Touring musicians face a unique problem: visa applications.
You’re booked for a festival in Berlin next week, another show in Singapore the month after, and a collaboration session in London before that. Each destination means paperwork, embassy visits, and crossing your fingers that everything gets approved in time.
Miss one visa approval, and you’ve blown the gig. Miss enough gigs, and you’ve damaged your reputation.
But there’s a solution that’s gaining serious traction among internationally mobile artists: Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by investment.
This Caribbean nation’s passport unlocks visa-free access to over 150 countries—including the entire EU Schengen Zone, the UK, Hong Kong, and Singapore. For touring artists, that’s essentially frictionless access to the world’s major music markets.
And it gets better. Antigua and Barbuda doesn’t tax your worldwide income. Your royalties from Spotify? Untaxed. Performance fees from that European tour? Untaxed. Licensing deals with international labels? Also untaxed.
Let’s break down exactly why this program has become a strategic asset for artists who’ve built international careers.
The Mobility Problem Every Touring Artist Faces
Think about the typical touring schedule for an established DJ or musician. You might perform in Amsterdam on Friday, Dubai on Saturday, and Tokyo the following week.
Each of those destinations has different visa requirements. Some require advance applications. Others want proof of return flights, hotel bookings, and invitation letters from event organizers.
The administrative burden is massive. And every visa application carries risk—there’s always a chance it gets delayed or denied, which can torpedo your entire tour schedule.
Many artists from countries with weaker passports spend significant time and money just managing visa logistics. Some hire dedicated staff just to handle immigration paperwork.
How Antigua and Barbuda’s Passport Changes the Game
An Antigua and Barbuda passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more than 150 countries. That includes:
- All 27 EU Schengen countries (90 days per 180-day period)
- United Kingdom (up to 6 months)
- Hong Kong and Singapore (major Asian music hubs)
- Most Caribbean and Latin American countries
For context, that’s comparable to other leading Caribbean citizenship programs. You’re getting access to virtually every major festival market except the United States, Canada, and Australia (which still require visas but have straightforward application processes).
The practical impact? You can book a last-minute gig in Barcelona without worrying about processing times. You can fly to London for studio sessions on 24 hours’ notice. You can commit to festival appearances across Europe without visa uncertainty hanging over you.
That kind of mobility isn’t just convenient—it’s professionally transformative. When promoters know you can show up reliably, you become a safer booking. When collaborators know you can fly in without bureaucratic headaches, you become a more attractive partner.
The Tax Advantage That Changes Everything
Here’s what makes Antigua and Barbuda particularly compelling for artists: the country operates a territorial tax system and doesn’t tax non-resident citizens on worldwide income.
What does that mean in practice?
Your streaming royalties from platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music aren’t taxed locally. Performance fees from international tours aren’t taxed. Licensing income from your catalog isn’t taxed. Merchandise sales through international platforms aren’t taxed.
Only income earned or remitted within Antigua and Barbuda itself is subject to local taxation. If you’re an internationally touring artist generating revenue globally, that’s a substantial difference compared to high-tax jurisdictions.
Compare that to the United States, which taxes citizens on worldwide income regardless of where they live. Or the UK, France, and Germany, which all have significant income tax rates and complex royalty taxation rules.
The savings for a successful touring artist can be substantial—potentially enough to offset the initial investment within a few years, depending on your income level.
How Artists Actually Structure This
Many artists work with tax advisors to set up royalty and IP holding structures based in Antigua and Barbuda. These structures can manage international income flows more tax-efficiently.
Digital sales and streaming revenues can be channeled through these structures. International performance fees can be managed through properly structured entities. Licensing agreements can be set up to optimize tax exposure.
The key is proper structuring—this isn’t about hiding income, it’s about legally optimizing where and how your international earnings are taxed. Professional advice is essential, especially if you’re still a citizen or tax resident of another country with reporting requirements.
The Investment Requirements (2024-2025)
So what does it actually take to obtain citizenship?
Antigua and Barbuda offers several investment routes. The most popular for individual applicants is the National Development Fund contribution, which starts at USD 230,000 for a single applicant or small family.
