Reviewed by Jane Katkova, Founder & Licensed CICC ConsultantPrime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced at a national press conference on 10 June 2026 that successful applicants under the Dominica citizenship by investment programme will be required to travel to Dominica in person. The Office of the Prime Minister published the announcement the following day. Local reporting quotes the Prime Minister directly: "You will have to come to Dominica to receive and renew your passport as a citizen."
The measure ends the fully remote model that Dominica has operated since the programme began in 1993.
What has been announced
- In-person visit: successful applicants must visit Dominica and spend time in the country.
- Passport collection and renewal: according to the Prime Minister's statement, both the first passport and renewed passports are to be collected in Dominica.
- Who is affected: the government statement refers to future applicants. No transitional provisions for files already in process have been published.
- Purpose: to strengthen the connection between economic citizens and the country and to keep the programme aligned with international standards. Mr Skerrit described the tightening of CBI programmes as "a regional reality, not a Dominican problem".
Current status: announced, not yet legislated
The government said operational details would follow with the 2026/2027 national budget. Reporting on the Budget Address of 4 August 2026 indicates that the government confirmed the regional 30-day physical presence requirement within the first five years of citizenship, together with approved integration programmes, and stated that it intends to see these requirements fully implemented.
What has not been published is the procedure: whether the 30 days may be split across several trips, how presence will be recorded, and how the collection visit relates to the 30-day total. One trade analysis notes that current official guidance still allows renewal through Dominican consulates. Until the implementing legislation appears, we treat the in-person requirement as announced policy and not as law in force.
What this means for applicants
Dominica remains the lowest entry point in the Caribbean, at US$200,000 for a single applicant and US$250,000 for a main applicant with up to three dependants under the Economic Diversification Fund. The announced rule adds a cost that the fee schedule does not show: flights, accommodation and time for each family member, at collection and again at renewal.
For US and Canadian citizens the trip is manageable, since Dominica is reachable from North America with a regional connection, and time spent there can count towards the 30-day requirement once it applies. Residents of the US or Canada on other passports should also check re-entry conditions for their current status before planning travel. Applicants should note that Dominica is one of the two Caribbean programmes named in US Proclamation 10998 and that its passport has required a UK visa since July 2023; the comparison with the other four programmes should include those points.
We recommend that anyone with a pending Dominica file obtain file-specific confirmation from the licensed agent before assuming the rule does or does not apply. To plan a Dominica application around the new requirement, book a consultation.