Dominica Passport: Cost, Requirements and Steps to Citizenship

What is a Dominica passport?

A Dominica passport is the travel document of the Commonwealth of Dominica, an English-speaking island in the Eastern Caribbean whose capital is Roseau. Dominica is a member of the Commonwealth, CARICOM and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, and has run a citizenship by investment (CBI) programme since 1993, one of the oldest second-passport programmes in the world.

Instead of years of residence, an applicant makes a defined investment, passes detailed identity, financial and security checks, and is granted citizenship, after which a passport is issued. Citizenship is for life and passes to children. What is sometimes advertised as "buying a Dominica passport" is this lawful government programme, not the purchase of a document; there is no route without due diligence and an interview.

Dominica is not the Dominican Republic

Dominica and the Dominican Republic are two separate countries that are often confused. The Dominican Republic is Spanish-speaking, its capital is Santo Domingo, it has no comparable citizenship by investment programme and its passport is far weaker. When you read visa-free or cost figures, check which country the source is about.

Benefits of a Dominica passport

• Visa-free, visa-on-arrival or eVisa access to about 145 destinations (Henley Passport Index 2026), including the Schengen Area for 90 days in any 180.
• Visa-free entry to China (30 days), Russia (90 days), Singapore, Hong Kong and Brazil.
• No residence or visit requirement, before or after citizenship.
• Dual citizenship is accepted; you are not asked to renounce your current nationality.
• A spouse, dependent children and in some cases parents can join the same application.
• Citizenship for life that passes to the next generation.
• A lower entry cost than many comparable Caribbean programmes.

Drawbacks and limits of a Dominica passport

A sound decision needs the downsides too. Consider these before paying anything:

• The United Kingdom has required a visa from Dominica passport holders since July 2023; the United States and Canada have always required one.
• The United States added travel restrictions on Dominica nationals from December 2025 and shortened the validity of visas it issues.
• The European Union monitors investor citizenship programmes and the Schengen waiver could change; the visa-free list is not fixed or guaranteed.
• The fund contribution is non-refundable.
• Since 2023 an interview is mandatory for every applicant aged 16 or over, and due diligence has become stricter.
• Citizenship obtained with false information is revoked; Dominica has cancelled dozens of passports for this reason in recent years.
• Iranian applicants face a serious restriction, explained in the next section.

Dominica passport for Iranians

This is the key point for Iranian applicants: under a memorandum of Dominica's Citizenship by Investment Unit dated 23 March 2026, the processing of applications from Iranian nationals is suspended, except for applicants who meet all three of the following conditions:

• They have not lived in Iran for at least ten years.
• They hold no substantial assets in Iran.
• They have no business or similar activity in or with Iran.

An Iranian living in Iran therefore cannot currently file an application, and any promise to the contrary deserves serious doubt. Iranians living abroad who meet all three conditions can still apply, with enhanced due diligence and higher fees.

This is why Shahin Group's initial assessment is free and comes before any payment: if your situation does not fit the current rules you are told at the start, and alternative residence and citizenship routes are reviewed where relevant. These rules change; ask us for the current position when you are assessed.

Dominica passport requirements

• Main applicant aged at least 18.
• No criminal record and no pending criminal proceedings.
• Ability to prove the lawful source of funds and the transfer path of the money.
• Not on the restricted nationalities list, or meeting its exception conditions.
• No visa refusal from a country with which Dominica has a visa waiver, unless a visa was later obtained.
• Passing due diligence and the mandatory interview.
• Filing only through an authorised agent of the programme; direct personal applications are not accepted.

Investment options for Dominica citizenship

The programme has two main routes. In the first, the applicant makes a non-refundable contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund (EDF), which finances public projects. It is simpler and faster, and most applicants choose it.

In the second, the applicant invests in a government-approved real estate project, usually a share in a hotel or resort. The property must be held for at least three years, or five if the next buyer is also a programme applicant. This route carries a separate government fee and its resale market is limited, so recovering the capital is not certain.

Dominica passport cost

These are the programme's official minimums after the 2024 price increase, in US dollars:

Processing, interview, naturalisation certificate and passport fees, translation and legalisation of documents and the agent's service fee are added to these. Some nationalities are subject to enhanced due diligence at a higher cost.

Offers below the official minimum, or promising a "discount" or "financing", are dangerous: paying less than the legal amount can lead to revocation of citizenship. Shahin Group gives a full estimate for each case in writing before any contract.

Documents required for a Dominica passport

• Valid passports of the applicant and all dependants.
• Birth certificates and any name-change documents.
• Marriage certificate and documents of children and dependants.
• Police clearance certificates from the country of citizenship and countries of residence.
• Source-of-funds evidence: bank statements, company records, property sale contracts or employment documents.
• Bank reference letter and professional history (CV).
• Medical certificate and the programme's health forms.
• Passport photos and proof of residential address.

All documents must be officially translated and legalised. The exact checklist for each case is issued after the initial assessment, based on the family composition.

Dominica passport processing time

The Citizenship by Investment Unit normally decides on approval in principle within about three months of receiving a complete file, but preparing and translating documents, scheduling the interview, due diligence and issuing the passport also take time. Shahin Group's estimate for the whole route, from assessment to passport, is about 6 to 7 months. This is not a commitment; document completeness and the official schedule can shorten or lengthen it.

Dominica passport visa-free countries

This list reflects 2026 data and changes as agreements change. Check entry rules with the destination's official source before every trip.

Shahin Group's role in your case

Shahin Group is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with the government of Dominica. Our work is an honest assessment before payment, control of the source of funds and documents, preparation and translation of the file, coordination of filing through an authorised agent of the programme, and stage-by-stage reporting until the official decision. The final decision on citizenship rests solely with Dominica's authorities and no outcome is guaranteed.

Other residence and citizenship routes

• Mexico passport
• Armenia residency
• Spain digital nomad visa
• Germany EU Blue Card