Moving to Antigua: Your Guide to Immigration Routes
The answer depends above all on your relocation plans: enjoying your retirement or your private income, working remotely with a view of the sea, studying, working locally, or starting your own business. Here is an overview of the main possibilities, based on the official information available today and our experience with local procedures.
Haven Antigua is by your side
Immigration rules can change. Tell us about your relocation plans: we’ll help you find the steps that fit your situation.
Staying in Antigua: remote work, retirement, or studies
Option 1: Working remotely from the island
Does your office fits in a backpack and your clients are on the other side of the world? You are not alone: many expats run their work remotely from Antigua.
Unfortunately, the Nomad Digital Residence (NDR) program, which allowed you to stay on the island for 2 years while working remotely, has been discontinued.
If you want to stay on the island longer than the 3 months of your tourist visa, you will now need to apply to Immigration for an Extension of Stay and renew it every 3 months.
To obtain it, you will be asked for:
- proof of sufficient financial resources for your stay;
- health insurance covering care in Antigua;
- a return ticket to your country of residence;
- a justification for your extension request;
- a valid passport, generally with at least six more months of validity.
Please note: You might be tempted to simply take a round trip to a neighboring island after 3 months and get a new tourist visa upon your return.
Of course you can, but note that if you want the months spent in Antigua to count toward a future residency application, you must take the administrative route and request your Extension of Stay from Immigration.
Option 2: Enjoying your retirement or your private income
An endless summer, a slower pace of life, friendly locals: Antigua appeals to many foreign retirees, even though the cost of living is relatively high.
If you are retired with sufficient income, or if you are financially independent (Independent of Means), and you own real estate in Antigua, you can easily obtain an authorization to stay for 6 months, or even 1 year.
In all cases, you will need to show sufficient resources, have health insurance valid on the island, and present a valid passport.
Option 3: Studying in Antigua
Are you enrolled at an educational institution in Antigua, such as the University of the West Indies Five Islands, the Antigua State College, the American University of Antigua, the University of Health Sciences Antigua, the Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Technology, etc.?
You must apply for an authorization to stay.
The application is based on an official admission letter from the institution. You will also need to prove that you have the means to cover your expenses during your studies, have health insurance valid in Antigua, and present a valid passport and a return ticket.
Option 4: Working in Antigua
To carry out a professional activity on the island, foreign nationals must apply for a work permit. It is generally issued for 1 year and must be renewed with the Labour Department. Once the permit is obtained, you still need to get the corresponding visa from Immigration.
Being employed by a local company
Your future Antiguan employer files the application. They must prove that they could not find a qualified Antiguan candidate for the position, in particular by publishing job ads in the press and keeping the supporting documents.
Important: the application, including payment, must be completed before you arrive in Antigua.
Being self-employed or running a business
You can also apply for a work permit as a self-employed worker or as an employee of your own company incorporated in Antigua.
For the first year, you will need to provide, among other things:
- proof that your company has been incorporated;
- a Business Plan;
- a recent Police Certificate of Character, issued by your last country of residence.
In subsequent years, when you apply to renew your work permit, whether you are self-employed or head of your own company, you will be asked to provide Certificates of Good Standing.
These are letters certifying that your payments are up to date with the 3 “Statutory Bodies” (Medical Benefits Scheme, Social Security, Board of Education) as well as with Inland Revenue.
Putting together a work permit application and communicating with the Labour Department takes time. Allow at least 3 months and do not rule out several trips back and forth to the office in St. John’s.
Haven Antigua can help you with these steps, from preparing your application to following up with the relevant government offices.
How much does a work permit cost?
The cost varies depending on your declared profession, your country of origin, and your status.
The amount is generally not known in advance and is not necessarily the same from one year to the next. It ranges from EC$300 to EC$10,000.
Obtaining residency
Unlike the temporary statuses we have just seen, residency allows you to settle for the long term, without depending on an employer, a course of study, or a specific project.
There are two ways to obtain resident status:
The Resident Permit
The conditions depend on your situation. You can apply for it:
- after 4 years of continuous residence for work permit holders;
- after 2 years for entrepreneurs, investors, property owners, or retirees.
Financially independent people (Independent of Means) can also qualify, under certain conditions.
The Resident Permit is generally granted for 3 years, then renewable.
The supporting documents required and the exact conditions vary depending on your profile.
The Tax Residency Program
Less publicized than other routes, but still available: the Tax Residency Program is aimed at people who can demonstrate sufficient income and wish to obtain permanent resident status in Antigua and Barbuda, while benefiting from an advantageous tax framework.
The main conditions:
- Minimum income: worldwide annual income of at least US$100,000;
- Flat tax: payment of a fixed annual tax of US$20,000;
- Physical presence: a minimum of 30 days per year in Antigua and Barbuda;
- Housing: renting or buying a property in the country.
With only 30 days of minimum stay per year and a quick process, this solution offers real flexibility to those who want to keep their life elsewhere while enjoying a favorable tax regime, with a pied-à-terre in the tropics as a bonus.
Since the conditions of this program may change, contact Haven Antigua: we will check the current criteria for you.
Becoming a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda
Citizenship through the standard route
You can become an Antiguan citizen by birth, descent, marriage, or after several years of legal presence in the country.
For a foreign person living on the island, it is possible to apply after 7 years of legal stay, if the conditions are met.
Keep in mind: it is not automatic. An application must be filed and then reviewed by the authorities.
Citizenship by Investment (CBI)
Antigua and Barbuda offers a Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme, officially known as the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP), open to individuals and investors alike, which allows applicants to obtain citizenship through a contribution or investment that meets the programme’s criteria. It is widely regarded as one of the most family-friendly CBI programmes.
Several options exist:
- a contribution to the National Development Fund (NDF), starting at US$230,000 for a single applicant or a family of up to 4 people;
- a contribution to the University of the West Indies Fund, starting at US$260,000 for a family of six;
- an approved real estate investment, starting at US$300,000;
- an investment in an approved business, starting at US$1.5 million for a single investor, or US$400,000 per investor as part of a joint investment of at least US$5 million.
However, this program is at the center of discussions with the United States and the European Union. In 2026, the European Union asked Antigua to gradually phase it out by June 1, 2028. The Antiguan government has indicated that the program is continuing for the time being.
Since the program may change, contact Haven Antigua to learn the most recent conditions before taking any steps.
What comes next?
Haven Antigua helps you choose the relotcation option that’s right for you. Your project, your family situation, your business activity and your budget all shape the decisions ahead: what works for a solo entrepreneur won’t necessarily suit a family with children.
Beyond the administrative process, we support you at every stage of your relocation project: preparing your move, finding your home, schooling and family life, starting or acquiring a business, and concierge and property management services once you’re settled. We’re by your side before, during and after your arrival in Antigua and Barbuda.
Contact us for a first conversation, no strings attached.