Reviewed by Jane Katkova, Founder & Licensed CICC ConsultantIn letters dated 25 June 2026, Magnus Brunner, the European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, asked the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis and St Lucia to phase out their citizenship by investment programmes. The letters became public in July 2026.
This is a request backed by a legal mechanism, not a suspension. Nationals of all five countries continue to enter the Schengen Area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
Deadlines set out in the Commission's letter
| Date | What the EU asks for |
|---|---|
| No later than September 2026 | Interim safeguards: full exclusion of individuals subject to EU restrictive measures, and reinforced vetting procedures for all nationalities |
| December 2026 (expected) | Next Commission report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism, assessing progress |
| 1 June 2028 | End of a 24-month transition period by which the programmes are to be phased out |
The legal basis is the revised Visa Suspension Mechanism, Regulation (EU) 2025/2441, in force since the end of December 2025. Under it, operating an investor citizenship scheme that grants nationality for a predetermined payment without a genuine link is itself a ground for suspending a country's visa waiver. The Commission's most recent report recorded about 107,000 passports issued across the five programmes, with 13,113 applications in 2023 and 10,573 in 2024. Vanuatu has already lost its Schengen visa waiver over its programmes.
Response from the Caribbean governments
The five heads of government met in emergency session in Roseau, Dominica, and issued a joint statement defending the programmes as a source of funding for infrastructure, disaster recovery and climate resilience. They agreed to send a diplomatic mission to Brussels. Prime Minister Terrance Drew of St Kitts and Nevis called the EU "a very close ally and a partner".
The governments point to reforms already under way: the US$200,000 regional price floor, the regional regulator ECCIRA, mandatory interviews, biometrics and a 30-day physical presence requirement. Whether the Commission accepts these as a substitute for closure is not yet known.
What this means for applicants
For US and Canadian citizens, Schengen travel does not depend on a Caribbean passport, so the value of a Caribbean second citizenship as a contingency is unaffected by the EU's request. For US or Canadian residents whose first passport needs a Schengen visa, the benefit is real today and uncertain after mid-2028. We advise against buying a Caribbean citizenship for Schengen access alone.
Two outcomes are possible: the programmes close to new applicants by 2028, or they continue and the EU decides whether to suspend the visa waiver. Citizenship already granted is not withdrawn in either case. Applicants who want long-term access to Europe should also consider a residence route such as European residence by investment.
To assess which outcome matters for your family and whether to file now, book a consultation.
Sources
- Searchlight: EU gives OECS countries deadline to phase out CBI programmes
- WINN FM: Prime Minister Drew says Federation, OECS, engaging EU on CBI phase-out demand
- CEOWORLD magazine: EU targets Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programs in Schengen visa crackdown
- Frederick Capital: Caribbean CBI and EU short-stay access in 2026