Grenada
Grenada Citizenship by Investment Programme
Grenada operates the only Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programme whose passport carries eligibility for the United States E-2 Treaty Investor visa — a route to live and operate a business in the US without an EB-5 commitment, though not on the strength of the passport alone: the holder must first have been resident in Grenada for three years before the treaty nationality can be relied on. 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). A 2026 Amendment Bill (through both Houses at end-July 2026, awaiting its commencement Order) adds a genuine-link requirement — five days in the first year and 30 days' aggregate presence across the first five years for each family member, with five-year initial passports — and may apply retroactively to applications pending at commencement, so we advise clients filing now on the 30-day basis.
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 aged 55 or under 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 350,000 is the general minimum for an approved-project investment. The USD 270,000 per-share figure applies only where SR&O No. 15 of 2024, Schedule I is satisfied: the unit is in the Tourism Accommodation priority sector, it is bought by two or more individuals, and the unit is valued at a total minimum of USD 540,000, with a minimum 20% developer equity invested in the approved project before the application is submitted. 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.
A private pre-screen against the programme’s own due-diligence standards. No cost, no obligation, and nothing is filed.
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. TWO per-person government fees are charged, not one: an application fee of USD 1,500 for each applicant of any age, AND a processing fee of USD 1,500 for each applicant aged 17 or over (USD 500 under 17). Due diligence (USD 5,000) and the interview fee (USD 1,000) are charged on each applicant aged 17 or over, and the interview fee is charged again for a non-applicant spouse or non-applicant sponsor. A parent or grandparent aged 55 or under, and a dependent sibling, each carry a further contribution (USD 50,000 and USD 75,000) shown in the estimate. A small Oath of Allegiance fee (USD 18.60, aged 17 and over) applies at approval. The passport and Oath figures are not on the published IMA schedule and are confirmed on engagement.
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. The position hardened in mid-2026: under Regulation (EU) 2025/2441 (in force 30 December 2025), operating an investor-citizenship scheme is now in itself a ground for suspending a country's visa exemption, and the European Commission is reported to have written to the five Caribbean CBI states on 25 June 2026 seeking a phase-out by 1 June 2028 — reportedly with reinforced vetting required by September 2026. We have not seen the letters themselves. No suspension has been enacted to date, and the five governments are seeking a negotiated transition (joint response, Roseau, 10 July 2026) — but a client acquiring this citizenship primarily for Schengen access must treat that benefit as at material risk across the 2026–2028 window.
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). 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). That eligibility is not immediate: a citizenship acquired by investment does not qualify on grant, and the holder must have been resident in Grenada for three years before the treaty nationality can be relied on for E-2 purposes.
(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.
Still want a European base? Pair it.
A Grenada passport answers what most families come for first: stronger mobility and a considered fallback, secured for life and hereditary. Many families want a European base alongside it — somewhere to hold assets, spend time and give their children options. Those are two different jobs, and we build them as one plan rather than asking you to choose.
We pair the citizenship with an EU residence in a single structure — citizenship, passport and residence, built as one: the passport for mobility and standing, the residence for a euro-denominated base and, held over time, a lawful route to a European future.
Choose your structure
Structure selected: Grenada citizenship only. Add a European base at any time — pick one above to see it quoted as a single structure.
Engage us on Grenada
Leave your details and we come back to you personally — the confirmed current terms, the full costing for your family, and an introduction to vetted, admitted counsel for this programme.
Kestrel Private is a discreet private-client advisory led personally by Andrew J. Taylor, formerly Vice Chairman of Henley & Partners. He has served private clients from more than 30 countries, and at Kestrel you have one senior relationship from initial strategy through implementation.
What's involved in Grenada citizenship.
