What is Grenada CBI?

How it works

The Grenada Citizenship by Investment Programme was relaunched in 2013 (Grenada CBI Act 2013). The unique selling point: Grenada is the only Caribbean CBI country with a bilateral US E-2 investor treaty. A Grenadian passport unlocks the US E-2 visa, letting non-treaty nationals (Indian, Chinese, Russian, Brazilian, Vietnamese) access US business residency through Grenadian citizenship.

Investment routes (post-2024 minimums):

• National Transformation Fund (NTF) contribution — non-refundable donation. USD 235,000 for a single applicant or family of up to four; additional dependents add fees.
• Real estate purchase — minimum approximately USD 270,000 in approved developments, held for 5 years minimum (or USD 220,000 in joint-investment schemes with two co-investors).

Plus government, due-diligence, and processing fees: typically USD 25k–60k+ depending on family size.

The E-2 advantage

The Grenada-US treaty (signed 1989) qualifies Grenadian nationals for the E-2 investor visa. The path:

1. Apply for Grenada CBI → ~USD 235k donation route (or higher real estate).
2. Receive Grenadian passport (~3-5 months under normal conditions).
3. Apply for US E-2 visa from a US embassy as Grenadian national.
4. Invest USD 100k+ in a US business (separate from the CBI investment).
5. Live in the US under E-2 with spouse + dependent children.

E-2 is renewable indefinitely as long as the US business operates. Spouses can work; children study. Total combined cost (CBI + US E-2 investment) typically lands in the USD 350k–500k range.

Family

Grenadian CBI includes spouse, dependent children under 30, parents over 55, dependent siblings (with conditions), and grandparents. Recent rules allow inclusion of future spouses and children added after citizenship issuance for additional fees.

Process

Standard timeline 4–7 months:

1. Engage a licensed agent (mandatory).
2. Submit application + due-diligence files for all family members 12+.
3. Pay due-diligence fees upfront.
4. Approval-in-principle (~3-4 months).
5. Pay full investment amount.
6. Citizenship certificate + passport issued (~5-7 months total).

Visa-free travel

Grenadian passport offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to ~140 countries, including Schengen, UK, Singapore, China (visa-on-arrival historically), and the rest of CARICOM.

Examples

• Indian SaaS founder uses Grenada → US E-2. India: not E-2 treaty. Path: Grenada NTF (~USD 235k) → Grenadian passport (~5 months) → US E-2 application (~3-4 months) → USD 200k US LLC investment for E-2 qualification. Total cost ~USD 460k. Lives in the US under renewable E-2 with spouse + 2 children. No green card directly, but E-2 → EB-5 transition possible later.
• Russian-origin investor for backup citizenship + Schengen access. Grenada CBI possible (subject to enhanced due diligence given country origin and source-of-funds). Provides backup nationality + visa-free Schengen + E-2 optionality.

Common mistakes

• Confusing CBI with E-2 directly. CBI grants the passport; E-2 is a separate US visa application requiring its own investment + business plan.
• Underestimating combined cost. USD 235k is just the CBI; add USD 100-200k US investment + fees + legal = often USD 400k+ total.
• Skipping the holding period. Real estate route requires 5-year hold. Selling before defeats the citizenship — and some developers offer terms that prove illusory.
• Treating Grenadian passport as banking-friendly. Banks increasingly flag CBI passports for enhanced KYC; some private banks reject Caribbean CBI as sole nationality. Plan for additional documentation requests.