Antigua & Barbuda CBI Amendment Bill 2026: Audits & 30-Day Residency

Antigua and Barbuda has introduced amendments to its Citizenship by Investment Act 2013 that will place the country’s Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) under regular independent audits and raise the residency requirement for new citizens from 5 days to 30. 

Prime Minister Gaston Browne presented the Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Bill 2026 in Parliament in mid July 2026, marking one of the most significant governance updates to the programme in recent years.

What the Amendment Bill Changes

The bill introduces several structural reforms aimed at strengthening the oversight and governance of the Antigua & Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Programme. The key changes include:

• Annual independent financial audits of the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) to enhance transparency and financial accountability.
• Operational audits are conducted every two years in accordance with internationally accepted auditing and financial reporting standards.
• Mandatory semi-annual reporting to the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority (ECCIRA), while continuing to submit reports to Parliament.
• Compliance with ECCIRA standards requires the CIU’s Chief Executive Officer to manage the programme in line with the regional authority’s regulations and directives.
• An increased residency requirement for new citizens, requiring successful applicants and their eligible dependents to spend 30 days in Antigua and Barbuda over the first five years after obtaining citizenship, replacing the previous five-day requirement.

Alignment with Regional Regulation

The stated purpose of the bill is alignment with the ECCIRA Agreement, the shared regulatory framework adopted by the five Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) countries that operate citizenship by investment programmes. The regional authority is expected to become operational in September 2026.

According to the Prime Minister, the 30-day requirement had already been applied administratively before the bill was tabled. The amendment therefore removes any inconsistency between domestic legislation and the regional agreement rather than introducing an entirely new obligation.

Understanding the 30 Day Requirement

The requirement is often misread as an annual obligation. In practice, new citizens must spend a total of 30 days in the country over five years, and the clock only starts once citizenship has been granted and passports have been issued. The rule applies to new applicants, not to existing citizens.

What This Means for Investors

Stronger oversight, independent audits, and transparent reporting are widely regarded as positive signals of the programme’s long-term credibility. Prospective applicants should, however, factor the 30-day residency commitment into their planning. 

As with all citizenship by investment programmes, every application remains subject to strict due diligence checks, and approval is never guaranteed.

Antigua and Barbuda’s recent amendments signal a decisive regional move toward stronger governance and more unified regulatory standards. To stay ahead of the latest updates and strategic shifts in citizenship and residency by investment, follow Karibi Consultants for timely insights and expert analysis.