Canada imposes visa restrictions on Antigua due to CBI Program

Passport from Antigua and Barbuda

Canada has imposed visa restrictions on citizens from Antigua and Barbuda in a move the Antiguan government said was due to concern over the island’s Citizenship by Investment Program (CBI).

The new visa regime takes effect today, June 27, 2017.

“After carefully monitoring the integrity of Antigua and Barbuda’s travel documents, the Government of Canada has determined that Antigua and Barbuda no longer meets Canada’s criteria for a visa exemption,” a statement from the Communications Branch for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada said.

A statement from the Antiguan government stated that the “decision relates to concerns over persons who obtain passports under Citizenship by Investment Programmes in the Caribbean.”

Antigua is the last of the countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) from whom the Canadian government has withdrawn visa-free travel.

Of all 14 CARICOM countries, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas and Barbados were the only ones that had continued to enjoy visa-free travel to Canada.

“The Canadian High Commissioner to Antigua and Barbuda, stationed in Trinidad, advised Prime Minister Gaston Browne of this development late on Friday prior to an official announcement today,” the Antiguan government statement said on Monday. “At the time, the Canadian official said that a concern is that Antigua and Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment Programme is not a residency programme. In response, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne pointed to the intense vetting of its CIP system, the revenues to the people of Antigua and Barbuda when the terms of trade and aid have declined and the banking system is threatened.”

The Canadian government says it remains committed to its partnership with Antigua and Barbuda “and values working together on mutual challenges and opportunities”. It also said that “Canada and Antigua and Barbuda share longstanding ties that are rooted in history.”

Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda said he recognized the concerns that Canada and other countries might have “at a time of intensified concerns about terrorism and refugees in North America and Europe, including evidence of ISIS recruits in the Caribbean..”

“He pledged that, as part of the international effort to combat terrorist activity, Antigua and Barbuda would continue to be vigilant with its passports and border security,” the government’s statement said. “The Prime Minister said that the Governments of Antigua and Barbuda and Canada have already started working to make the system of visa applications and approvals for Antigua and Barbuda citizens as efficient and affordable as possible.”

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52 Comments

  1. Karen
    September 12, 2018

    As a Canadian looking to take my family to see beautiful Dominica, I am saddened by the anti-Canadian comments I see posted. Having travelled extensively throughout the Caribbean, I have seen many examples of good will and support from Canada going back over a hundred years, including recently sending our warships to help in the wake of hurricanes. Yes, we have tough regulations and policies, but they’re enacted with thorough discussion, data, input and oversight. If this is not the case, there are avenues for correction and redress. Overall, though, I think we visit and enjoy countries like Dominica, spend hard-earned after-tax dollars, don’t break or take, and mind our manners.

  2. June 29, 2017

    As long as I can remember we always needed a visa to enter the US, yet the vast majority of Caribbean immigrants are accepted in the USA. So Canada putting visa restrictions on yet another Caribbean state could be a non issue.

  3. Man bites Dogs
    June 29, 2017

    Why is it you people like poking your noses in order people business and at the same time trying to destroy your own country Dominica along with that minority bobol Socall Workers Party, if something similar from another country had that to Dominica, those pirates from workers supporters would be happy to see prime minister Skerrit Go,but now you guys will see who’s going first and very soon the dogs will be frying in olive oil who laugh last laugh best.

  4. Lady Gaga
    June 28, 2017

    And those damn Canada application forms are so bloody long ! That alone deters me from visiting Canada more often.

  5. bigger
    June 28, 2017

    I would like the HATERS of Dominica to explain to me after the ravages of Ericka how were they going to get 1.5billion dollars to fix Roads Bridges Airport etc etc . These lazy guys on the other side did absolutely nothing to help. Instead just criticizing every thing without giving a tangible alternative

    Very Painful and SHAMEFUL

  6. Fedup
    June 28, 2017

    Sad thing about this is that our officials are rapidly diminishing our visa free travel options with this CBI stupidness that they use to enrich temselves. More stress for the poor. Wonder how many dominicans knew before this that our visa free travel to Canada was restricted before Antifua. How do we benefit from the CBI?

