Editorial review: 24 October 2026. No numerical passport ranks or access scores are asserted here. Check the official live index and government rules before making decisions.
A passport ranking can help you start a comparison, but it cannot finish one. For an investor considering Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis or St Lucia, the useful question is not simply which passport appears higher in a table. It is which citizenship pathway, travel permissions and long-term responsibilities fit your family and the countries you actually need to visit.
These five Caribbean countries should be evaluated individually. A regional comparison is helpful, but it does not make their application rules, investment routes or family definitions interchangeable. It also does not mean that approval in one jurisdiction predicts approval elsewhere.
Illustrative photograph — Vamos Overseas image library.
What a passport index measures
The Henley Passport Index compares travel access using its own scoring methodology. Henley attributes its underlying data to the International Air Transport Association, supplemented by its research. Its methodology describes a comparison of 199 passports against 227 destinations and monthly updates.
The official methodology includes visa-free access, visas on arrival and electronic travel authorizations in its access scoring. A pre-departure-approved e-Visa is treated differently. That distinction matters: a headline access score is not a count of destinations where you can board a plane with no advance formalities at all.
The index is a third-party research tool. Vamos Overseas is not affiliated with its publisher. This article does not reproduce a current ranking table because an exact 24 October 2026 numerical snapshot has not been independently verified.
Start with your travel map, not the league table
Write down your essential destinations: family visits, business meetings, medical travel and recurring holidays. Then check the entry conditions for the passport you are considering with those destinations' immigration authorities. Two passports can have similar aggregate scores while differing in a country that is central to your life.
For each priority destination, separate short visits from work, study and residence. Check permitted activities, duration, onward-ticket requirements and any electronic authorization. Visa-free entry does not eliminate border checks or guarantee admission. It also does not grant permission to relocate, earn income locally or enroll indefinitely in education.
Compare the five programs on their own terms
Antigua and Barbuda's Citizenship by Investment Unit publishes official program information. St Kitts and Nevis has its own CIU, while St Lucia's program information is available through its official CIP website. Grenada's relevant authority is Investment Migration Agency Grenada. For Dominica, consult government legislation, including the 2024 CBI regulations, and check subsequent amendments.
Use these sources to verify current routes, eligible applicants and required application channels. Do not assume that a route advertised in an old comparison remains available. Government contribution, approved investment, administrative charges and professional fees are different components; compare the complete current proposal rather than a single headline number.
Family planning deserves its own comparison
A family application is not merely a main application with more passports. Ask how a program defines eligible dependents and what evidence each relative must provide. Age, financial dependence, marital status and documentation can matter. The rules governing relatives added later may also differ from the rules at the original application.
Consider document availability early. Civil records, name variations and proof of funds may require careful preparation. A qualified professional should explain the applicable requirements and any unresolved eligibility questions before you commit to an investment. None of these questions is answered by passport rank.
Due diligence and investment risk are separate
Citizenship applications involve background checks and official assessment. A commercially attractive project cannot guarantee citizenship approval. Conversely, citizenship approval does not guarantee the performance, liquidity or resale value of an associated investment.
Where property is involved, obtain appropriate independent legal and financial advice. Examine the approved status of the project, the agreement, ownership rights, carrying costs and exit conditions. Keep personal eligibility and investment suitability as two distinct workstreams rather than allowing the passport objective to obscure ordinary investment risks.
Keep residence and tax planning distinct
A second citizenship is not automatically a change of tax residence. Nor does owning a passport mean you have completed every administrative step needed to live elsewhere. Your existing nationality, residence and reporting obligations should be reviewed with qualified professionals.
A responsible comparison therefore ends with a shortlist and a set of unanswered questions, not a guaranteed outcome. Recheck travel rules and program requirements immediately before application and again before travel. Save the date and source of each important fact so your comparison can be updated rather than rebuilt from memory.
Your next step
Explore our citizenship advisory page and current country resources for Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis and St Lucia. Program availability varies by country and personal eligibility. Discuss your priorities before treating any ranking as a recommendation.
What the underlying passport index actually counts
Henley describes an IATA-based methodology covering 199 passports and 227 destinations, updated monthly. Its travel-access score includes visa-free travel, visa on arrival and electronic travel authorizations (ETA) that do not require advance visa approval. It does not count an e-visa requiring prior approval as visa-free. The score measures short-stay tourist or business entry under specified assumptions, not immigration, tax residence, the right to work, or admission guarantees. Primary methodology; live passport ranking.
Official source data: five Caribbean reference contribution amounts (24 October 2026)
| Country | Government-published starting contribution | Primary official source |
|---|---|---|
| Dominica | USD 200,000 | Dominica Citizenship by Investment Unit |
| Antigua and Barbuda | USD 230,000 | Citizenship by Investment Unit |
| Grenada | USD 235,000 | Investment Migration Agency |
| Saint Lucia | USD 240,000 | Saint Lucia CIP |
| St Kitts and Nevis | USD 250,000 | Citizenship by Investment Unit |
Important comparison rule: these are reference amounts for selected qualifying contribution routes, not total application prices, confirmed approvals, or the price of a passport. Different family categories, due-diligence fees, professional fees, investment choices and future regulatory changes affect overall costs. These figures are not interchangeable with buying any residential property. Confirm again with each authority before committing funds.
Primary sources and fact-checking
Editorial review: 24 October 2026. Prepared by the Vamos Overseas editorial team from official government and cited passport-index materials. This is general information, not personalized legal, tax, immigration or investment advice. Review current government rules and obtain qualified local professional guidance before acting.