Caribbean CBI harmonization is now the core story for high-net-worth applicants. The OECS-led framework introduced a region-wide pricing floor, stronger coordination, and a path toward a regional regulator—while the EU simultaneously signaled that, despite reforms, Schengen visa-free access risk remains a live variable.
What “harmonization” means in practice
1) The OECS Memorandum of Agreement created a coordinated framework
A regional Memorandum of Agreement (dated March 20, 2024) set out cooperation across participating CBI states, including:
- Information sharing on applicants
- Enhanced transparency and audits
- A regional competent authority to set standards and regulate
- Common rules for communications and promotion
- Common standards for agents
- Joint training and capacity building
2) A harmonized minimum price of USD 200,000 took effect
The OECS pressroom confirms that from July 1, 2024, participating countries agreed:
- The minimum price for any CBI option is US$200,000
- Discounting below the agreed minimum is treated as illegal
This is the clearest operational shift: the region moved away from “price competition” toward pricing discipline.
Oversight is being built (and that’s the point)
The OECS also described steps toward stronger governance, including an Interim Regulatory Commission (pending enabling legislation) and functions such as:
- Developing and enforcing regional standards
- Monitoring compliance with laws and international agreements
- Investigating complaints
- Facilitating information sharing with regional and international stakeholders
Separately, the OECS stated that a region-wide US$200,000 minimum threshold has been adopted as part of broader standards and integrity measures.
The EU Commission’s position: reforms acknowledged, concern remains
In its 19 Dec 2025 Visa Suspension Mechanism report, the European Commission explicitly notes that the five Eastern Caribbean countries operating investor citizenship schemes have taken steps including:
- Harmonising the minimum investment threshold at USD 200,000
- Strengthening security screening
- Establishing common standards for information-sharing and transparency
But the same report states the situation continues to raise significant concern, citing:
- High application volumes
- Short processing times
- Low rejection rates (examples provided for 2024)
Most importantly for HNWIs managing travel risk, the report states that under the revised Visa Suspension Mechanism, operating an investor citizenship scheme can be, in itself, a ground to suspend visa-free status for third countries.
What this means for high-net-worth applicants
1) “Cheaper” is no longer the strategy
With a harmonized floor and tighter enforcement posture, the market is moving toward:
- Fewer pricing distortions
- Higher agent discipline
- More consistent due diligence expectations
2) Bankability and reputation matter more than speed
As external scrutiny rises, the real asset is a file that is:
- Document-complete
- Source-of-wealth defensible
- Cleanly structured (beneficial ownership clarity, transaction trail integrity)
3) Visa-free access is a policy risk variable, not a guarantee
You should treat Schengen visa-free access as:
- A current benefit, with regulatory overhang
- A factor that should be portfolio-managed, not assumed
Practical checklist for HNWIs (risk-managed execution)
- Pre-screen for adverse media, PEP exposure, sanctions proximity, and name-match risk
- Build a single, consistent Source of Wealth / Source of Funds narrative (auditable and bank-ready)
- Avoid complex transfer chains; optimize for a simple, defensible banking trail
- Choose programs and routes based on governance quality and predictability, not marketing promises
- Maintain a “mobility portfolio” mindset (avoid concentration in one travel outcome)
How Globalia (Globevisa Group partner) protects outcomes under Caribbean CBI harmonization
Caribbean CBI is now a compliance-led market, not a pricing market. Under harmonization and ongoing EU scrutiny, the winning approach is risk-managed execution: a clean profile, a defensible wealth narrative, and a file built to withstand enhanced screening.
Globalia, as a partner of Globevisa Group, supports high-net-worth applicants with an institutional delivery model:
Program fit and risk mapping: align your objectives (mobility, family security, business access) with the right jurisdiction and route under the harmonized framework.
Bankability-first file engineering: source of wealth/source of funds packaging, beneficial ownership clarity, and transaction trail discipline to reduce friction and rejection risk.
Enhanced screening readiness: pre-screening for adverse media and exposure flags, and proactive remediation before submission.
Process control and accountability: coordinated case management across legal, due diligence, and government-channel stakeholders with clear milestones.
Portfolio planning: if visa-free access becomes a policy variable, we structure a mobility portfolio so your travel and residency objectives are not dependent on a single outcome.
If you’re considering Caribbean CBI in 2026, Globalia’s role is simple: protect approval probability, protect reputation, and protect long-term usability—with Globevisa Group-level execution standards.