CBI.me Research Desk · editorial guide ·

Citizenship by investment costs in 2026

A programme’s qualifying amount is only one part of its cost. Add processing, due diligence, interviews, passports, document work and professional fees. CBI.me separates the base amount from a subtotal of specifically published charges.

ProgrammeSingle baseFamily baseSingle subtotal
Antigua and Barbuda$230,000$230,000$248,800
Dominica$200,000$250,000$210,000
Egypt$250,000—$260,000
Grenada$235,000$235,000$244,000
St Kitts and Nevis$250,000$250,000$262,750
Saint Lucia$240,000$240,000—
Nauru$90,000$92,000$102,700
El Salvador$1,000,000$1,000,000$1,000,000
São Tomé and Príncipe$90,000$95,000—
Türkiye$400,000——
Vanuatu$130,000$180,000$135,000

Family: principal, spouse and two under-12 children. Subtotals include itemised charges only; extras and eligibility apply.

What does a published subtotal include?

Only the charges itemised on the programme profile. Where an application fee is credited toward the headline payment, count it once. For example, Dominica’s US$200,000 single-applicant contribution plus US$10,000 of listed processing, due diligence, certificate and interview fees produces a US$210,000 subtotal. Passport and professional costs are still additional.

Why can two families pay different amounts?

Child ages, financial dependency, relatives included and additional screening affect fees. Our family illustration uses a principal applicant, spouse and two children under 12. A different household needs its own eligibility check and fee schedule.

Which payments are already at risk?

Separate government screening/processing from the contribution or asset purchase and from professional charges. Saint Lucia labels submission processing and due diligence non-refundable. Antigua requires non-refundable due diligence and 10% of processing at submission. Ask for a payment schedule showing recipient, trigger, amount and the legal or contractual refund basis for each payment; an approval-in-principle decision does not make earlier fees refundable.

When does the qualifying payment become due?

For Saint Lucia’s NEF, the current programme page places the contribution after approval. Its 2026 built-property regulation instead requires the investment agreement, proof of the qualifying payment and value evidence with the application. Antigua’s property guidance describes a binding agreement subject to citizenship approval, with the processing balance and developer sums due after approval. Do not apply one route’s sequence to another; reconcile your approval letter, current rules and executed agreements before paying.

What if I withdraw, am refused, or the developer fails?

Saint Lucia’s payment portal states fees and qualifying investments paid are non-refundable. This broad policy does not determine every agent, developer or escrow agreement. Ask an independent lawyer to identify what has been earned or spent, the cancellation and refusal clauses, deadlines, permitted deductions, refund recipient, default remedy and dispute forum. Obtain written answers from the responsible contracting parties. A claimed refund right is only as useful as its legal basis, conditions and enforceability.

What must the agent and developer contracts cover?

Check the submitting agent, developer and escrow holder as distinct parties. For Saint Lucia’s amended property/enterprise framework, Act 22/2025 and regulations 12A–12C require escrow arrangements with documented release conditions, rights, obligations, fees and any construction drawdowns. Inspect the executed agreement and project approval rather than assuming those safeguards guarantee citizenship, completion or repayment. Private fees and performance promises need their own contractual review.

What capital might be recovered later?

A contribution is spent permanently. Saint Lucia’s published National Action Bonds are non-interest-bearing with a five-year hold from first issue and a separate non-refundable US$50,000 administration fee. Scheduled redemption under the bond terms is different from a rejection refund. A property sale depends on holding rules, a buyer, market value, title and selling costs; it is not guaranteed recovery. Model permanent spending separately from capital exposed to issuer, counterparty, currency and liquidity risk.

What changed in St Kitts in 2026?

New applications require biometric enrolment. Its published standard biometric/passport fees and USD 250 processing per applicant are included here. The time-limited enrolment discount is not assumed because booking and completion must meet its deadline.

What should an itemised quote show?

The route and qualifying amount; government processing and screening; interview and identity verification; passport/certificate charges; taxes and property expenses where relevant; documents and translation; professional fees; holding period; and refund terms if the application fails.

Continue reading

Sources

Compare programmes →