Antigua and Barbuda is a paradisiac island country located in the Lesser Antilles. Along with its stunning landscapes, impressive marine fauna, and exceptional hospitality, Antigua and Barbuda has many secrets. These secrets are hiding in the light of day for those who dare to dig deeper into this country’s beauty.

Antigua and Barbuda is not just a beautiful Caribbean nation. It is a business center offering a variety of opportunities for growth and development. Caribbean nations usually suffer from hurricanes and natural disasters due to their location. Except for tourism, they don't have huge industries to rely on, their territories are small and lack natural resources. 

Mundo’s freedom rating is a scale from 1 to 50 in which we assess each country under different aspects. These are political stability, lifestyle, tax environment, investment potential, and safety. This section intends to give readers a clear and general picture of the country’s scenery considering its advantages and disadvantages from a realistic point of view. 

Political Stability (8/10)

The political and legal system in Antigua and Barbuda is based on English law. Therefore, it presents a solid legal framework. This has granted the country a steady political environment over the years. 

Many investors from all over the world choose Antigua as their corporate jurisdiction for many reasons. Although it has complied with the OECD regulations, this country still offers excellent tax incentives, corporate options, and business opportunities. 

Setting up a corporate structure is easy, affordable, and straightforward, and it brings immense benefits. Like we discussed in other sections, Antigua also offers an incredible lifestyle, solid banking, and world-class financial services, providing the whole package for family offices. 

By establishing their operating company here, the wealthiest families can access a pro-business environment that also offers citizenship by investment.

A trust or a foundation is maybe the ultimate asset protection tool. No matter how much wealth you made, how many companies or bank accounts you have, it can all be gone in one day. The separation of ownership is a concept that was originated in common law, specifically in the crusades. In those times, knights used to leave their estate to a trusted servant who was then obliged to give it back upon his return. If the knight died, then the servant was supposed to distribute the assets among the family members. 

In a simple way, this is what a trust is. The asset protection power lies in the fact that assets are no longer owned by the settlor.

The banking sector of Antigua and Barbuda is the icing on the cake. It’s the perfect complement for this country’s healthy financial environment. This banking sector is the second largest in the Eastern Caribbean and holds one-sixth of the loans, deposits, and assets in the region. 

Very few jurisdictions have such stable and protective banking, especially for offshore clients. Business people will find eight commercial banks to open their accounts. The sector is constituted by local and foreign banks mainly from Canada and the Caribbean. The latter has developed progressively and now accounts for a large portion of the market share.

Being a member of the ECCU (Eastern Caribbean Currency Union) has helped Antigua to develop its banking sector. 

Antigua and Barbuda is one of the few countries to offer citizenship by investment. There are only five countries in the Caribbean to provide such programs, and this is one of them. There are three different ways to obtain a passport on this breathtaking island and, as we will see in this section, real estate is one of them. 

But acquiring a property in the Caribbean is more than getting a nice-looking beach house. It’s also more than getting a passport. It’s about covering two important fronts of your financial strategy. 

These are the three ways in which an investor can get the Antigua and Barbuda passport:

-Non-refundable government donation

In this section, we tell stories about people who dared to make their dreams come true. Usually, we talk about clients or friends that are living in the country in question and have established residency, citizenship, or any financial structure.

We change their names and a few details to keep their privacy, but the intention is to show what you can expect if you choose Antigua and Barbuda as your place of residency. 

This section is especially targeted to business people and investors who want to expand their options and achieve more freedom by moving to another country. 

Every international business person needs to be aware of the policies, regulations, and updates concerning the jurisdictions where he/she is investing. This section intends to show Mundo’s readers the most important links and contacts of their chosen country. 

In this case, we present the key government agencies in Antigua and Barbuda which regulate tourism, investments, utilities, education, trade, corporate governance, and finances. 

Ministry of Finance, Corporate Governance & Public Private Partnerships

This official entity is responsible for managing public finances, revenue, and budget. It’s also in charge of developing plans to sustain the country’s economy.

Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by investment program was launched in 2013. This program made it possible to obtain economic citizenship