Buying Property in Antigua Without Citizenship by Investment
You do not need to spend US$300,000 on the citizenship programme to own a home in Antigua and Barbuda. Any non-citizen can buy property on the ordinary route — there is no minimum purchase price — provided you obtain a Non-Citizens Land Holding Licence for the specific property, which costs 5% of its value.
The catch is time and cost: the licence application typically takes several months, and buyer-side costs come to roughly 8% of the purchase price once stamp duty and legal fees are added. Here is how the ordinary route works and how it compares with buying through the citizenship programme.
The Non-Citizens Land Holding Licence
Under Antigua and Barbuda's non-citizens landholding rules, foreign buyers must hold a licence before they can complete on a property. The licence is granted for the specific property you are buying, not as a general permission, so it is normally applied for after you have agreed a purchase.
The fee is 5% of the property's value, paid by the buyer, and according to Global Property Guide the application usually takes around three to six months to process. Your local attorney typically handles the application, and completion waits for the licence to be granted.
- Licence fee: 5% of the property value, paid by the buyer
- Granted per property, applied for after agreeing the purchase
- Typical processing time: around 3–6 months
- No minimum purchase price on the ordinary route
Stamp duty and other costs
On transfer, stamp duty is split between the parties: the buyer pays 2.5% of the value and the vendor pays 7.5%, per Global Property Guide's summary of transaction costs. Legal fees for the buyer usually run to a further 1–2%.
Add the 5% licence fee and a non-citizen buyer should budget roughly 8% of the purchase price in costs on top of the price itself. Sellers face a heavier bill, which is worth knowing now if you may resell later as a non-citizen.
- Buyer stamp duty: 2.5% of property value
- Vendor stamp duty: 7.5% of property value
- Buyer legal fees: typically 1–2%
- Total buyer-side costs: roughly 8% including the licence
How a purchase runs in practice
The sequence is familiar to anyone who has bought abroad: agree terms, instruct a local attorney, then apply for the landholding licence. While the application is pending, the usual checks happen — survey, title searches — and once the licence is granted the transfer is completed and registered at the land registry.
Because the licence wait dominates the timetable, a purchase by a non-citizen commonly takes six months or more from offer to completion. Build that into any agreement you sign, and make the contract conditional on the licence being granted.
- Instruct a local attorney early — they run the licence application
- Make the purchase contract conditional on the licence
- Expect six months or more from offer to completion
Ordinary route or citizenship route?
The alternative is the citizenship by investment programme, where a purchase of at least US$300,000 in a CIU-approved development qualifies your family for citizenship, with government processing and due diligence fees on top, according to the Citizenship by Investment Unit. Citizens are outside the non-citizens landholding regime, and CBI buyers must hold the property for five years.
If you simply want a holiday home and have no interest in a second passport, the ordinary route is usually the cheaper and more flexible choice: any property, any price, roughly 8% in costs. The citizenship route makes sense when the passport itself is the point. Rules and fees on both routes change — confirm current figures with the CIU and a local attorney. Habio's Antigua and Barbuda listings and buyer guides can help you see what is on the market on either route.
- Ordinary route: any property, ~8% buyer costs, no citizenship
- CBI route: US$300,000 minimum in approved projects, five-year hold, citizenship for the family
- Both routes: use a local attorney and verify current fees officially
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners buy property in Antigua and Barbuda?
Yes. Non-citizens can buy freely but must first obtain a Non-Citizens Land Holding Licence for the specific property, costing 5% of its value. There is no minimum purchase price on this ordinary route.
How much is the non-citizens landholding licence?
5% of the property's value, paid by the buyer. It is granted per property and, according to Global Property Guide, typically takes around three to six months to process.
What total costs should a non-citizen buyer budget?
Roughly 8% of the purchase price: the 5% licence fee, 2.5% buyer stamp duty and legal fees of about 1–2%. The vendor separately pays 7.5% stamp duty.
Do I avoid the licence by using the citizenship programme?
The citizenship route requires buying at least US$300,000 in a CIU-approved development plus government fees; once you are a citizen the non-citizens landholding regime no longer applies to you. For most holiday-home buyers the ordinary licence route is cheaper.
How long does buying in Antigua take for a non-citizen?
Commonly six months or more from offer to completion, because the landholding licence application takes around three to six months and completion waits for it.
Sources
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Markets and rules change — verify the current position with official sources before acting. Published 2 August 2026.