Grenada Citizenship and the E-2 Visa: How the Route Works After the Three-Year Domicile Rule

For most of the last decade, Grenada’s citizenship-by-investment program was the main gateway to the E-2 for entrepreneurs from India, China, Russia, Vietnam, the UAE and other countries without a treaty. The formula was simple: obtain Grenadian citizenship in six months, then apply for the E-2 as a Grenadian national. In December 2022, U.S. law added a requirement that reshaped the route. This article explains how it works now and who it still fits.

Why Grenada

Grenada is one of only a few countries that combine three features: an E-2 treaty with the United States, a citizenship-by-investment program, and a favorable U.S. reciprocity schedule that grants E-2 visas valid for five years. Other CBI countries in the Caribbean, such as St. Kitts, Dominica, Antigua and St. Lucia, are not E-2 treaty countries. Turkey offers the same combination at a higher price point; see E-2 for Turkish citizens.

The Grenada program in 2026

Two investment options:

• National Transformation Fund contribution. A non-refundable donation starting at $235,000 for a single applicant, with higher amounts for families of four or more.
• Approved real estate. Purchase of an approved property, typically a share in a resort development, of at least $270,000, held for a minimum of five years, plus a government fee.

Add due diligence fees, application fees, and professional fees. Processing takes roughly four to nine months. There is no residence or visit requirement to obtain citizenship, and the passport offers visa-free travel to many countries including the UK, Schengen area and China.

The three-year domicile rule

The Immigration and Nationality Act was amended in December 2022 to add a condition for E visas: a person who acquired treaty-country nationality through a financial investment must have been domiciled in that country for a continuous period of at least three years before applying.

The purpose was to end passport-of-convenience E-2 cases. The effect is that a new Grenadian citizen cannot apply for the E-2 until they have genuinely lived in Grenada for three years. Consulates look for evidence of domicile: a residence in Grenada, physical presence for most of each year, local tax status, bank accounts, children in school, and the absence of a primary home elsewhere.

Citizens who acquired Grenadian nationality by birth, descent, marriage or ordinary naturalization are not subject to the rule.

What the route looks like now

Step	Time	Cost
Obtain Grenadian citizenship	4 to 9 months	$235,000 to $300,000 plus fees
Establish and maintain domicile in Grenada	3 years continuous	Living costs; housing in Grenada
Prepare the U.S. business	Overlapping with year 3	E-2 investment, typically $100,000 to $300,000
E-2 application at a consulate	2 to 4 months	Legal and plan fees, $315 visa fee

Total time from decision to U.S. arrival: about four years. Total outlay: the CBI amount plus the E-2 investment plus three years of living in Grenada.

Who it still makes sense for

• Families who find Grenada attractive as a place to live for a few years: a stable, English-speaking Caribbean country with direct flights to the U.S. and a good international school.
• Investors who want the passport for other reasons, such as travel freedom or a second home, and see the E-2 as a later option.
• Those with U.S. children or long-term U.S. plans who can afford a four-year horizon and prefer the E-2’s flexibility over EB-5’s cost.

Who should look elsewhere

• Anyone who wants to be in the U.S. within a year. Consider L-1A if you run a company abroad, O-1 if you have a distinguished record, or EB-5 for a direct green card. See E-2 alternatives for Indian citizens and E-2 vs EB-5.
• Anyone planning to hold the passport while living elsewhere. Consulates are alert to nominal domicile, and a refusal on this ground is difficult to reverse.

Practical notes on the E-2 case itself

Once the domicile period is satisfied, the Grenadian E-2 case is like any other. The U.S. business must be at least 50% owned by Grenadian nationals, the investment substantial and committed, the business non-marginal. Grenadian applicants typically apply at the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, which covers Grenada, or at a post in their country of residence if they have moved. Source of funds must be documented from the original country, including the funds used for the CBI investment itself.

How we help

We work with clients on the U.S. side of this route: choosing and preparing a business during the domicile period, structuring ownership to meet the 50% rule, and writing the business plan. We do not sell citizenship programs and do not receive commissions from them. If you are considering Grenada as a path to the E-2, tell us your timeline and we will give you a candid view of whether it fits.