Grenada, Vanuatu, Commonwealth of Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, and Malta – any of these jurisdictions offer the opportunity to quickly get an island nation passport by investment. But it’s worth hurrying! Economic citizenship programs in island countries are often closed abruptly and without warning.
Why do you need an island nation passport?
With limited natural resources, a small area, and being far from the mainland, most island nations cannot rely on agriculture, industry (due to logistical difficulties), and mining to build economic power. Therefore, such countries are heavily dependent on tourism and the financial sector.
Our experts will help you choose and get the best island state passport for your purposes. Readers with a crystal-clear reputation and sufficient capital willing to invest in economic citizenship are advised to consult one of our team members. The service is free. An introductory consultation is available after filling out the form!
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on economic citizenship programs, how to choose a jurisdiction and get a foreign passport.
In addition, island states offer numerous benefits to citizens and residents to increase the number of solvent inhabitants and thus support local businesses. These bonuses turn an island nation passport into a valuable trophy. In particular, it is recommended to acquire such a document for the following reasons:
- Government flexibility: Due to their small population and correspondingly modest bureaucracy, many island nations are relatively quick to introduce beneficial innovations. For example, they create immigration mechanisms to attract innovative entrepreneurs (a start-up visa to Malta), digitize administrative procedures, and adopt laws to increase crypto-friendliness. Accordingly, an island state passport will allow you to be among the first to benefit from such tools and innovations.
- Low taxes: Many small island states have achieved tax haven status. This helps attract wealthy people who transfer their tax residency there. Island jurisdictions are also in demand when registering/relocating international companies seeking to reduce the fiscal burden. In addition, various ships, from yachts to huge dry cargo ships, often sail under island flags for the same reasons. For example, many Caribbean states offer tax residents a favorable fiscal regime, freeing them from paying personal income tax on income from sources around the world. An island nation passport simplifies relocation to one of these countries and, accordingly, the optimization of the tax burden to preserve and increase assets. Many jurisdictions in the region also have no tax on real estate, wealth, inheritance, gifts, and capital gains.
- Neutrality and friendliness: Small island states do not have geopolitical ambitions and often do not even have their own armies. Accordingly, such countries do not participate in military conflicts and do not collect additional taxes necessary to maintain the armed forces.
- Freedom of movement: Neutrality allows island countries to equally build beneficial relations with both the West and the East. An example is Grenada. Thanks to the efforts of local diplomats, Grenadian citizens can travel visa-free to China, Russia, the UK, and the Schengen states in Europe. Accordingly, obtaining an island state passport in Grenada is an excellent idea if you need to build a multi-vector business that requires frequent travel around the planet.
- Diplomatic protection worldwide: Many island states are members of the British Commonwealth of Nations, being former colonies of Great Britain. Such an island nation passport provides additional protection during travel around the planet due to access to diplomatic missions (embassies and consulates) of other Commonwealth members, including Canada, Australia, and the UK.
- Escape hatch and plan B: An island nation passport is the basis for the ultimate plan B. The new homeland can be used as an escape hatch if the situation in the state of current residence/citizenship deteriorates sharply. Thanks to the removal of visa restrictions, such a document holder will be able to easily and quickly evacuate to a safer place as a full-fledged citizen and not a refugee.
- Privacy and simplicity: An island nation passport in Grenada and several other jurisdictions (see below) can be issued as simply as possible (remotely in a couple of months) and completely anonymous. You can be sure that information about obtaining second citizenship will not leave the jurisdiction that granted it. This, combined with the financial infrastructure of the country of new citizenship, simplifies asset protection from the homeland authorities, as well as creditors and dishonest partners.
