As the world continues to move towards increasing interconnectedness, the value of a passport extends far beyond its function as a travel document. The Dominica passport, a relatively unassuming yet exceptionally powerful document, has gained prominence on the global stage for several compelling reasons. A popular Caribbean island, the Commonwealth of Dominica offers not only breathtaking natural beauty but also a passport that provides its holders with access to a world of opportunities.
From being one of only five Caribbean islands offering a citizenship by investment program to its extensive list of visa-free countries, Dominican passport holders stand out as having a coveted travel document for the discerning global citizen. This article explores the remarkable features and advantages that make the passport a symbol of privilege and opportunity for its holders. Join us as we delve into the key elements that make the Dominica passport an attractive option for those seeking to open the doors to a world full of promise and potential.
What is a Dominica passport?
The Dominica passport is an official identity document issued by the island’s government to its citizens. This document identifies the owner as a legal citizen of Dominica and facilitates international travel. Passport holders benefit from a number of advantages, such as access to a favorable tax environment and visa-free travel.
Dominica is a member of several organizations, such as the Commonwealth of Nations (being a former British colony), the United Nations, and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). CARICOM is a group of twenty countries, fifteen of which are Member States (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago) and five of which are Associate Members. Holders of this passport benefit from visa-free travel to these states and vice versa.
The country also has visa waiver agreements that allow visa-free travel to a number of countries, such as Brazil and China. For a full list of visa-free countries, check out our article on Dominica Passport Visa-Free Countries.
Passport types
As a member of CARICOM, the Dominica passport follows the design standards that are common among CARICOM passports. The following types of passports are printed at the passport Office and issued by the Dominica government: Standard, diplomatic, official, and biometric.
Standard passports: Issued to all civilians who are citizens of Dominica. The passport’s cover is dark blue and bears the country’s coat of arms, official name – Commonwealth of Dominica, and the CARICOM logo.
Diplomatic passports: Issued to nationals of Dominica with diplomatic status, the passport is burgundy in color.
Official passports: Issued to Dominica’s government officials, the passport is green in color.
Biometric passports: The Dominica government started issuing biometric passports in 2021 as a step toward improving the country’s national security. These are traditional passports that have an additional security layer – an embedded electronic microprocessor chip that contains the owner’s biometric information.
Passport validity period
For individuals older than 16, the passport is valid for ten years. For individuals younger than 16, the passport will be valid for five years before it must be renewed.
Passport ranking
The Dominica passport has a decent ranking of 78th out of 199 countries on our Global Passport Index. The Index assesses the global mobility, economic investment, and quality of life afforded to the citizens of the country. In terms of the aspects assessed for quality of life, Dominica ranks high for environmental performance, freedom, and sustainable development.
Dominica Passport Benefits
Visa-free access
Dominica passport holders enjoy visa-free travel to more than 140 countries across the globe, including countries in the Schengen Zone, China, Hong Kong, Russia, and Singapore. In fact, Dominica is one of the only Caribbean passports that enables visa-free access to China. Citizens also benefit from visa on arrival, Electronic Travel Authorization, and eVisa access to a wide selection of countries.
Tax benefits
Dominica is considered a tax-free country for those who do not reside on the island. This is because, as an individual with Dominica citizenship, you can benefit from competitive tax rates and incentives, no tax on foreign income, and no wealth or inheritance taxes.
Stable economy and political climate
Dominica is a member of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), which facilitates regional integration through easy trade, resource sharing, and problem-solving. The official currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, and the member countries benefit from the removal of trade barriers, a shared currency, and coordinated monetary and governmental policies.
No residency requirements
You do not have to reside in Dominica to obtain citizenship unless you are doing so through naturalization. Even the citizenship by investment program application process can be completed online, with the mandatory interview conducted virtually during the due diligence process completed by the Citizenship by Investment Unit.
Dual citizenship
Dominica recognizes dual citizenship, meaning you can keep your existing citizenship when obtaining your second passport, provided your current citizenship also allows this. Additionally, Dominica citizenship is lifelong and can be passed down to future generations.
Citizenship by investment
A Dominican passport for you and your family members can be obtained through the island’s citizenship program. This is one of five passport programs offered in the Caribbean and is, in fact, one of the most affordable – the economic contribution starts at $100,000.
Calculate the cost of citizenship for you and your family, including all associated fees.
