Travel News

Story by Simon Calder

When will British travellers to the European Union and wider Schengen Area need to apply in advance for an online permit? The short answer is: not before 2027.

EU officials had originally confirmed that the much delayed “entry-exit system” would take effect on 10 November 2024.

From that date, it was thought that every UK traveller entering the Schengen Area would need to be fingerprinted and provide a facial biometric. (The requirement will not apply to British visitors to Ireland, in the European Union but outside Schengen.)

But the deadline was missed. Now the European Union says EES will start to be rolled out from 12 October 2025 with completion by 9 April 2026.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias) can only function once the Entry/Exit System is fully working.

It is due to launch six months after that. The EU says Etias will launch in the final quarter of 2026 – some time from October to December.

But for at least another six months the Etias will be optional. So you will not need one before April 2027 at the earliest.

What is Etias?

British travellers and those from all other “third-country visa-free nationals” (as the UK chose to become after Brexit) will need provide information in advance so that frontier officials know more about them on arrival – and to identify people who the EU wants to keep out.

Etias, the next step in tightening frontier controls, is a online permit system that is similar to the US Esta scheme. It will cost €20 (£17) and is valid for three years, or until the passport reaches three months to expiry, whichever comes first.

“UK nationals are required to have a valid Etias travel authorisation if they travel to any of the European countries requiring Etias for a short-term stay (90 days in any 180-day period),” says the EU.

“Its key function is to verify if a third-country national meets entry requirements before travelling to the Schengen Area.”

The zone covers almost all of the EU (apart from Ireland) plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

When will I need one?

Here is the timeline of the essential roll-out:

• 12 October 2025: EU Entry/Exit System starts across at least 10 per cent of frontier posts, with central registration of people crossing the border in or out of the Schengen Area. But the biometric elements – face and fingerprints – will not be mandatory for the first 60 days; it may be that some states do this anyway. Passports continue to be stamped.
• December 2025: Biometrics become mandatory at frontier posts operating the EES.
• January 2026: By now, “member states should operate the Entry/Exit System – with biometric functionalities – at a minimum of half of their border crossing points”. In other words, a majority of visitors are likely to experience “double red tape”: providing EES biometrics but continuing to have passports stamped as well.
• 9 April 2026: Roll-out of Entry/Exit System should be complete. Only when the EES is running flawlessly across Europe will passports stop being stamped.
• October 2026 (or later): Etias may finally come into play.

The EU says: “Starting six months after EES, some 1.4 billion people from 59 visa-exempt countries and territories are required to have a travel authorisation to enter most European countries.”

But “required” is not exactly correct. It will be only on a voluntary basis initially. The European Union says the launch of Etias will be followed by “a transitional period of at least six months”.

The EU says: “For travel during this time, travellers should already apply for their Etias travel authorisation, but those without one will not be refused entry as long as they fulfil all remaining entry conditions.”

Those conditions are basically the existing requirements for passport validity:

• Issued no more than 10 years earlier on the day of entry to the European Union.
• Valid for at least three months on the intended day of departure from the EU.

The earliest, therefore, that any British traveller or other “third-country national” will need an Etias is April 2027.

Once the “transitional period” is over, a further “grace period” of at least six months will apply on a one-time only basis to British travellers who turn up without an Etias.

The European Union says: “There is an exception: only those coming to Europe for the first time since the end of the transitional period will be allowed to enter without an Etias provided they fulfil all remaining entry conditions.

“All other travellers will be refused entry if they do not hold an Etias travel authorisation.”

The grace period will last at least six months.

How will I apply for an Etias?

At the heart of the system is an Etias website. An app will follow (any apps that currently purport to be official EU Etias apps are imposters).

Travellers will be required to submit personal information including name, address, contact details in Europe and passport data. They must also state an occupation (with job title and employer). Students must give the name of their educational establishment.

The applicant must give details of any serious convictions in the past 20 years.

Travellers must also provide the reason for their journey (holiday, business, visiting family, etc), specify the Schengen Area country they will first arrive in, and provide the address of their first night’s stay – which will pose a problem for tourists who like to make plans as they go along.

It is likely that for subsequent journeys the traveller will not be expected to update the information. My understanding is that information on where you are going and staying, and the reason for your trip. is needed only at the application stage. The form should be completed with reference to your first journey.

