Most applicants think about the conditions for entering the programme, but the official text is also clear about what refuses an application or ends citizenship after it has been granted. Knowing these rules before applying prevents costly decisions. This article is based on the official text of the "Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment Regulations 2024", published on the "Legal Basis" page of the Citizenship by Investment Unit (`CBIU`) and checked on 25 October 2026.
The eight grounds of regulation 6
Under regulation 6(1), an applicant with any of these characteristics shall not be approved under the Programme. If approved, they may be deprived of citizenship under section 10(2) or 10(3) of the Citizenship Act.
| Item | Ground |
|---|---|
| a | a criminal record, other than for a minor offence |
| b | being the subject of a criminal investigation they knew or ought to have known about and failed to disclose |
| c | having been denied citizenship in another country |
| d | having been denied a visa to the European Union or the United Kingdom |
| e | having been denied a visa to a country with which Dominica has visa-free travel, unless they later obtained a visa or residence permit for that country |
| f | being a potential security risk to Dominica or any other country |
| g | having provided information that is false in any material respect on the application form |
| h | involvement in activity likely to bring Dominica into disrepute |
Under regulation 6(3), an applicant with a criminal record or under investigation may be approved if the matter is a minor offence.
The difference between items "d" and "e"
Item "e" has an exception: if the applicant later obtained a visa or residence permit for the same country. Item "d", on visas for the European Union or the United Kingdom, has no such exception in the text. We do not interpret these two items. If you have been refused a visa, declare it on the form and ask the official source about its effect.
False information or concealment
Regulation 4(8) separates three consequences:
| Situation | Consequence under the text |
|---|---|
| A false statement or omission of requested information on the form | the application may be rejected |
| False information or concealment of a material fact found after the grant | citizenship may be deprived under section 10(2) of the Act; if so, the passport is recalled |
| Any of these acts | possible prosecution under the Perjury Act |
Under regulation 4(7), the main applicant is responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the forms and must personally read the form and sign its "certificate of truth".
After the grant: three more rules
| Rule | Official text |
|---|---|
| Name change (regulation 5 and regulation 6(4)) | for at least five years from the certificate of naturalisation, changing or seeking to change one's name other than by marriage is prohibited; a breach may lead to deprivation |
| Prison (regulation 6(5)) | a person sentenced in any country, after naturalisation, to imprisonment of 12 months or more "shall be" deprived of citizenship |
| Property (regulation 7(6)) | selling the qualifying property before three years from the grant, or using property that was the basis of a grant in the last five years again, leads to revocation of citizenship, possible disqualification from the Programme, and the sale being void or damages payable to the Government if it cannot |
Note the difference in wording: for prison and selling property early, the text says "shall"; for name changes and the grounds of regulation 6(1), it says "may".
Refunds
| Situation | Official text |
|---|---|
| Deprivation under regulation 6 | no fees, investments or other sums are refunded (regulation 6(2)) |
| Refusal of an application | the fees referred to in regulation 7(7) are not refundable |
Refusal for the interview or enhanced due diligence
- Under regulation 9(4), if an applicant fails or refuses to attend an interview, the application is refused.
- Under regulation 11(5), if the applicant or a dependant who is a citizen of a specified country or region does not meet the enhanced due diligence conditions, the application is refused. The fee for this check is USD 25,000 for the main applicant. The article "Banned and restricted nationalities in Dominica's citizenship programme" has the details.
Where do the names of refused applicants go?
Under regulations 4(11) and 4(12), Dominica's Financial Intelligence Unit shares the names and biodata of all applicants denied citizenship every month with the Joint Regional Communications Centre of CARICOM IMPACS (`JRCC`). The centre may share them with other Caribbean countries that operate citizenship by investment programmes. So a refusal in one programme may be seen in other programmes in the region. Item "c" of regulation 6 also treats denial of citizenship in another country as a ground for refusal.
The same grounds for agents
Under regulations 12(3) and 13(2), items "a" to "h" of regulation 6 also apply to all Authorised Agents and Licenced Promoters.
Two examples
These examples are hypothetical and only put the official text side by side; the actual decision rests with the Dominican authorities.
Example 1: a history of visa refusals. Five years ago the applicant's applications for a UK visa and a visa for another country were refused, and they later obtained a visa for that second country.
| History | Relevant item | What the text says |
|---|---|---|
| UK visa refusal | "d" | listed among the grounds, without a "later obtained" exception |
| Refusal by another country, then a visa obtained | "e" | the "later obtained" exception is in the text |
| Hiding both | "g" and regulation 4(8) | false information; refusal, deprivation and prosecution possible |
The lesson of the example: do not hide your history; concealment is a separate ground for refusal and deprivation.
Example 2: a sentence after citizenship. A citizen who obtained citizenship through the Programme is sentenced in another country two years later to 18 months in prison.
| Question | Answer under the text |
|---|---|
| The rule of regulation 6(5) | 18 months is more than 12 months; citizenship "shall be" deprived |
| Refund of the investment or fees | under regulation 6(2), nothing is refunded |
| Passport | under regulation 4(8), if deprived, the passport is recalled |
Practical points
- Declare any criminal record, investigation, visa refusal or citizenship refusal on the form.
- Before applying, review your police certificates and visa history; see the article "Due diligence in Dominica's citizenship programme".
- Do not change your name in the first five years except by marriage.
- If you obtained citizenship through property, do not sell it before three years; see the article "Real estate in Dominica's programme: the holding period and selling".
- Attend the interview; absence means refusal.
Royal Golden does not give legal advice. This article is general information, and the decision on any application and any citizenship 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)