- Banking, business, investments: As citizens of some unreliable countries, entrepreneurs and investors often face difficulties when trying to open bank accounts and make investments abroad. Even citizens of developed West countries can faced this. For example, many bankers and crypto-entrepreneurs are reluctant to do business with Americans, as doing so typically entails burdensome and often business-damaging reporting to US officials. The passport of a neutral island nation with an impeccable reputation will allow you to disguise your country of origin, making it easier to open accounts in other jurisdictions, do business, and invest in any corner of the world.
Where can you get an island passport?
Many island countries are located in an archipelago (such as Indonesia and the Philippines) and consist of thousands of islands. Others occupy only one island (for example, Barbados or Nauru) or even part of the island (for example, Brunei Darussalam or the Dominican Republic). Some of such states are characterized by limited diplomatic recognition (for example, Northern Cyprus and Taiwan).
In total, there are about fifty such jurisdictions. A complete list of jurisdictions where you can get an island state passport is in the table below (including data on area, population, and other parameters). Australia is not included in this list because it is considered a continent, although it was historically called an island due to the absence of land borders.
| Name | Geographic configuration | Area (sq. km.) | Population | Population density (per sq. km.) | Geographic location | Date of formation/obtaining independence |
| UN Member States | ||||||
| Antigua and Barbuda | Two large islands and several small ones | 442 | 97,120 | 220 | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | November 1, 1981 |
| Bahamas | Archipelago | 13,939 | 389,480 | 28 | Atlantic Ocean, Lucayan archipelago | July 10, 1973 |
| Bahrain | Archipelago (centered around the island of Bahrain) | 778 | 1,641,170 | 2,109 | Persian Gulf | December 10, 1971 |
| Barbados | One island | 430 | 287,020 | 667 | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | November 30, 1966 |
| Brunei Darussalam | Part of a large island (Borneo) | 5,765 | 433,290 | 75 | Southeast Asia | January 1, 1984 |
| Cape Verde | Archipelago | 4,033 | 549,930 | 136 | Atlantic Ocean, Macaronesia | July 5, 1975 |
| Commonwealth of Dominica | One island | 754 | 71,810 | 95 | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | November 3, 1978 |
| Comoros (Union of the Comoros) | Archipelago | 1,861 | 850,890 | 457 | Indian Ocean, Africa, Comoros | July 6, 1975 |
| Cuba | One main island and several smaller islands (Isla de la Juventud, etc.) | 109,884 | 11,346,346 | 103 | Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles | October 10, 1868 |
| Cyprus | Part of a larger island (Cyprus); has de jure sovereignty over the entire island | 9,251 | 888,005 | 96 | Mediterranean Sea | August 16, 1960 |
| Dominican Republic | Part of a larger island (Hispaniola) and several smaller islands (Alto Velo, Catalina, Saona, Beata, etc.) | 48,671 | 10,738,960 | 221 | Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles | December 1, 1821 |
| East Timor | Part of a large island (Timor) | 14,919 | 1,293,120 | 87 | Southeast Asia, Lesser Sunda Islands | May 20, 2002 |
| Federated States of Micronesia | Archipelago | 702 | 113,810 | 162 | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia | May 10, 1979 |
| Fiji | Archipelago | 18,274 | 889,950 | 49 | Pacific Ocean, Melanesia | October 10, 1970 |
| Great Britain | One main island, part of a second island (Ireland), several minor islands | 244,820 | 67,886,004 | 277 | Atlantic Ocean, British Isles | May 1, 1707 |
| Grenada | One main island and two smaller ones (Carriacou and Petit Martinique) | 344 | 112,000 | 326 | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | February 7, 1974 |
| Haiti | Part of a larger island (Hispaniola) and several smaller islands (Gonaives, Tortuga, Les Cayemites, etc.) | 27,750 | 11,743,017 | 423 | Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles | January 1, 1804 |
