Dominica has issued a Citizenship Deprivation Order, revoking the citizenships of 68 individuals who obtained their status through the country’s Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP). The order, signed by Minister for Citizenship Miriam Blanchard and published on June 6, 2024, states that these individuals obtained their citizenship through fraud, false representation, or concealment of a material fact.
The affected individuals include a significant portion (53%) of Iraqi origin, followed by Pakistanis (21%), Egyptians and Iranians (6% each), Nigerians and Syrians (4% each), Afghans (3%), and one Sudanese and one Jordanian national (1% each). These individuals obtained their citizenship between November 2019 and May 2022.
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The Statutory Rules and Order No.4 of 2024, made by the minister Miriam Blanchard under section 10 (2) and (5) of the Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship Act, Chap.1:10. (Gazetted 6th June, 2024.) reads:
“The scheduled persons are deprived of their citizenship of the Commonwealth of Dominica on the grounds that – (a) they obtained registration or certificate of naturalisation by means of fraud, false representation or the concealment of a material fact; and (b) it is not conducive that a scheduled person continue to be a citizen of Dominica,” listing names aka’s, origin, gender and citizenship: 2019 – 2022.
This action follows a warning from Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit at a Caribbean Investment Summit, where he announced that legislation had been enacted to revoke the citizenship of anyone found to have obtained it through the CIP for less than the officially required minimum investment. The revocation cites fraudulent activity, which could include lying or concealing visa rejections to countries with which Dominica has visa-free waivers or other misrepresentations.
Under a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), Dominica and other signatories agreed to a minimum investment of US$200,000 and committed to sharing applicant information through a digital portal hosted by the Joint Regional Communications Centre (JRCC) in Barbados. The agreement includes improved post-approval screening of CIP citizens and cooperation in retrieving canceled passports.
