Caribbean (CBI) vs United StatesGolden Visa, side by side — 2026
Caribbean (CBI)
St. Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia — passport in 4–8 months.
United States
The slowest, most expensive Golden Visa — and the most powerful.
Caribbean (CBI). Caribbean (CBI) edges United States on the headline metrics most applicants weight first (entry price, speed, path to citizenship and physical presence).
The full picture is below — by the numbers, then category by category.
By the numbers
| Metric | 🌴 Caribbean (CBI) | 🇺🇸 United States |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Active | Active |
| Headline minimum | $200,000 | $800,000 |
| Processing time | 4–8 months | 24–36 months (rural priority) |
| Path to citizenship | Direct (no residency) | 5 years from green card |
| Physical presence | 0 days (most programs) | Maintain US residency |
| Tax overlay | 0% on worldwide income (most islands) | None — US taxes worldwide income |
| Best for | Frequent travelers, people with restrictive passports, or anyone needing optionality fast. | Families relocating to the US permanently, especially those with children entering US universities. |
Category by category
- 01
Lower entry price
Edge: Caribbean (CBI)Caribbean (CBI) starts at $200,000, United States at $800,000.
- 02
Faster to a card
Edge: Caribbean (CBI)Caribbean (CBI): 4–8 months. United States: 24–36 months (rural priority).
- 03
Path to citizenship
Edge: United StatesUnited States offers naturalization in 5 years from green card; Caribbean (CBI) does not provide a clear citizenship track (Direct (no residency)).
Who each one is for
Frequent travelers, people with restrictive passports, or anyone needing optionality fast.
- +Direct citizenship — no residency requirement
- +Visa-free travel to 140–150 countries
- +Grenada gives access to US E-2 investor visa
- +Fast: passport often in 4–6 months
Families relocating to the US permanently, especially those with children entering US universities.
- +Path to US green card and then passport
- +Family included (spouse + children under 21)
- +Rural TEA route has dedicated visa allocation = faster
- +Children can work and study in US during processing
The honest tradeoffs
- − All five programs raised minimums to $200k+ in 2024 by regional MoU
- − Increased due diligence — Russians, Belarusians, Iranians excluded
- − EU visa-free status under review (UK already requires ETA)
- − US taxes worldwide income for green card holders and citizens
- − Multi-year processing even with reform
- − 10 jobs must be created and sustained
- − Capital is at-risk — no guaranteed return