Naturalisation in Grenada: The Long Route to Citizenship

Not everyone who becomes Grenadian buys a passport or inherits one. Teachers, doctors, retirees, business owners and partners who have built their lives on the island can apply for citizenship on the strength of years of residence. It is the slowest route and the cheapest for people already living here, and the government treats it as a recognition of settlement, not a transaction.

There are two versions. Citizens of Commonwealth countries apply for registration after five years of ordinary residence. Everyone else applies for a certificate of naturalisation, which expects seven years of residence, the last two as a permanent resident. This page explains both, what the files contain, the published fees and the habits that make an application straightforward when the time comes.

Two routes: naturalisation and Commonwealth registration

For applicants who are not Commonwealth citizens, described on the government forms as aliens and British protected persons, the requirements are seven years of residence in Grenada, or service under the Government of Grenada, or a combination of the two adding up to seven years. The last two years should be as a permanent resident, and applicants should have been resident for the twelve months immediately before applying. Good character, adequate knowledge of English and an intention to remain in Grenada are also expected, and the applicant takes an oath of allegiance.

Citizens of Commonwealth countries, which include the United Kingdom, Canada, India, Nigeria and most of the Caribbean, use a separate registration form. It asks about ordinary residence or government service during the past five years, and it allows applicants to explain special circumstances if their period is shorter. Commonwealth applicants do not take the oath of allegiance on registration.

Both routes are discretionary. Meeting the residence period makes you eligible to apply; it does not entitle you to citizenship.

What the file contains

The instruction sheets for naturalisation and for Commonwealth registration list nearly identical documents:

• the application form, completed and signed before a Justice of the Peace or Notary Public;
• a reference letter from a reputable person in your country of birth or residence and in Grenada;
• a bank reference;
• a police certificate of character from your country of origin and residence, dated within six months of the application;
• four certified passport-size photographs, 50mm by 50mm;
• the original and one photocopy of your birth certificate, or an affidavit if your name does not appear on it;
• a letter giving your date of arrival in Grenada, the purpose of your stay, your activities and why you want to become a citizen;
• a medical certificate from a registered practitioner, done at a medical facility in Grenada, with the same tests as the permanent residence medical, including a chest X-ray, HIV test and TB skin test;
• a copy of your permanent residence certificate and your passport.

The residence record: where applications are won or lost

The naturalisation form asks you to list every address in Grenada over the seven years before the application, with dates, and every country you visited during that time. The Commonwealth form asks the same for five years. Officers compare what you write with immigration records of your entries and departures, so the residence record is the heart of the application.

Long absences are the usual problem. Spending several months a year abroad does not automatically disqualify you, but the more time away, the harder it is to show that Grenada is your home. Keep your own log of travel from the day you arrive, with copies of tickets and passport stamps, rather than reconstructing seven years from memory later.

Gaps in immigration status are the other problem. If an extension of stay lapsed or a work permit expired before renewal, those periods may not count as lawful residence. Renew early, keep every approval letter, and store copies outside your house in case of storm damage.

Character, references and the security check

Good character is assessed through the police certificates, the security check and your own declarations. The form asks for details of every criminal proceeding that resulted in a conviction, in Grenada or anywhere else, and of any non-criminal proceedings against you in Grenada, such as civil suits. It also asks whether you are financially solvent and about any bankruptcy. Answer fully; an old minor conviction disclosed with context is far less damaging than one discovered by the security check.

References matter more than many applicants expect. One must come from a reputable person in your country of birth or residence and one from Grenada. A Grenadian referee who has known you for years, such as an employer, a member of the clergy, a professional or a community leader, says more about your settlement than a letter from a recent acquaintance with an impressive title.

The bank reference shows that you are known to a bank and conduct your affairs properly. Ask the branch where you have held an account longest, and give them time: banks often take a couple of weeks to issue reference letters.

Published fees

Naturalisation for non-Commonwealth applicants. The sheet lists a security check of $275, an application fee of $100 and a citizenship fee of $7,500, all in EC dollars: about US$2,915 in total at the fixed exchange rate.

Registration for Commonwealth citizens. The same $275 security check and $100 application fee, with a citizenship fee of $3,000, a total of about US$1,250.

Costs around the fees. The Grenada medical panel, police certificates from home and from the Royal Grenada Police Force, certified photographs, notary charges and any legal help. Many applicants who have lived through the permanent residence process handle naturalisation themselves.

The passport. Once the certificate is granted, the Grenadian passport is a separate application with its own fee.

Fees change. These are the figures on the government instruction sheets at the time of writing. Confirm them with the citizenship office before paying.

Naturalisation compared with the other routes

Against citizenship by investment, naturalisation is a fraction of the cost: a few thousand EC dollars against a minimum investment of hundreds of thousands of US dollars. The trade-off is time. Naturalisation takes the better part of a decade of actually living in Grenada, while investor applications can be decided in months from abroad.

Against registration by marriage or descent, naturalisation is slower and more demanding, with references, a bank reference, a security check and a full medical. If you are married to a Grenadian or have a Grenadian parent or grandparent, those routes are usually quicker and cheaper and worth checking first.

For people who already live in Grenada, the choice is usually between staying a permanent resident and naturalising. Citizenship removes the need for an Alien Landholding Licence on future purchases and for work permits, and gives a Grenadian passport. It also brings the duty of allegiance and, if your home country restricts dual nationality, possibly the loss of your original passport.

A seven-year plan for a smooth application

The applicants who find naturalisation easy are those who prepared from the start. A practical timeline for a non-Commonwealth resident:

1. Year one: arrive on a lawful status, open a local bank account, register with a doctor and start a travel log.
2. Years one to four: keep every extension or work permit current and file copies of each approval. Build local references through work, church, clubs or volunteering.
3. Around years three to five: apply for permanent residence, so that at least two years of permanent residence are in place before year seven.
4. Year six: check your hepatitis B and other vaccinations so the medical does not hold you up.
5. Year seven: request references, a bank reference and police certificates, book the Grenada medical, write your letter and lodge the application.
6. After approval: attend the oath ceremony if required, collect your certificate and apply for your passport.

Frequently asked questions