  7. Malgraysa
    June 28, 2017

    The Royal Bank of Canada, as far back as Nov. 2014 notified its customers with a correspondence address in Dominica, as well as certain other countries in the Caribbean region, who had offshore facilities with them, in jurisdictions outside Dominica that they would be withdrawing that service and that they had to find another home for their funds. The underlying reason for this decision was that they could not be sure of the provenance of the monies in such accounts.

  8. Nac Vibes
    June 28, 2017

    I agree with Canada and infact, all so called developed countries should place further restrictions on all the Caribbean, maybe then the citizens will wake up to the fact that their leaders are a bunch of lazy no good crooks mired in all kind of corruption and wrong doing and are a long way from being fit for purpose.

    CBI programs is like a man who lives in the betting office day in day out hoping for that big win rather than doing a smart day’s work. CBI is a lazy way of generating income for a country and the populace should demand an immediate holt to it and force their leaders to work harder than they are prepared to or keep voting them out until some one gets the message.

    • June 29, 2017

      oh for real? smh. do you know that canada also has a citizen by inestment programe. the same country that poisoned our bananas and coconuts then imposed visa ristrictions years ago.
      my friends soon from now they all gonna be flocking to the caribben to live, isis and wars gonna cause all that

  9. RastarMarn
    June 27, 2017

    This is the paramount issue with the whole fraudulent CBI program, and most people might miss that,,,
    As State and should me noted:
    “At the time, the Canadian official said that a concern is that Antigua and Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment Programme is not a residency programme.”

    • June 29, 2017

      who cares about canada.
      the same country who said that coconut oil was poisonous.they dont have our best interest at heart from longtime. do you know tney have a CBI? well check this out
      http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/helpcentre/answer.asp?qnum=653&top=6

      • Ideal
        June 29, 2017

        Yes Canada has a CBI program, but they do not sell to TOM, Dick or Harry. They are very selective as to who they sell to, not like those criminals and crooks that have Dominican passports.

  10. Unknown
    June 27, 2017

    Keep up that mindset and the only place we will be able to go without visa is Cuba, Russia and Venezuela

    • Me
      June 28, 2017

      Funnilly enough Dominican passport holders can enter Israel without a visa but not the United Arab Emirates (Dubai).

  11. Alice
    June 27, 2017

    If the CBI money can sustain us. do we need tourism? We can then make them get visas to visit our beautiful islands.

    Then, their citizens will pressure them to ease up their visa demands on us. Tit for tat, butter for fat

    • UK Dominican
      June 28, 2017

      You are laughable , really! If we do that our neighbours will be only to welcome them and take their dollar instead. Dominica is my country also but it is not the centre of the universe. Wake up.

  12. NKRUMAH KWAME
    June 27, 2017

    Our governments have “given” us a CIP in which we never had a say, in which we were NEVER CONSULTED; but now, we the SERVANTS, are RESPONSIBLE for making it a success!! :-x :-x :-x
    There is an Igbo proverb that states: If a snake fails to show its venom, children will use it to tie firewood!!
    HOTEP!

    • Me
      June 28, 2017

      Wonderful proverb Nkrumah but what has it got to do with the CBI programme, Sorry, but I don’t get it.

  13. %
    June 27, 2017

    Question is which country is next.I know Dominicas CBI is probably the worst managed on planet earth,so lets wait and see.I am confident the money from Antiguas CBI is not being frittered away like ours.
    B

    • De ayes have it
      June 28, 2017

      You must be an idiot. Dominica already lost visa free entry to Canada long time. We had your UWP govt to thank for that. After they sold a passport to the criminal Christopher Skase

      • Me
        June 28, 2017

        That proves that two wrongs don’t make one right. What is wrong is wrong, regardless who is the guilty party.

      • June 28, 2017

        The implementation of visa for Dominican to travel to Canada was implemented after Roosevelt Douglas visted Canada the same year he passed, you need to get your facts right, visit CIC website and do your research. Re the ending of your comment regarding criminals, all I will say is time will tell, just a matter of time

    • Ras
      June 28, 2017

      % , Dominica will most certainly NOT be next especially since the Canadian Government imposed visa requirements for entry to Canada by Dominicans in 2000, after the UWP ‘s reengineered Economic Citizenship Program under which hundreds if not thousands Chinese and Russian nationals were issued Dominican passports.
      If you really want to know the truth about Dominica’s CBI due diligence status it is not difficult to find!

