BRUSSELS, Dec 29, CMC – The European Commission has adopted its eighth report under the Visa Suspension Mechanism, covering developments related to visa policy alignment, migration, security and citizenship in several countries including those in the Eastern Caribbean that operate citizenship by investment (CBI) programmes.
The report includes specific recommendations for each country.
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis are the Eastern Caribbean countries with CBI programes through which foreign investors are granted citizenship of these islands in return for making a substantial investment in their socio-economic development.
In its report, the EU notes that investor citizenship schemes operated by visa-free countries pose “security risks, as they may allow third-country nationals who would normally require a visa to bypass standard checks and obtain Schengen access through purchased citizenship”.
It said that schemes in the five Eastern Caribbean states “continue to raise concerns due to high volumes, short processing times and low rejection rates, despite some steps taken to strengthen due diligence and information-sharing”.
(Details in Business section)
CMC/2025