Alternatively, you can invest USD 300,000 in approved real estate (with a 5-year holding period). Or make a business investment of at least USD 1.5 million, which can be structured as a joint investment in certain cases.
Add legal and processing fees—typically around USD 35,000 to 50,000 for a family of four—plus due diligence costs, and you’re looking at a total upfront investment starting around USD 270,000-280,000 for the most affordable route.
Processing officially takes 3-4 months, though some agents report longer timelines depending on backlog and application complexity. You’ll need to work with an authorized agent (firms like Global Residence Index specialize in these applications and maintain direct relationships with the government program).
There’s also a minimal residency requirement: just 5 days in the country over 5 years. That’s essentially a long weekend once per year, which fits perfectly with touring schedules.
What About Family?
The program includes family members. Your spouse qualifies automatically. Dependent children are covered (with some age and dependency requirements). In many cases, even dependent parents or grandparents can be included for additional fees.
That’s a significant advantage for established artists who want to secure their family’s future mobility and security alongside their own.
Business Opportunities Beyond Touring
Antigua and Barbuda offers more than just tax advantages. The country has modern banking infrastructure with USD and EUR accounts, increasingly crypto-friendly regulations (relevant for NFT projects and digital collectibles), and membership in CARICOM (the Caribbean trade bloc).
For artists exploring business ventures—launching labels, managing other artists, developing digital platforms—Antigua provides a supportive jurisdiction with international connectivity.
The islands also host Caribbean music festivals and events, providing natural networking opportunities within the regional music scene.
Lifestyle Considerations
While most artists won’t live in Antigua full-time, it’s worth understanding what the islands offer when you do visit.
The quality of life is high: tropical climate, beautiful beaches, a safe environment, quality private healthcare, and international schools. Internet infrastructure is solid, which matters for remote collaboration and content creation during downtime.
Cost of living is significantly lower than London, New York, or Los Angeles for real estate and daily expenses (though some imported goods carry premium prices).
There’s a growing community of international professionals and creatives, which creates interesting networking possibilities beyond just music industry contacts.
Due Diligence and Compliance
Antigua and Barbuda runs thorough background checks on all applicants. This is a legitimate, government-run program operating under the Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment Act of 2013.
You’ll need clean criminal records, legitimate source of funds documentation, and standard KYC (Know Your Customer) materials. The due diligence process is professional and transparent—the government has a strong incentive to maintain program integrity.
One important note: if you’re currently a US citizen or tax resident of certain countries, you may still have tax reporting and filing obligations even after obtaining Antigua and Barbuda citizenship. The US, in particular, taxes citizens on worldwide income regardless of where they live.
Professional tax and legal advice tailored to your specific situation is essential. What works for a British artist might not work the same way for an American or German artist.
Comparing to Other Options
How does Antigua and Barbuda stack up against alternatives?
Other Caribbean CBI programs (St. Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, Dominica) offer similar mobility and tax benefits with comparable investment levels. Malta and Portugal’s programs provide access to more visa-free countries but require higher investments and have actual residency requirements.
For most touring artists, the Caribbean programs hit the sweet spot: strong mobility to key markets, favorable tax treatment, minimal residency requirements, and reasonable investment levels.
Antigua and Barbuda specifically offers the combination of an established program (running since 2013), competitive pricing, and a particularly streamlined application process when working with experienced advisors like Global Residence Index or their parent company Vancis Capital.
Is This Right for You?
This isn’t for every artist. If your career is primarily domestic or you’re just starting out, the investment probably doesn’t make sense yet.
But if you’re established internationally, tour regularly across multiple continents, earn significant international income from royalties and performances, and find visa logistics consistently hampering your career—this could be transformative.
The mobility alone can pay dividends by enabling you to accept more opportunities without logistical friction. The tax optimization potential can produce substantial savings. And the security of having a second passport as career insurance is increasingly valuable in an unpredictable world.
Professional migration advisors can help evaluate whether the program makes strategic sense for your specific situation, taking into account your citizenship status, income sources, career trajectory, and family situation.
For globally mobile artists who’ve built international careers, Antigua and Barbuda’s citizenship by investment program has quietly become one of the most practical tools for eliminating friction and optimizing their professional setup.