- 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: a parent or grandparent aged 55 or under carries an additional USD 50,000 contribution, while those above 55 fall within the standard contribution — a parent aged exactly 55 pays the surcharge (Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Act No. 3 of 2019, s.2(f))); 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 (interview fee USD 1,000 per person aged 17 or over, charged also for a non-applicant spouse and a non-applicant sponsor). Government due-diligence fee USD 5,000 per applicant aged 17 or over; children aged 0-16 are exempt from due diligence and the interview. Both per-person government fees are payable: an application fee of USD 1,500 for each applicant of any age and a processing fee of USD 1,500 for each applicant aged 17 or over (USD 500 under 17). 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
- Under the law presently in force: no residence, no minimum stay and no language requirement, and no visit to Grenada is required to apply or to maintain citizenship; the mandatory interview (main applicants and selected dependants aged 17+) is conducted by the IMA and can be held virtually, with biometric/fingerprint data (Form 2) collected as part of the file. That position is about to change: the Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (through both Houses at end-July 2026, awaiting its commencement Order) introduces a genuine-and-effective-link requirement — each applicant and dependant spends at least five days in Grenada within the first 12 months after grant, the family completes at least 30 days' aggregate presence across the first five calendar years, and a mandatory integration programme applies. Passports issued to citizens by investment will carry an initial five-year validity, renewable for a full ten years only on certification that these requirements were met, with unexcused non-compliance a ground to initiate revocation. Critically, the new requirements may be applied retroactively to applications pending at commencement, at the Minister's discretion — so clients filing now are advised on the 30-day basis until official transitional guidance says otherwise.
- 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 — but not on grant: three years’ residence in Grenada is required before the treaty nationality can be relied on.
- Bilateral visa-free access to mainland China (30 days) since 10 June 2015 -- unique among CBI passports.
- Under the current Act: no residency, no physical presence, no interview-in-country and no language test — but the 2026 Amendment Bill (awaiting commencement) introduces five days in year one plus 30 days' aggregate presence over five years, possibly retroactive to pending files; citizenship remains 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 No. 15 of 2024, which repealed 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 Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Bill, 2026 passed both Houses at end-July 2026 and awaits its gazetted commencement Order; it amends the 2013 Act, embeds ECCIRA oversight (agent licences void without its no-objection), and leaves investment thresholds unchanged.
- 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) (No. 2) Regulations, 2024 (SR&O No. 15 of 2024, gazetted 28 June 2024, in force 1 July 2024), which repealed SR&O No. 12 of 2024 and sets the current contribution and fee schedule, the real-estate minimums, and the anti-discounting and no-buy-back provisions. The Grenada Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Bill, 2026 passed the House of Representatives on 28 July 2026 and the Senate on 31 July 2026; it amends the 2013 Act and takes effect only on a ministerial commencement Order in the Gazette, which had not been published as at 24 August 2026. The passage dates are as reported by Parliament and the Grenadian press. It ties the programme into the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority (ECCIRA, expected to be seated in Grenada and operational from September 2026), whose pre-qualification and no-objection notice become mandatory for agents, promoters and due-diligence providers. · 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. Every figure is confirmed in writing before you commit to anything.
- 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. The position hardened in mid-2026: under Regulation (EU) 2025/2441 (in force 30 December 2025), operating an investor-citizenship scheme is now in itself a ground for suspending a country's visa exemption, and the European Commission is reported to have written to the five Caribbean CBI states on 25 June 2026 seeking a phase-out by 1 June 2028 — reportedly with reinforced vetting required by September 2026. We have not seen the letters themselves. No suspension has been enacted to date, and the five governments are seeking a negotiated transition (joint response, Roseau, 10 July 2026) — but a client acquiring this citizenship primarily for Schengen access must treat that benefit as at material risk across the 2026–2028 window.
- 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: a parent or grandparent aged 55 or under carries an additional USD 50,000 contribution, while those above 55 fall within the standard contribution — a parent aged exactly 55 pays the surcharge (Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Act No. 3 of 2019, s.2(f))); 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 (interview fee USD 1,000 per person aged 17 or over, charged also for a non-applicant spouse and a non-applicant sponsor). Government due-diligence fee USD 5,000 per applicant aged 17 or over; children aged 0-16 are exempt from due diligence and the interview. Both per-person government fees are payable: an application fee of USD 1,500 for each applicant of any age and a processing fee of USD 1,500 for each applicant aged 17 or over (USD 500 under 17). 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.
General guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Figures are verified to 2026 against official primary sources, and eligibility, thresholds and timelines are confirmed in writing before you commit to anything.
The programme you apply under is the one that exists on the day you file.
For residence applications, we generally plan on approximately two to three months to approval and three to six months from instruction to residence card.
Citizenship applications vary more widely. A straightforward application may receive approval within approximately three months, but six to nine months to passport issuance is a more prudent planning assumption.
Programme rules, government fees and processing times can change. We therefore reconfirm the applicable terms immediately before an application is filed.
Neither approval nor timing can be guaranteed.
If Grenada is the route you want, we can start your file.
A first conversation, not a commitment. Tell us who would be included and what you already hold, and we come back with the route, the confirmed terms and the timeline for Grenada — or tell you honestly if another programme fits you better.