Dominica Ranked Second Globally in the 2026 CBI Index
Roseau, Dominica – 16 October 2026. The Commonwealth of Dominica’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme has once again ranked second among 14 programmes worldwide in the 2026 CBI Index, the tenth-anniversary edition published in October 2026.
The report awarded Dominica 75 points, up two points from its 2025 performance. It also confirms the maximum score of ten in three of the nine pillars that define programme quality: Certainty of Product, Ease of Processing, and Mandatory Travel or Residence.
The result arrives at a defining moment for the industry. A decade after the Index was first published, its authors describe a market transformed by rising investment thresholds, deeper due diligence and closer regional coordination. In this landscape, credibility, governance and long-term value now carry more weight than headline price. Dominica’s 2026 performance places its programme firmly at the forefront of that shift.
The CBI Index has served for ten years as an independent benchmark for citizenship by investment programmes worldwide.
The 2026 edition was led by James McKay, founder of McKayResearch, who brings more than 18 years of experience in global trend analysis and in investment research. His methodology draws on the OECD’s Handbook on Constructing Composite Indicators and combines official macroeconomic, programme and policy data with primary industry research.
Each programme is assessed across nine pillars, from standard of living and global mobility to due diligence, family provisions and long-term programme certainty.
Only officially confirmed and implemented measures count, making the Index a measure of what programmes deliver in practice rather than what they announce.
The most significant advance in Dominica’s 2026 performance comes in Certainty of Product, where the programme rises to the maximum ten points and now shares the top of the rankings.
Integrity at the core of the programme
Dominica scored nine points for Due Diligence, placing it among the most rigorous vetting frameworks the Index assessed. The pillar examines police certificate requirements, fingerprinting and biometrics, mandatory interviews, source-of-funds scrutiny and investor protections.
The Index notes that Caribbean programmes have spent several years strengthening their procedures through mandatory interviews, extensive external due diligence checks and closer regional coordination. Dominica relies on its Financial Investigation Unit to process and vet these applications, and this Unit sits at arm’s length from the administrative arm of the CBI Unit, safeguarding the integrity of the vetting process. Dominica achieved the maximum ten points for Ease of Processing, reflecting clear official guidance and a dedicated programme unit, and nine points for Citizenship Timeline. The Unit, however, always carries out rigorous scrutiny, which a well-run process can reinforce.
Long-term certainty gains importance
Dominica’s maximum score in Certainty of Product marks another important aspect of its 2026 performance. The pillar assesses the stability and long-term reliability of a citizenship programme, including its reputation, longevity and ability to maintain its position in a changing international environment.
Established in 1993, Dominica’s CBI Programme has operated for more than three decades. Its latest result comes as the industry faces increasing scrutiny over programme governance, investment requirements and the standards expected of countries granting citizenship through investment.
The Index’s assessment reflects the growing importance of consistency and institutional credibility in determining programme quality. For investors, certainty extends beyond the immediate application process to include confidence in the programme’s established framework and its ability to adapt to evolving international expectations.
Dominica maintains its position among leading programmes
With 75 points and a second-place ranking among 14 programmes, Dominica has retained its position near the top of the global CBI Index for another year. Its two-point improvement over 2025 also indicates progress in its overall assessment.
The results come at a time when citizenship by investment programmes are being evaluated against increasingly complex expectations. Due diligence, institutional credibility, programme stability and long-term value have become central to discussions about the industry’s future.
For Dominica, the Government is committed to continuing to meet established standards while responding to changes in international regulation and investor expectations.