LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, October 28, 2021 – Visa Wavier – The Commonwealth of Dominica is set to sign a visa waiver agreement with the Republic of Armenia, boosting both investment and travel opportunities between the two nations. According to the Armenian government, the agreement is anticipated to “contribute to the development of relations through encouraging mutual-visits of official delegations and citizens, tourism and increasing promotion.” It will also strengthen and develop relations between Dominica and Armenia, who first established diplomatic ties in 2019.Overlapping between Europe and Asia, Armenia is placed in one of the most limited regions regarding travel prospects. Despite being partially in Europe, it does not have the advantage of being part of the European Union which enables travel amongst all member states. Geopolitically, Armenia also has strained historical tensions with its neighbours and does not have visa waiver agreements with either Turkey or Azerbaijan, its immediate neighbours, making regional travel almost as tricky as travelling internationally.
In contrast, Dominica not only has a visa agreement with Turkey but also one of the strongest travel opportunities in the Caribbean region. It has quickly become a top destination for globally-minded individuals and families who want to expand beyond their horizons. Dominica is primely located close to the United States and has a currency pegged to the US dollar, making it a hotbed for financial investment, particularly via its popular Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme.
Established in 1993, Dominica’s CBI Programme enables individuals and/or families to become legally recognised citizens of the island once investing in either a government fund or purchasing through the real estate route. Once applicants go through the necessary security checks, those that are successful can receive a receipt of citizenship within three months and a wide range of benefits. Most importantly, this includes increased global mobility – an essential feature for conducting business overseas and accessing international markets.
“Businessmen need to move […], and so, you need to ensure that the countries you would like to go to, you have access in terms of visa-free access. And currently, we have visa-free access to 143 nations,” said Ambassador Emmanuel Nanthan, the Head of Dominica’s CBI Unit.
As well as increased travel freedom, citizens of Dominica also gain access to higher quality healthcare services and education institutions, alternative business prospects and lifelong citizenship that can be passed down through descent.
Dominica also boasts offering the world’s best CBI Programme, as established by the annual CBI Index published by the Financial Times’ PWM magazine. The report highlighted the programme’s efficiency, affordability and family-friendly structure as reasons for its high ranking.
