Life goes on after citizenship: a child is born, a marriage takes place, or it turns out that a family member was left out of the original application. Dominica's Citizenship by Investment Regulations have separate rules and fees for each of these situations. This article is based on the official text of the "Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment Regulations 2024" and its 2025 amendment, published on the "Legal Basis" page of the Citizenship by Investment Unit (`CBIU`) and checked on 25 October 2026.
The official texts
| Text | Details |
|---|---|
| The 2024 Regulations | Statutory Rules and Orders No. 8 of 2024, gazetted on 28 June 2024, made under section 20 of the Citizenship Act of Dominica |
| Relevant paragraph | paragraph 3 of Schedule 1, "Post Citizenship Additions" |
| The 2025 amendment | Statutory Rules and Orders No. 46 of 2025, made on 26 November 2025 and gazetted on 27 November 2025 |
| What the amendment changed | deleted the words "not more than five years after the main applicant obtained citizenship" from paragraph 3(1) |
Route 1: a new child
Under paragraphs 3(1) and 3(2), a main applicant who obtained citizenship through the Programme may register a child under 18 born to or adopted by them as a naturalised citizen of Dominica.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Processing fee | USD 2,000 |
| Due diligence | USD 4,000 for each dependant aged 16 or older |
| Certificate of naturalisation | USD 500 per certificate, before issue |
The five-year limit was removed
The original 2024 text limited this route to a child born or adopted "not more than five years after" the main applicant obtained citizenship. The November 2025 amendment deleted exactly those words. So in the current text, this route does not depend on the date of birth or adoption relative to the date of citizenship. The age condition of under 18 remains.
Route 2: a spouse who came after the original application
Under paragraphs 3(3) and 3(4), a person who obtained citizenship through the Programme may apply for a spouse to whom they were not married when the original application was made.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Amount for the spouse | USD 75,000 |
| Processing fee | USD 1,000 |
| Due diligence on the spouse | USD 4,000 |
| New due diligence on the original applicant | USD 7,500, if the application is made more than one year after the original application was submitted |
| Mandatory interview | USD 1,000 |
| Certificate of naturalisation | USD 500 under paragraph 3(8) |
Regulation 2 defines a "spouse" as a partner of the opposite sex by marriage under Dominica's Marriage Act.
Route 3: a dependant left out of the original application
Under paragraph 3(5), the main applicant may apply for a person who was their dependant when the original application was made but was not included in it. The fees depend on whether the application is made in the first year after citizenship was granted or later:
| Item | Within one year of the grant of citizenship (paragraph 3(7)) | Later (paragraph 3(6)) |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | USD 50,000 | USD 75,000 |
| Each other dependant | USD 25,000 | USD 50,000 |
| Processing fee | USD 1,000 | USD 1,000 |
| New due diligence on the original main applicant, if more than one year has passed since the original application was submitted | USD 7,500 | USD 7,500 |
| Due diligence | USD 4,000 for each dependant aged 16 or over | USD 4,000 for each dependant |
| Mandatory interview | USD 1,000 | USD 1,000 |
| Certificate of naturalisation | USD 500 per certificate | USD 500 per certificate |
Note two points in the text separately: in the "Later" column, the due diligence fee appears for "each dependant" without an age condition. And the condition for the new due diligence on the main applicant is tied to the date the original application was submitted, not to the date citizenship was granted.
Who is a "dependant"?
Regulation 2 counts these as dependants:
| Group | Condition |
|---|---|
| Spouse | — |
| Child under 18 | of the main applicant or their spouse |
| Child aged 18 to 30 | studying at a recognised institution of higher learning and fully supported |
| Unmarried daughter under 25 | living with the applicant or their spouse and fully supported |
| Child aged 18 or over with a physical or mental disability | fully supported |
| Parents or grandparents over 65 | substantially supported by the applicant or their spouse |
In the same regulation, a "child" is a biological or legally adopted child of the main applicant or their spouse. See the documents for these groups in the article "Which family members can become citizens of Dominica with you".
Two examples
These examples are hypothetical and only put the amounts of the official text side by side. Agent, translation and document legalisation costs are not included.
Example 1: a child born six years after citizenship. Before the 2025 amendment, the text of the Regulations did not cover this child because more than five years had passed; the current text has no such limit.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Processing fee | 1 × 2,000 | USD 2,000 |
| Due diligence | the child is under 16 | 0 |
| Certificate of naturalisation | 1 × 500 | USD 500 |
| Total | — | USD 2,500 |
Example 2: a mother over 65 who was left out of the original application. Suppose the original application was submitted in January 2025 and citizenship was granted in July 2025.
| Item | Application in March 2026 (less than one year after the grant) | Application in September 2027 (more than one year after the grant) |
|---|---|---|
| Amount for the dependant | USD 25,000 | USD 50,000 |
| Processing fee | USD 1,000 | USD 1,000 |
| New due diligence on the main applicant (more than one year since the original application was submitted) | USD 7,500 | USD 7,500 |
| Due diligence on the mother | USD 4,000 | USD 4,000 |
| Interview | USD 1,000 | USD 1,000 |
| Certificate of naturalisation | USD 500 | USD 500 |
| Total | USD 39,000 | USD 64,000 |
The difference between the two columns is USD 25,000, and it comes only from the timing of the application.
Practical points
- If a dependant was left out of the original application, the first year after citizenship is cheaper under the text of the Regulations.
- Prepare birth, marriage or adoption documents from the start with an official translation and the required authentication; see the article "What an apostille is and where it is needed".
- For a new spouse and dependants, put the mandatory interview into your timetable.
- Before paying, compare the amounts with the official `CBIU` page and the current text of the Regulations; the Regulations may be amended again.
- For children, also see the article "Adding a child after obtaining Dominica citizenship".
Royal Golden does not give legal advice. This article is general information, and the decision on any application rests with the Government of Dominica.
Sources
- Dominica Citizenship by Investment Unit (CBIU), legal basis and relevant legislation — https://www.cbiu.gov.dm/dominica-citizenship/legislation/ (checked on 25 October 2026)
- Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment Regulations 2024, Statutory Rules and Orders No. 8 of 2024 — https://cbiu.gov.dm/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SRO-No.-8-of-2024.-Commonwealth-of-Dominica-Citizenship-By-Investment-AmdNo.2-Reg.-2024-1.pdf (checked on 25 October 2026)
- Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Regulations 2025, Statutory Rules and Orders No. 46 of 2025 — https://www.cbiu.gov.dm/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/CBI-Amendment-Regulation-2025.pdf (checked on 25 October 2026)