Investment property: Antigua and Barbuda

Updated 5 October 2026

People buy property in Antigua and Barbuda for one of two reasons: a passport under the citizenship by investment programme, or a resort home to use and rent out.

The goal decides everything: which property fits, which taxes apply and how you sell later. The market is small and driven by tourism; the main format is villas and apartments in resorts with operator management.

Property for citizenship

• At least $300,000 in a project from the government's approved list, according to the Citizenship by Investment Unit.
• Holding period of 5 years. No earlier resale, except a switch into another approved property.
• Government processing fee from $10,000 for the main applicant, with a surcharge for family members. Due diligence fees and 10% of the processing fee are paid on submission, the rest after approval.
• Due diligence fees: $8,500 for the main applicant, $5,000 for a spouse, $2,000 for a child aged 12 to 17, $4,000 each for dependants aged 18 to 30 and parents aged 55 and over, none for children under 12. Passport: $300 per person. Due diligence fees are non-refundable.
• Filing: only through an authorised agent licensed by the Unit.
• Presence: at least 5 days in the country during the first 5 years after citizenship, according to the Unit.

Programme terms, timelines and family rules are on our Antigua and Barbuda citizenship page.

Buying outside the programme: the non-citizen licence

A foreigner who has not become a citizen may hold land and housing only under a non-citizen licence. Since 2020 the licence carries stamp duty under Act No. 32 of 2020, according to the official laws portal:

• freehold: 7% of the market value of the land;
• lease of 10 to 50 years: 5%;
• lease of up to 99 years: 6%;
• lease over 99 years: 7%.

The licence also covers foreign-controlled companies and beneficiaries of trusts holding land. Title is not registered without it.

Taxes on the deal

• Buyer's stamp duty: 2.5% of the price or assessed value, whichever is higher. On a $300,000 property that is $7,500.
• Seller's stamp duty: 7.5%. Factor it in when estimating what you get back on a sale after 5 years.
• Currency: the Eastern Caribbean dollar is pegged at 2.70 to $1, so dollar prices do not float.

How the purchase works

1. Goal and budget. Passport, holidays or income decide which property to look at.
2. Project due diligence. Developer, approval status, title to the land, and who manages the property after completion.
3. Contract with the developer. For the programme, the application is filed once a binding agreement is signed.
4. Licence or citizenship application. A foreigner outside the programme gets a licence; a programme applicant files an application.
5. Title registration and payment of duties.

Risks

• Citizenship property is priced above the market: on a sale after 5 years, compare with ordinary deals, not the programme price.
• A project may stall or fail to make the approved list; we check before the contract.
• Resale to another programme applicant only works within the programme rules.

What we do

We shortlist a property for your goal, check the developer and project status, prepare the citizenship application or non-citizen licence, and support the deal through title registration with locally licensed partners.

What we do

• Property shortlist for your investment goal
• Legal due diligence on the property
• End-to-end transaction support
• Ownership structuring (company, trust)
• Property management and letting

See also

Company formation · Business account · Personal account · All country programs

FAQ