Global Visa Requirements for Dominica Passport Holders
Perhaps the leading, most valuable benefit of the Dominica passport is the visa-free travel opportunities. Dominicans enjoy unrestricted entry to over 140 countries offering an ease of global exploration not afforded to many.
| Country | Dominica |
|---|---|
 Albania | e-visa |
 Algeria | visa required |
 Andorra | visa free (90 days) |
 Angola | visa required |
 Antigua and Barbuda | visa free |
 Argentina | visa free (90 days) |
 Armenia | visa on arrival |
 Australia | e-visa |
 Austria | visa free (90 days) |
 Azerbaijan | visa required |
 Bahamas | visa free (90 days) |
 Bahrain | e-visa |
 Bangladesh | visa on arrival |
 Barbados | visa free |
 Belarus | visa free (30 days) |
 Belgium | visa free (90 days) |
 Belize | visa free |
 Benin | e-visa |
 Bhutan | e-visa |
 Bolivia | visa on arrival |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | visa free (90 days) |
 Botswana | visa free (90 days) |
 Brazil | visa free (90 days) |
 Brunei | visa required |
 Bulgaria | visa free (90 days) |
 Burkina Faso | e-visa |
 Burundi | visa on arrival |
 Cambodia | visa on arrival |
 Cameroon | e-visa |
 Canada | visa required |
 Cabo Verde | visa free |
 Central African Republic | visa required |
 Chad | visa required |
 Chile | visa required |
 China | visa free (30 days) |
 Colombia | visa free (90 days) |
 Comoros | visa on arrival |
 Congo | visa required |
 DR Congo | e-visa |
 Costa Rica | visa free (90 days) |
 Ivory Coast | e-visa |
 Croatia | visa free (90 days) |
 Cuba | visa free (28 days) |
 Cyprus | visa free (90 days) |
 Czech Republic | visa free (90 days) |
 Denmark | visa free (90 days) |
 Djibouti | e-visa |
 Dominican Republic | visa free |
 Ecuador | visa free (90 days) |
 Egypt | visa on arrival |
 El Salvador | visa required |
 Equatorial Guinea | e-visa |
 Eritrea | visa required |
 Estonia | visa free (90 days) |
 Swaziland | visa free (30 days) |
 Ethiopia | e-visa |
 Fiji | visa free (120 days) |
 Finland | visa free (90 days) |
 France | visa free (90 days) |
 Gabon | e-visa |
 Gambia | visa free (90 days) |
 Georgia | e-visa |
 Germany | visa free (90 days) |
 Ghana | visa required |
 Greece | visa free (90 days) |
 Grenada | visa free |
 Guatemala | visa required |
 Guinea | e-visa |
 Guinea-Bissau | visa on arrival |
 Guyana | visa free (180 days) |
 Haiti | visa free (90 days) |
 Honduras | visa required |
 Hong Kong | visa free (90 days) |
 Hungary | visa free (90 days) |
 Iceland | visa free (90 days) |
 India | e-visa |
 Indonesia | visa required |
 Iran | e-visa |
 Iraq | visa required |
 Ireland | visa free (90 days) |
 Israel | visa free (90 days) |
 Italy | visa free (90 days) |
 Jamaica | visa free |
 Japan | visa required |
 Jordan | visa on arrival |
 Kazakhstan | e-visa |
 Kenya | visa free (90 days) |
 Kiribati | visa free (90 days) |
 Kosovo | visa free (90 days) |
 Kuwait | visa required |
 Kyrgyzstan | e-visa |
 Lao | visa on arrival |
 Latvia | visa free (90 days) |
 Lebanon | visa required |
 Lesotho | visa free (90 days) |
 Liberia | visa required |
 Libya | visa required |
 Liechtenstein | visa free (90 days) |
 Lithuania | visa free (90 days) |
 Luxembourg | visa free (90 days) |
 Macao | visa free (90 days) |
 Madagascar | visa on arrival |
 Malawi | visa free |
 Malaysia | visa free (30 days) |
 Maldives | visa on arrival |
 Mali | visa required |
 Malta | visa free (90 days) |
 Marshall Islands | visa required |
 Mauritania | visa on arrival |
 Mauritius | visa free (90 days) |
 Mexico | visa required |
 Micronesia | visa free (30 days) |
 Moldova | visa free (90 days) |
 Monaco | visa free (90 days) |
 Mongolia | e-visa |
 Montenegro | visa free (90 days) |
 Morocco | visa required |
 Mozambique | visa on arrival |
 Myanmar | visa required |
 Namibia | visa required |
 Nauru | visa required |
 Nepal | visa on arrival |
 Netherlands | visa free (90 days) |
 New Zealand | visa required |
 Nicaragua | visa on arrival |
 Niger | visa required |
| Nigeria | e-visa |
 North Korea | visa required |
 North Macedonia | visa required |
 Norway | visa free (90 days) |
 Oman | e-visa |
 Pakistan | e-visa |
 Palau | visa on arrival |
 Palestine | visa free |
 Panama | visa free (90 days) |
 Papua New Guinea | e-visa |
 Paraguay | visa required |
 Peru | visa free (180 days) |
 Philippines | visa free (30 days) |
 Poland | visa free (90 days) |
