Antigua Reaffirms CIP Integrity Following US Concerns

Antigua defends vetting process as calls grow for regional cooperation

The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has responded to concerns raised by the United States over the potential security risks associated with the region’s Citizenship by Investment Programmes (CIPs), insisting that its vetting processes remain robust and thorough.

During this week’s post-Cabinet media briefing, Ambassador Lionel Max Hurst, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister, said the matter was discussed at length in Cabinet, following recent communications from the U.S. government that flagged vulnerabilities across Caribbean CIP schemes.

“The United States has concerns, and we are listening,” Hurst said. “But we continue to believe that our system meets international standards and poses no threat to our security partners.”

The concerns are understood to relate to the risk of bad actors obtaining Caribbean citizenship through investment, potentially bypassing traditional immigration scrutiny. Antigua and Barbuda, along with other OECS countries that offer similar programmes, have been under increasing pressure to align practices and enhance transparency.

Hurst confirmed that Barbados’ Ambassador to the United States, Noel Lynch, had been engaged on the issue and was acting as a regional intermediary to facilitate discussions between Caribbean states and U.S. authorities.

“Barbados is playing a helpful diplomatic role in communicating a unified regional position,” he said, while also noting that talks are ongoing to improve information-sharing and due diligence protocols among CIP countries.

The Cabinet has not signalled any immediate policy changes but reiterated the government’s willingness to work with international partners to ensure the integrity of the programme is maintained.

The Citizenship by Investment Programme has been a key source of revenue for Antigua and Barbuda, funding infrastructure, education, and public health initiatives. However, any loss of visa-free access to key countries—such as the Schengen Area or the United Kingdom—would be a serious blow to its appeal.

Hurst said regional leaders are expected to meet again soon to explore collective strategies in response to international scrutiny.

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