EU Threatens Visa Restrictions for Countries Offering Citizenship for Sale

Charlie News & Events 2 April 2025 | | 0

The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs (LIBE) has approved changes to EU visa regulations that could affect countries offering Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) programs.

This decision could lead to the suspension of visa-free travel to the EU for several third countries that grant citizenship in exchange for financial investments. Among those at risk are five Caribbean nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia.

According to reports, the committee voted 41 to 10 in favor of the amendment, Imi Daily reports.

Many European countries have “Golden Passport” programs, allowing wealthy non-EU nationals to obtain citizenship through investments. Currently, non-EU nationals who gain citizenship through these schemes enjoy visa-free access to the EU under Regulation (EU) 2018/1806.

However, the European Parliament argues that visa-free access should not be used as an incentive for investment-based citizenship. Lawmakers highlight security concerns, including money laundering, corruption, and weak vetting procedures in some countries with CBI programs.

When Could Visa-Free Access Be Suspended?

Offer citizenship without requiring strong ties to the country.
Fail to conduct thorough background checks on applicants.
Pose security risks due to inadequate vetting procedures.

The EU can also revoke visa-free access for a country if:

According to the European Parliament’s report, the EU could suspend visa exemptions for third countries that:

There is a rise in serious crimes linked to its nationals.
EU relations with that country deteriorate.
A significant number of non-nationals use the country as a gateway to enter the EU illegally.

The proposed changes were outlined in an official report on amending EU visa suspension rules earlier this month. If adopted, these new rules could reshape visa policies for several countries running CBI programs.

Last year, the European Union (EU) withdrew Vanuatu’s visa-free travel rights due to significant security concerns associated with the country's controversial citizenship-by-investment program.

Do you support limiting visa access for countries with Citizenship-by-Investment programs? Talk to us in the comment section below. Or if you need more advice on the above, contact us for further travel & immigration advice.

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