 Portugal | visa free (90 days) |
 Qatar | visa required |
 Romania | visa free (90 days) |
 Russia | visa free (90 days) |
 Rwanda | visa on arrival |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis | visa free |
 Saint Lucia | visa free |
 Samoa | visa on arrival |
 San Marino | visa free (90 days) |
 Sao Tome and Principe | e-visa |
 Saudi Arabia | visa required |
 Senegal | visa required |
| Serbia | visa free (90 days) |
 Seychelles | visa free (90 days) |
 Sierra Leone | visa on arrival |
 Singapore | visa free (30 days) |
 Slovakia | visa free (90 days) |
 Slovenia | visa free (90 days) |
 Solomon Islands | visa on arrival |
 Somalia | visa on arrival |
 South Africa | visa required |
 South Korea | e-visa |
 South Sudan | e-visa |
 Spain | visa free (90 days) |
 Sri Lanka | e-visa |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | visa free |
 Sudan | visa required |
 Suriname | visa free (180 days) |
 Sweden | visa free (90 days) |
 Switzerland | visa free (90 days) |
 Syria | visa required |
 Taiwan | e-visa |
 Tajikistan | e-visa |
 Tanzania | visa free (90 days) |
 Thailand | e-visa |
 Timor-Leste | visa on arrival |
 Togo | visa on arrival |
 Tonga | visa on arrival |
 Trinidad and Tobago | visa free |
 Tunisia | visa required |
 Turkmenistan | visa required |
 Tuvalu | visa on arrival |
 Turkey | visa on arrival |
 Uganda | e-visa |
 Ukraine | visa free (90 days) |
 United Arab Emirates | visa required |
 United Kingdom | visa required |
 United States | visa required |
 Uruguay | visa free (90 days) |
 Uzbekistan | visa free (30 days) |
 Vanuatu | visa free (30 days) |
 Vatican | visa free (90 days) |
 Venezuela | visa free (90 days) |
 Vietnam | e-visa |
 Yemen | visa required |
 Zambia | visa free (90 days) |
 Zimbabwe | e-visa |
 Afghanistan | visa required |
How to Get a Dominica Passport
There are several avenues by which you can obtain citizenship and become one of the many Dominican passport holders: Birth, familial/historic ties, naturalization, and investment.
Birth
You can acquire Dominica citizenship by birthright, which includes being born in Dominica or born outside of Dominica to a parent who was born in the country.
Familial/historical ties
Under this avenue, individuals who have a familial or historical tie to Dominica can qualify to be granted citizenship. This includes being married to a Dominica citizen.
Naturalization
If you are an adult who has resided in Dominica for at least 12 months before submitting an application for citizenship, you can be naturalized. However, you are required to meet the necessary conditions, such as being of legal capacity, demonstrating good character, and intending to be a resident of the country.
Investment
The Dominica Citizenship by Investment Program, also called a CBI or passport by investment program, offers foreign investors and their eligible family members the chance to obtain citizenship in exchange for a minimum qualifying investment of $100,000 in the country’s economy.
Passport application documents
To apply for the Dominican passport, you will require the following:
- Completed application form
- Dominican passport application fees, to be paid at the Treasury Department (a birth certificate and a marriage certificate – if the female applicant is married – must be presented to the cashier at the Treasury Department before fees are paid):
- Children under 16 years of age: EC$75
- Adults (16 years or older): EC$150
- Lost/stolen passports: EC$500 (in addition to the application fee)
- Treasury receipt as proof of application fee payment
- Two recent passport-sized photos (45mm x 38mm). You can find further information about the passport requirements on the government website.
- Original birth certificate
- Copy of birth certificate
- If you collect a passport on behalf of the applicant, you must have a written notarized order (done in the presence of a Notary Public) from the applicant.
- Lost, stolen, or damaged passports must be reported to the Immigration Department in Roseau, the nearest police station, or your nearest Dominica Consulate.
In addition to these documents, a first-time applicant must attend an interview that can be conducted at the Dominica Consulate offices. The standard processing time for passports is two weeks. However, in the case of an emergency, such as illness, passports can be processed within two to three working days.