      • Man bites Dogs
        June 29, 2017

        Ras, above workers supporters pretending not to know what was happening when workers were in government because them lots only hypocrites nasty wicket lazy sets of animals.

  14. Anthony P. Ismael
    June 27, 2017

    Dominica please take heed.

  15. June 27, 2017

    We remain suppressed by the bigger powers. Gaston should now impose visa restriction on Canadians, and so should the rest of the OECS.

  16. Quantico
    June 27, 2017

    Absolute rubbish from the Canadians! and I do not care what these big Countries say and I agree with UDOHREADYET’S comments above that Antigua should do the same thing, we are treated like dogs in that part of the world and that is a constant type of threats that you receive from these Big Countries. Who cares about going up to Canada huh?

    Puppets Governments is what we have around here accepting all these crap from time to time, all because when they get sick or want to go and spend their lavish monies that they have acquired from the back of the poor people of the Caribbean, they say nothing.

    I say stop the imports, visa restrictions also, and a tit for tat. Take care of your people, build your country provide jobs for your people at the end of the day stand up like Fidel Castro, Chavez and many others who have stood up to these might powers, to hell with them I say.

    CBI or not that would have happened anyway, they are just waiting to find ways to make more money…

  17. LaPlaine Observer
    June 27, 2017

    This is another scathing indictment of the CBI program. Antigua and Dominica seems to be the two worse managers of the CBI program. Canada has a right to protect its sovereignty from those who will seek to take advantage of these passports to gain entry into their country. These Caribbean leaders who are using this program to enrich themselves, are HURTING their own citizens. Shameful and regrettable.

    • Ras
      June 27, 2017

      Laplaine Observer, you are obviously not aware that Canada imposed visa requirements for entry to Canada in 2000 as a result of concerns re the UWP ‘s economic citizenship program under which hundreds of Chinese and Russians received Dominican citizenship?
      Can you name one other country that has imposed visa restrictions on Dominicans as a result of concerns about Dominica’s CBI?
      People like you are so quick to condemn without informing yourselves on the issues or simply for scoring political points for your party!

    • June 27, 2017

      How have you arrived at the conclusion that Antigua and Dominica are the worse managers of the CBI? Canada is just been hypocritical it will accept refugees from high risk areas where little or no vetting can be done but small states like Antigua will be punished /sanctioned because of their CBI program.

    • Spike
      June 27, 2017

      No, this is no “scathing indictment” of Dominica’s CBI program, as it does not mention Dominica at all. But it is a lesson on the limits of the CBI program. If the ONLY criterion for certain Dominica passports is the payment of cash (for the Prime Minister to fritter around off-budget), not a study into the applicant’s character, suitability to become a real Dominican with a vote, or whether he applied the cash to a business that will actually help Dominica’s economy, then the eventual result is that ALL Dominica passports will be cheapened. As for Canada, the damage is already done: Dominicans cannot waltz into Canada. Canada will study the fitness of the applicant for a visa, assuming Dominica could not or would not.

  18. AA
    June 27, 2017

    The EU is now opened to persons who want to visit for a 90 Day period. People Will go elsewhere!

    • LaPlaine Observer
      June 27, 2017

      Take note. A Dominican was recently stopped and searched at the Gatwick Airport in England and they told him it’s because he is coming from a high risk country due to the CBI passports. You Laborrats seems to be in denial and will go down with the ship despite rough waters.

      • concern citizen
        June 28, 2017

        100%+ support

      • De ayes have it
        June 28, 2017

        You must be tehbeh. Where is the advisory coming from the UK labeling DOMINICA as high risk?? You believing Carlisle ?

    • UK Dominican
      June 28, 2017

      That has ben the case for Antigua for as long as I can remember. Dominica was restricted till two years ago but don’t be surprised if this gets revoked in light of what’s been happening. The thi g is, without visa free access to the U.S.A. Canada or Europe our passport would be far less saleable. What are we going to do then? Go back to bananas?

