Relocation guide
Make the move with the right questions in hand.
Antigua & Barbuda can suit remote professionals, entrepreneurs and families seeking a Caribbean base. The practical route depends on your nationality, work arrangement, family circumstances, source of income and intended length of stay. Immigration permission is not the same as tax residence, and citizenship by investment is not the same as ordinary relocation. Treat the examples below as planning scenarios, not promises or personal tax advice.
- First check
- Current immigration and entry rules
- Tax question
- Residence, source and reporting obligations
- Family route
- School, healthcare and insurance planning
Start here
Separate the decisions before you make the move
A visa, a home, tax residence and citizenship answer different questions. Put them in the right order.
- 01
Confirm permission to enter and stay
Check the current Immigration Department rules for your nationality, intended duration and purpose of stay. Antigua & Barbuda's official Nomad Digital Residence website currently states that the programme has ended, so do not rely on older articles quoting a two-year NDR visa or its former fee schedule.
- 02
Map your tax position in every relevant country
Ask qualified advisers how days spent in Antigua & Barbuda, your work location, company structure, source of income, domicile and existing tax residence interact. A local immigration permission does not by itself establish or change tax residence, and Antigua's tax treatment does not remove filing or tax duties in another country.
- 03
Choose a living arrangement
Test a rental before committing to a purchase where possible. Compare commute and internet needs, hurricane resilience, insurance, utilities, school transport, medical access and the cost of importing or replacing household goods.
- 04
Get independent advice before signing
Use Antigua & Barbuda counsel for property and immigration matters and a tax adviser familiar with your home-country rules. Caribbean Anchor can help organise questions and introductions; it does not replace those advisers.
Residence options
Remote-work residence: check the current route
Antigua & Barbuda's official Nomad Digital Residence site describes the former programme as a two-year arrangement for people employed outside Antigua & Barbuda who could work remotely and meet a stated US$50,000 minimum income requirement. The same official site now links to a government notice saying that the programme has ended. Confirm any replacement route directly with the Department of Immigration before making plans.
The former NDR income requirement and fee schedule are historical, not current application terms. Check entry visas, extensions and work permission separately with Immigration; none of these alone settles tax residence.
Tax planning
Do not reduce relocation to a ‘tax-neutral’ headline
Relocation is not a blanket exemption from tax. Antigua & Barbuda’s Inland Revenue Department administers property, corporation, sales and unincorporated-business taxes. Your own position depends on current law, the source of income, how you work or hold assets, and obligations in other connected countries.
Remote work can create employer, payroll, permanent-establishment, social-security, withholding, reporting and work-authorisation questions. Keep records of days, contracts, where services are performed, company control and the source of funds. Obtain written advice before changing a tax residence or moving a business.
Citizenship by investment
Citizenship is a regulated application, not a relocation shortcut
The Citizenship by Investment Unit says an applicant may qualify through an approved real-estate project with a minimum property value of US$300,000, subject to government processing and due-diligence fees and the programme's application requirements. The official real-estate page says the property generally cannot be resold until five years after purchase, subject to its stated exception for another approved property.
The programme involves background checks, approved projects, an authorised agent and formal government decisions. The official materials do not support promising citizenship for a whole family within six months. Processing time can vary, and approval is not guaranteed. Confirm the current rules, fees, qualifying dependants, physical-presence requirements and project status with the CIU and a licensed agent.
Planning scenarios
Use a scenario to test your assumptions
These illustrative planning scenarios show how different households can approach a move. They are not documented client case studies or current property quotations.
Illustrative scenario
Remote technology professional
A remote technology professional might test a rental in Jolly Harbour, compare internet reliability and working hours, and obtain advice on employer, immigration and home-country tax obligations. Build the budget from current rental and utility quotations.
Illustrative scenario
Family considering a purchase
A family can compare renting with buying, investigate any approved citizenship-by-investment route, budget for programme and professional fees, and contact schools before choosing an area. School places, residence approval and property availability each require separate confirmation.
Illustrative scenario
Business owner with international clients
A business owner may need coordinated advice on where services are performed, company management, banking, residence, insurance and travel. A home near Falmouth Harbour can fit a lifestyle plan without itself establishing tax residence or a business structure.
Daily life
Plan the practical systems, not only the view
Antigua has international education options. Island Academy describes itself as an international K–13 school and an IB World School; admissions, fees, curriculum fit and places should be confirmed directly. Do not imply that every school is IB-accredited or that a place is guaranteed.
Plan healthcare around routine services, private cover, pre-existing-condition exclusions and emergency arrangements. Confirm evacuation terms, assistance providers and destinations directly with your insurer rather than assuming they are included.
V.C. Bird International Airport provides regional and international connections, but routes and schedules change. Check the airport's live flight information and the airline timetable for the dates that matter to you rather than promising direct service to a fixed list of cities.
There is no reliable universal monthly budget for ‘comfortable’ living or a single average beachfront rent. Costs vary by season, location, property condition, utilities, transport, insurance, school fees and household size. Build a current budget from written quotes and a contingency reserve.
Before you commit
A relocation checklist worth taking to your advisers
- Immigration
- Current route, duration, entry conditions and work permission Confirm directly with Immigration; the former NDR programme is marked ended.
- Tax
- Residence, source, employer, company and reporting analysis Obtain advice for Antigua & Barbuda and every other affected jurisdiction.
- Housing
- Written rent or purchase terms, insurance and resilience review Availability, price and terms change; verify before payment.
- Family
- School places, health cover, transport and emergency plans Confirm capacity and policy terms with each provider.
- Citizenship
- Approved project, licensed agent, fees and holding rules Citizenship is subject to eligibility, due diligence and government approval.