Grenada CBI sets the record straight on eligible nationalities

By Caribbean News Global

ST GEORGES, Grenada – The Grenada Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme has taken action to set the record straight that “there has been no change to its policy debarring applications from Russia, Belarus, North Korea, and Iran.”

This follows Senator Adrian Thomas, leader of government business in the upper house of parliament, comments:

“The programme is open for everybody, whether you are Chinese, whether you are Russian, whether you are African, the first thing this administration sees is a human being. We don’t cut you to see what blood runs through your veins whether it is African blood, Chinese blood or Russian blood.”

Grenada Citizenship by Investment (CBI) in a press release on December 15, 2023, clarified:

“Senator Adrian Thomas, on Thursday evening, December 14, 2023, averred that his submissions in the Senate the previous day on the acceptance of the CBI applicants from all nationalities is incorrect.”

As previously documented on 25 February 2023, the US-Caribbean roundtable deliberated the challenges faced by Caribbean CBI programmes and discussed opportunities that would enable the programmes to thrive in Antigua and Barbuda – Dominica – Grenada – Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia.

The six principles agreed to are:

Collective agreement on treatment of denials: Not to process applications from persons whose applications have been denied in another CBI jurisdiction, by proactively sharing information on denials.

Interviews: Conduct interviews with applicants, whether virtual or in person.

Additional checks: Each jurisdiction will run checks on each application with the Financial Intelligence Unit of its respective country.

Audits: Audit the programme annually or every two years in accordance with internationally accepted standards.

Retrieval of passports: Request law enforcement assistance to retrieve revoked/recalled passports.

Treatment of Russians and Belarusians: Suspend processing applications from Russians and Belarusians. All jurisdictions have already implemented this change.

The Grenada Citizenship by Investment (CBI), press release continued:

“In making the correction, he confirmed that in truth and in fact applications are no longer accepted from Russia and Belarus as of March 31, 2023; and that the longstanding ban on North Korea and Iran remains in full effect.”

Grenada CBI unit further confirmed:

“Grenada remains committed to the six CBI principles agreed upon between the United States Treasury and the five governments of the Eastern Caribbean Investment Migration programmes on February 25th, 2023.

“The CBI unit’s steadfast adherence to these principles; and the building of mechanisms to further entrench them in its operations continue unabated and uninterrupted.”