| Iceland | One main island | 102,775 | 361,310 | 4 | Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Circle | December 1, 1918 |
| Indonesia | Archipelago including parts of larger islands (Borneo, New Guinea, Sebatik, Timor) | 1,904,569 | 270,625,570 | 142 | Southeast Asia, Indian and Pacific Oceans | August 17, 1945 |
| Ireland | Part of a larger island (Ireland) and several smaller islands | 70,273 | 4,977,400 | 71 | Atlantic Ocean, British Isles | April 24, 1916 |
| Jamaica | One main island and several small islands (Port Royal Cays, etc.) | 10,991 | 2,734,092 | 249 | Caribbean Sea, Greater Antilles | August 6, 1962 |
| Japan | Archipelago (Japanese archipelago) | 377,976 | 126,264,930 | 334 | Pacific Ocean, East Asia | February 11, 660 BC |
| Kiribati | Archipelago | 811 | 117,610 | 145 | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia | July 12, 1979 |
| Madagascar | One main island | 587,041 | 26,969,310 | 46 | Indian Ocean, Africa | June 26, 1960 |
| Maldives | Archipelago | 298 | 383,976 | 1,289 | Indian Ocean, Laccadive Sea | July 26, 1965 |
| Malta | The two main islands (Malta and Gozo) and other smaller islands | 316 | 502,650 | 1,591 | Mediterranean Sea | September 21, 1964 |
| Marshall Islands | Archipelago | 181 | 58,790 | 325 | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia | May 1, 1979 |
| Mauritius | Archipelago | 2,040 | 1,265,710 | 620 | Indian Ocean, Africa, Mascarene Islands | March 12, 1968 |
| Nauru | One island | 21 | 12,580 | 599 | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia | January 31, 1968 |
| New Zealand | Two main islands (North Island and South Island) and other smaller islands | 270,467 | 5,125,451 | 19 | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia | September 26, 1907 |
| Palau | Archipelago | 459 | 18,010 | 39 | Pacific Ocean, Micronesia | January 1, 1981 |
| Papua New Guinea | Part of a larger island (New Guinea) and several smaller islands | 462,840 | 8,776,110 | 19 | Pacific Ocean, Melanesia | September 16, 1975 |
| Philippines | Archipelago | 300,000 | 108,116,620 | 360 | Southeast Asia | June 12, 1898 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Two islands | 261 | 52,830 | 202 | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | September 19, 1983 |
| Saint Lucia | One main island | 616 | 182,790 | 297 | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | February 22, 1979 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Archipelago | 389 | 110,590 | 284 | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | October 27, 1979 |
| Samoa | Archipelago | 2,842 | 197,100 | 69 | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia | January 1, 1962 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | Two main islands (Sao Tome Island and Principe Island) | 1,001 | 215,060 | 215 | Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Guinea, Africa | July 12, 1975 |
| Seychelles | Archipelago | 455 | 97,630 | 215 | Indian Ocean, Africa | June 29, 1976 |
| Singapore | One main island and several smaller islands | 728 | 5,703,570 | 7831 | Southeast Asia | August 9, 1965 |
| Solomon Islands | Archipelago | 28,400 | 669,820 | 24 | Pacific Ocean, Melanesia | July 7, 1978 |
| Sri Lanka | One main island and other small islands | 65,610 | 21,803,000 | 332 | Indian Ocean, South Asia | February 4, 1948 |
| Tonga | Archipelago | 748 | 104,490 | 140 | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia | June 4, 1970 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Two main islands and several smaller ones | 5,131 | 1,394,970 | 272 | Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles | August 31, 1962 |
| Tuvalu | Archipelago | 26 | 11,650 | 448 | Pacific Ocean, Polynesia | October 1, 1978 |
| Vanuatu | Archipelago | 12,189 | 299,880 | 25 | Pacific Ocean, Melanesia | July 30, 1980 |
| Partially recognized states | ||||||
| Northern Cyprus | Part of a large island (Cyprus) | 3,355 | 313,626 | 93 | Mediterranean Sea | July 20, 1974 |
| Taiwan | One main island and several smaller islands | 36,193 | 23,603,121 | 652 | Pacific Ocean, East Asia | January 1, 1912 |
How to get an island state passport as quickly and easily as possible?