    • FORKIT
      June 28, 2017

      it is coming also.. tebeah

  19. UDOHREADYET
    June 27, 2017

    So Antigua should impose visa requirements on Canadians traveling to antigua
    Anybody in Canada & US can travel, racists, terrorists, exploiters alike yet the Caribbean are not restricting their travel. Yet though Antigua is a commonwealth nation as is Canada… they want to restrict travel. i’m all for security but these Islands have been used and abused for far too long and now they have a means to use their history and open relationships to benefit each other, the very same people who used and abused them are trying to stop their development.
    Canada sells weapons to warmongering countries, so does the US. They support rebel groups in West Africa trying overthrow democratically elected governments so they can mine their resources! The Chinese are doing the opposite by trading and doing business and building infrastructure in turn for support and resources. these old relationships are barely beneficial in the long term because they’ve keep Caribbean people subjugated.

    • June 27, 2017

      For Antigua to impose retaliatory restrictions on Canadian tourists would be the most economically illiterate and just plain stupid response imaginable. You don’t shipwreck your own economy out of pride.

    • June 27, 2017

      You could not have said it any better! We are global people, we all want to protect the earth but we have to beg to go into other countries? Nonsense, man! At the end of the day we have to look for ourselves.

    • Mike Diese
      June 27, 2017

      Well said!!

    • Canada the not so squeaky clean!
      June 27, 2017

      And these evil Canadian hypocrites know 100% assist support their major ally, the US and its CIA’s for backing all major terror and criminal organisations worldwide – ISIS, created by the US; Al Queada, created by the US (the assassinated FO Robin Cook when he found them out); Muslim Brotherhood, backed by the US, Hamas, ditto; the major drug cartels operating worldwide – supplied, protected and backed by the CIA. Remember, this country has already sold us out to the UN’s world enslavement program under its Agenda 2030 for a one world government which (devil-like) promises an end to hunger, jobs for all, rights for everyone, no more wars, etc.. and guess what, the brainless wonders of the world and buying into all this.

    • ATKINSON
      June 28, 2017

      Maybe Antigua should ban its people from traveling to canada and America. Or what about baning the use American and Canadian currency, After all we would not want the antiguans using the american currency, which has all these racist, exploiters faces on the bills, would we. Oh yea ask Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Tibet, south Korea, Philippines, India how nice and peaceful the chinese has and have been to them, or how many wars they have fought against china. Or better, tell a chinese story owner in dominica that you short a dollars and see how nice they are to you :mrgreen:

    • UK Dominican
      June 28, 2017

      Please educate yourself before embarrassing yourself and our little country with such ignorance. Jamaica is much bigger than us, they have the same Caricom passport but need a visa even to go to the UK. And who is exploiting whom? We get far more from Canada (and the U.K. and the EU than they get from us. I am a Dominican and proud of it but we must be realistic. We need countries like Canada more than they need us.

    • concern citizen
      June 28, 2017

      The people are trying to safe guard their countries, while U are trying to take it down, ma Dominique has 3 categories of slave they are the Field slave, the Yard slave, and the House Slave what category are we fitting in?

      • Me
        June 28, 2017

        Mental slaves? You forgot that category.

    • Nac Vibes
      June 28, 2017

      He that is greedy of grain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts, shall live.
      Proverbs 15:27

      “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things”.
      Proverbs 15:28

  20. June 27, 2017

    This cbi programme are messing around these country to bad

  21. Ibo France
    June 27, 2017

    The CBI program is becoming a liability to the citizens and a real threat to the banking sector of all the Caribbean countries that have passports for sale. Although it has been a cash cow for these countries, it’s time for these countries to build buoyant and flourishing economies to generate adequate revenue for their people to soar. The CBI programs are causing a Black Eye and the governments are mostly using many millions gained for political expediency. These programs are causing anxiety and hysteria around the world. We, Caribbean people, are being harassed, victimized and ostracized when we travel.

  22. June 27, 2017

    When will they learn?

  23. Jonathan St jean
    June 27, 2017

    In exchange for a fast few dollars these short sighted leaders are damaging the image of their country and putting their natural born citizens in jeopordy.They want overnight to transform their countries in desperation,as if all the money in the world is going to dry up so they are rushing to get as much as possible at any cost.When a country’s passport is not trusted then things become more difficult for it’s business people to travel and expand opportunity for the country.In addition those who travel to these Caribbean countries to transact business will also face hassles on their return journey because of the immigration stamp from a country which is considered suspect for security reasons.Thats called burning the candle from both ends.As a result the passport selling goose will stop laying golden eggs

  24. Amy
    June 27, 2017

    Hmph!

    Canada take well long, I find. Nuff said.

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