Recommender
A Recommender is required to endorse the application and the reverse side of one passport photo, as well as complete a section of the application form.
The Recommender can hold one of the following professions:
- Member of Parliament
- Mayor
- City Councilor
- Village Council Chairperson
- Justice of the Peace
- Minister of Religion
- Staff nurse (or higher rank)
- Medical or legal practitioner
- Established Civil Servant (Executive Officer or higher rank)
- Senior bank official
- Police Officer (Sergeant or higher rank)
- Qualified teacher (or higher rank)
- Custom Officer Grade 1 (or higher rank)
- Principal Prison Officer (or higher rank)
- Business manager
- Any person of similar standing personally acquainted with the applicant
The Recommender must be a citizen of the Commonwealth of Dominica and have known the applicant for a minimum of two years. They can’t be a member of the applicant’s immediate family.
Get in touch with a Citizenship by Investment Specialist
Our team of industry-leading experts will help you with everything from filing your immigration application to providing professional legal and tax advice. We are wholly committed to your success.
Dominica Passport by Investment Program
Dominica’s citizenship by investment (CBI) program is defined in terms of Sections 8 and 9 of the Dominica Citizenship Act. The program offers investors a relatively affordable and stress-free way to be granted citizenship and obtain a Caribbean passport by making a qualifying economic contribution to the country. This money is used to develop the island and directly benefit its inhabitants.
As a foreign national, you can choose between two investment options to acquire Dominica citizenship by investment: A non-refundable contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund or a real estate investment.
Economic Diversification Fund (EDF): The minimum economic contribution to this government fund is $100,000 for a single applicant. For a family of up to four, the minimum contribution amount is $175,000.
Real estate: The minimum economic investment is $200,000 in pre-approved real estate. The investment must be maintained for three years, or five years if the new buyer is also a CBI applicant.
In addition to the minimum contribution amount, you will need to pay fees such as a due diligence fee, an application fee, and a passport fee. These fees will vary depending on the number of dependent family members you include as the main applicant. As mentioned, the application process is quick, and you can be granted Dominica citizenship and receive your second passport within two to three months.
Obtain Dominica Citizenship by Investment
The application process for the Dominica Citizenship by Investment Program is straightforward, taking as little as two months to complete. As per CBI regulations, the applicant must use an Authorized Agent who will submit the application on their behalf. If you do not sue an Authorized Agent, your application will not be accepted. The process is outlined below:
- Choose your investment route
- Contact an authorized agent, like Global Citizen Solutions, to handle your application.
- Complete all application forms provided by your agent
- The Authorized Agent will submit the application on your behalf to the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CBIU)
- The CBIU will process your application, conduct stringent background checks
- The CBIU will approve your application in principle
- Make your investment
- Become a citizen and receive your Certificate of Registration and passport
For more information about Dominica’s second citizenship requirements, visit our expert guide to Dominica Citizenship by Investment.
Take a look at our Dominica Citizenship Ultimate Guide by local experts
Why work with Global Citizen Solutions?
- Global approach by local experts. We are corporate members of the Investment Migration Council, with local expertise in all five Caribbean citizenship programs.
- 100 percent approval rate. We have never had a case rejected and will offer you an initial free-of-charge due diligence assessment before signing any contract.
- Independent service and full transparency. We will present to you all the investment options available, and all expenses will be discussed in advance, with no hidden fees.
- An all-encompassing solution. A multidisciplinary team of immigration lawyers, investment specialists, and tax experts will take into consideration all your and your family's mobility, tax, and lifestyle needs.
- Confidential service and secure data management. All private data is stored within a GDPR-compliant database on a secure SSL-encrypted server.
Get in touch with a Caribbean Citizenship by Investment specialist
Frequently Asked Questions about the Dominica Passport
To obtain a Dominica passport, you must be a citizen first. You can qualify for Dominica citizenship by birthright, naturalization, or through historic or familial ties. Alternatively, you can apply through the Dominica Citizenship by Investment Program and make a qualifying economic investment to obtain citizenship and a passport.
The passport ranks 78th out of 199 on our Global Passport Index, meaning it is quite a strong travel document. The Dominica passport ranks high for sustainable development, freedom, and environmental performance.
To stay in Europe for a period longer than three months, Dominica passport holders must apply for a visa. For stays of up to 90 days, Dominica citizens enjoy visa-free access to the European countries of the Schengen Area.
As a Dominica citizen, you must apply for a visa to visit Canada.
You can travel to the US with a Dominica passport but will require a visa. A tourist visa allows Dominica citizens to stay in the US for a period of up to 180 days.