The quickest and easiest way to get an island state passport without breaking the law is to make a large investment in the host country’s economy or a subsidy to the local state fund. But only seven states from the list above offer such an opportunity. We will consider their proposals in detail.
| Jurisdiction | Remote passport issuance | Processing time (months) | Entry threshold (minimum allowable investment/ donation) | Possibility to return the invested money | Mandatory holding period of an investment asset (years) |
| Antigua and Barbuda | ☑ | 3-6 | USD 100,000 | ☑ | 5-7 |
| Commonwealth of Dominica | ☑ | 3-6 | USD 100,000 | ☑ | 3-5 |
| Grenada | ☑ | 3-6 | USD 150,000 | ☑ | 5 |
| Malta | ☒ | 12-36 | EUR 715,000 | Partially | 5 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | ☑ | 2-6 | USD 125,000 | ☑ | 5-7 |
| Saint Lucia | ☑ | 3-6 | USD 100,000 | ☑ | 5-7 |
| Vanuatu | ☑ | 1,5-2 | USD 145,000 | ☒ | – |
Special programs for obtaining island nation passport and citizenship, operating in the seven jurisdictions listed above, offer at least two financial routes. The applicant can make a donation or invest in the purchase of real estate/securities/business to obtain a second passport. Regardless of the option chosen, you will have to pay administrative fees (for due diligence and application processing) and the licensed immigration agent fee (through which the application is submitted).
Vanuatu ‘Golden Passport’ (another name for citizenship by investment program) is available only through a donation, while a combined investment is required in Malta. In states that issue economic citizenship by real estate purchase, investing only in development projects previously approved by the authorities (hotels, spa resorts, etc.) is possible. The exception is St. Kitts, where you can buy any residential property.
The easiest and cheapest way to get an island nation passport is a non-refundable donation to the state fund. The applicant will not be able to return the money, but their contribution will go to the development of transport infrastructure, the preservation of cultural heritage, and the construction of new hospitals and schools in the host state.
Foreign investors applying for an island state passport are entitled to include their family members in the application: spouse, children (including from previous marriages), parents, and grandparents. Often unmarried underage siblings are allowed to be included in the application. Exceptions are the Commonwealth of Dominica, Vanuatu, and Malta. There are additional administration fees for adding relatives.
Governments in the Caribbean and other jurisdictions with accelerated island nation passport programs have established strict rules for screening applicants. Applications are submitted through authorized agents who conduct due diligence and assess the legitimacy of applicants’ sources of capital. Additional checks are carried out by the host state authorities and independent international detective agencies hired by officials.
Why is it worth hurrying up with an application for an island nation ‘golden passport’?
The Caribbean island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis has been offering citizenship to investors since 1984, pioneering the global ‘golden passport’ market. The local program has been running smoothly for almost four decades. But few jurisdictions can boast of such constancy.
Similar programs operate on average for about a decade. Examples: Tonga (1982-1996), Marshall Islands (1987-1996), Ireland (1988-1998), Samoa (1991-1997), and Union of Comoros (2001-2017). Vanuatu previously had several island nation ‘golden passport’ programs that are closed now. The Grenada program, which opened in 1996, was on pause between 2001 and 2013.
As a rule, the reason for the closure was the pressure of the West developed countries, which were losing taxpayers because of those programs. Western officials have often accused states with citizenship by investment programs of not effectively weeding out unreliable candidates.
We help to choose and obtain island state passports
Find out more about the conditions for obtaining an island nation passport through investment in each of the above jurisdictions by consulting with our experts. A team of professionals is ready to quickly assess your chances of success and provide you with the best licensed immigration agent in your chosen host jurisdiction.
Contact the experts now using one of the phone numbers above. You can also contact us via the feedback form or corporate email!
