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Iraqis, Iranians and Syrians are among a list of 68 individuals whose CBI passports were canceled by Dominica on the grounds that they were obtained through fraudulent means.<\/p>\n
An order signed by the Minister responsible for Citizenship, Miriam Blanchard, said that the actions of the individuals were not “conducive” for them to be citizens of Dominica. It was gazetted on June 2, 2024 but is now becoming public knowledge.<\/p>\n
The document stated that the individuals “obtained registration or certificate of naturalization by means of fraud, false representation or the concealment of a material fact.”<\/p>\n
The passports and citizenship were obtained between November 2019 and May 2022.<\/p>\n
The document shows that most of the 68 passports canceled were obtained by people from the Middle East, with the majority, 53 percent, from Iraq. The others were Pakistanis 21%, Egyptians and Iranians 6% each, Nigerians and Syrians 4% each, and Afghans 3%. The passports of one Sudanese and one Jordanian were also revoked.<\/p>\n
The move comes following pressure from the European Union (EU) Commission which has publicly expressed concerns over CBI programs in the Caribbean. In a meeting held in Dominica on Monday, 22 January 2024, with Caribbean CBI countries, EU representatives warned that travel privileges could be among the consequences if the concerns are not addressed. They also expressed apprehension over Dominica\u2019s low-cost\/high-volume model of its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program.<\/p>\n
Soon after that Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda, St Kitts & Nevis, and Grenada signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which they say is aimed at strengthening their CBI Programs. They also agreed to raise the minimum fee for a passport to US$200,000.<\/p>\n
The move to cancel the passports of the 68 individuals is being hailed as a good one.<\/p>\n
Online migration industry newspaper, Investment Migration Insider (IMI), quoted Phillipe May, founder and CEO of Global investment migration firm, EC Holdings, as saying that it is “good that a CBI country is taking action against fraudulent applicants.”<\/p>\n
He told the newspaper that such applicants are often being “mishandled by rogue, unlicensed immigration service providers” who bait them with low initial fees.<\/p>\n
May also told IMI that the applicants may not have acted intentionally but “at the behest of their crooked service provider.”<\/p>\n
Click on the link below to read the full order.<\/p>\n