The Caribbean countries of Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts & Nevis, and St Lucia have all announced that they are introducing mandatory interviews under their citizenship by investment programs.
For investors to be approved, they must pass this interview, and while this is a minor step in the process, it is vital to understand why these interviews were introduced and how to prepare for them.
Why Did Caribbean Governments Introduce Interviews?
The introduction of the interviews serves as an additional due diligence tool that allows Caribbean citizenship by investment units (CIUs) to better assess applicants and fill in any possible gaps within an application.
The interviews will also provide more authenticity for the programs by opening a direct line of communication between the CIUs and applicants, allowing for better communication between the parties.
Investors, their spouse, and their adult dependents must all attend an interview in order to qualify.
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How to Prepare for an Interview
One important thing to note is that an investor’s consultant or international marketing agent cannot attend the interview, as it is exclusive to the CIU and the applicants and their dependents only, so comprehensive preparation is essential.
The interviews will focus on three key aspects:
- Ensuring the validity of information
- Covering any gaps
- Bridging any cultural differences
The introduction of the interviews serves as an additional due diligence tool that allows Caribbean citizenship by investment units (CIUs) to better assess applicants.
Information Validity
Once you collect all the required documentation and fill out all the necessary forms, a government official will go through all of them and create a profile for you.
One of the main goals of the interview is to ensure that all the information you provided is correct, so be sure to go through the documents and keep a copy with you to be better prepared to answer any question asked.
A critical factor within this part are the finances. Ensure that you provide clear bank statements and letters and can go through them if the CIU officer asks about any specific financial issue.
Double checking all your documents before submitting the application is critical. This review should be done with the marketing agent so that they can highlight any important information and any potential questions that may arise in the interview.
Interviewers will be looking to verify all the information you provide during the interview as an extended due diligence measure, so if you have any supporting documentation that wasn’t requested in the application, you can bring it along as extra proof.
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Filling Gaps
Another important factor interviewers will consider is addressing any existing gaps in the application.
For example, Saudi Arabia does not provide former residents with police clearances, so if someone who was a Saudi resident a few years back applies and cannot provide a police clearance, they can clear up this issue within the interview.
A signed affidavit with legal proof that Saudi Arabia does not provide this, along with a verbal explanation, would be sufficient to address this specific gap. This is much easier to do during an interview than through email, giving applicants a better platform to explain certain issues with the application.
Your consultant should inform you of any gaps in your application and what documents or information you need to provide during the interview if the matter arises.
Cultural Differences
The last part that will benefit most from the interview is the cultural differences between the Caribbean legal and cultural framework and that of an applicant.
For example, Javanese people in Indonesia do not use family names, and it is common for parents to have family names that differ from their children.
While this is wholly accepted within Indonesia, it is a foreign concept to other countries. Providing detailed information regarding familial ties is sufficient to address this issue, and, again, it is much easier to explain this during an interview.
The same goes for issues such as marriage, divorce, adoption, and other civil laws that differ from one country to another. An interview is the best way to address these subjects and get the point across in a simplified and organised manner.
The new Caribbean citizenship by investment interviews are an extra step in the process, but if you prepare well enough for them, they are an excellent addition to an already streamlined program.
To know more about Caribbean citizenship by investment and how Savory & Partners can help you prepare for your interview, contact us today to talk to an expert.
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