (full unit) held for 5 years.
- Only Caribbean CBI passport with US E-2 Treaty Investor visa access.
- Bilateral visa-free access to mainland China (30 days) since 10 June 2015 -- unique among CBI passports.
- No residency, no physical presence, no interview-in-country, no language test; citizenship is for life and hereditary.
- Real-estate government fee USD 50,000 (covers a family of up to four) in addition to the qualifying investment.
- Mandatory due diligence and compulsory interview (introduced and strengthened 2023-2024); discounting and guaranteed buy-back prohibited (SR&O 12 of 2024).
- NTF floor sits above the OECS-wide USD 200,000 minimum set by the March 2024 Caribbean Memorandum of Agreement.
- Legislative transition: the 2013 Act is to be repealed and replaced by new legislation in 2026 under the regional ECCIRA harmonisation.
- IMA application forms (Form 1 Personal Information; Form 2 Fingerprints; Form 3 Particulars for the Office of Home Affairs; Form 4 Medical; Form 5 Employment Status / Wealth / Business; Form 6 Investment Confirmation)
- Valid passport(s) for the main applicant and each dependant (certified copies)
- Birth certificates for all applicants and dependants
- Marriage certificate (and any divorce decrees) where applicable
- Police clearance / certificate of no criminal record from country of citizenship and any country of residence (12+ months) for applicants aged 16+
- Medical certificate including HIV test for each applicant
- Proof of source of funds / source of wealth and supporting financial documentation
- Bank reference letter and professional reference letters
- Proof of residential address (e.g. utility bill)
- Passport-style photographs
- Evidence of the qualifying investment: NTF contribution confirmation, or signed purchase/sale agreement and proof of payment for an approved real-estate project
- Documentary proof of dependency for parents, grandparents, siblings and adult children
The governing law — in our library.
Grenada Citizenship by Investment Act, No. 15 of 2013 (the principal Act), as amended (amendment Acts of 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019); Grenada Citizenship by Investment Regulations, 2013 (S.R.O. No. 17 of 2013); and the Grenada Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (SR&O No. 12 of 2024, in force 1 July 2024 -- real-estate qualifying-share minimum raised to USD 270,000, anti-discounting / no-buy-back provisions, MoA fee schedule). In the 2026 Budget Statement (delivered 1 December 2025) the government set out its intention to repeal and replace the existing CBI legislation in 2026, in step with the planned Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority (ECCIRA, expected to be seated in Grenada). · Administered by Investment Migration Agency (IMA), Grenada (the rebranded Citizenship by Investment Unit / CIU since 20 March 2024), Ministry of Finance.
Documents marked “held by Kestrel” are mirrored on our own servers from the official source, so the reference is always available.
Grenada, answered.
- How much does Grenada citizenship by investment cost?
- The lowest qualifying investment is USD 235,000 via the Donation route. Government, due-diligence and professional fees are additional. Figures are indicative and confirmed in writing by licensed counsel before any commitment.
- How long does the Grenada citizenship process take?
- Approximately 4-6 months from a complete, compliant file to approval-in-principle, subject to due-diligence findings and interview scheduling. Passport issuance follows completion of the qualifying investment/contribution after approval.
- Does the Grenada passport allow visa-free travel to the Schengen Area?
- Visa-free to the full Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period under the EU-Grenada short-stay visa-waiver agreement signed 28 May 2015 (ETIAS pre-authorisation will apply once live). Grenada's waiver remains in force.
- Can I include my family in the Grenada application?
- Spouse; dependent children under 18, and children 18-30 who are full-time students or otherwise financially dependent; unmarried dependent children with disabilities; parents and grandparents of the main applicant or spouse (there is no hard minimum age, but a fee differential applies: those aged 55+ fall within the standard contribution while a parent or grandparent under 55 carries an additional USD 50,000 contribution); and unmarried, childless dependent siblings (aged 18+) of the main applicant or spouse, each at an additional USD 75,000. Grenada is one of the more generous CBI programmes for multi-generational family inclusion. Newborns and a future spouse can generally be added after grant.
- What due diligence does Grenada require?
- Multi-layered mandatory due diligence run by the IMA with external risk-intelligence providers, strengthened since 2023 and under the March 2024 OECS Memorandum of Agreement. A compulsory interview applies to main applicants and selected dependants (interview fee USD 1,000 per person aged 17+). Government due-diligence fee USD 5,000 per applicant aged 17+ (children 0-16 generally exempt). Source-of-funds and source-of-wealth evidence required throughout. Applications must be filed through an IMA-licensed Local Agent.
- Does Grenada citizenship grant the right to live in the European Union?
- No. Grenada citizenship can confer a second passport and visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel, but it grants no right to live, work or settle in the EU and no path to an EU passport. For a European foothold, residence by investment is the direct route.
Considering your family’s options?
The right route depends on what you are trying to achieve — mobility, a considered fallback, a tax position, a European future. A private conversation with the Founding Partner maps the options against your objectives, in confidence.
This briefing is general guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Figures are indicative and verified to 2026. Each programme is documented for reference within Kestrel Private’s global programme library; applications proceed through licensed local agents and admitted counsel in each jurisdiction. Kestrel Private is not a law firm. Final eligibility, thresholds and timelines are confirmed in writing by licensed counsel before any commitment.