As with the US Esta, after you have been admitted once and returned home you should be able to enter again without updating such information online.

The fee is €20 (£17) for all applicants aged 18 to 70. While those under 18 or over 70 will still need to apply for and hold an Etias, they need not pay.

What happens to the information?

Every application will be checked against EU and relevant Interpol databases, as well as “a dedicated Etias watch-list”.

The system will be tuned to pick out individuals suspected of being involved in terrorism, armed robbery, child pornography, fraud, money laundering, cybercrime, people smuggling, trafficking in endangered animal species, counterfeiting and industrial espionage.

In a case of mistaken identity, will I be able to appeal?

Yes. If you are suspected of one or more of the above offences, but in fact have led a blameless life, you will be allowed to argue your case. Details of how to appeal will be included with the notice of rejection.

How far in advance must I apply?

The aim is for an Etias to be granted in most circumstances within minutes, though even a straightforward application could take up to four days.

If an application is flagged (ie there is a “hit” with one of the databases) the prospective visitor may be asked to provide additional information. Alternatively, says the EU, the applicant may be asked “to participate in an interview with national authorities, which may take up to additional 30 days”.

The European Union says: “We strongly advise you to obtain the Etias travel authorisation before you buy your tickets and book your hotels.”

If I get an Etias, must I print anything out?

No. The frontier guard will get all the information they need from the passport you used to apply for your Etias.

Will my Etias be checked before departure to the EU?

Yes. Most British travellers to Europe will have their Etias status checked by the airline, as currently happens with travel to the US (Esta), Canada (eTA) and many other countries.

Airlines are obliged to ensure passenger comply with the immigration rules of the destination. A couple of them made a complete mess of it when the post-Brexit passport regime took effect, and invented their own rules.

To try to avoid a repeat, I have written to the airlines’ representative body to try to ensure that they are fully aware of the “optional” nature of Etias during the transitional and grace periods before it becomes mandatory.

Is Etias a visa?

This answer to this common question depends on your interpretation of semantics. Officially, it is exactly the opposite of a visa. Europe says that Etias is “a pre-travel authorisation system for visa-exempt travellers”. It is a similar concept to the UK ETA, the US Esta and Canadian eTA, which are not technically visas.

But Etias requires visitors to:

• Apply in advance
• Provide substantial personal information
• Pay money
• Be issued with a permit to cross a border.

So I contend it amounts to a normal person’s understanding of a visa.

Once I have an Etias, am I guaranteed admission to the Schengen Area?

No. “Mere possession of a travel authorisation does not confer an automatic right of entry,” says the EU.

“All travellers arriving at the border are still subject to border checks and border guards will refuse entry to those who do not meet the entry conditions.”

As with the US, travellers can be turned away for any reason, with the Etias permission rescinded.

Must I apply for an Etias every time I travel to Europe?

No. The permit will be valid for three years, or until your passport reaches three months before expiry, whichever is the earlier. (Note also that British passports must not be over 10 years old on the day of entry to the European Union.)

Will I need an Etias to travel to Ireland?

No. Ireland is not in the Schengen Area, and the Common Travel Area – incorporating the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands – transcends European Union rules.

If I have a visa for study or work, or a long-stay permit from one of the EU nations, must I obtain an Etias?

No.

How are people without internet access supposed to apply?

They will be expected to get a friend, a family member or a travel agent to make the application for them, in the same way as the US Esta and similar schemes.

Just remind us about the 90/180 day rule?

This rule, to which the UK asked to be subject after leaving the European Union, means that British travellers cannot stay more than 90 days in any stretch of 180 days.

As an example of what it means: if you were to spend the first 90 days of 2025 (January, February and almost all of March) in the Schengen area, you would not be able to return until late June.

Is the UK being punished because of Brexit?

No. Work on strengthening the European Union’s external border was already under way before the UK referendum on membership in June 2016. Initially British officials participated in plans for the entry-exit system.

Neither the EES nor Etias would be relevant if the UK was still in the EU. But the nation voted to leave the European Union and the UK government negotiated for British travellers to be classified as third-country nationals – triggering extra red tape.

Will Etias be the next online scam?

Yes. As with other online travel permits, commercial intermediaries are allowed.

But according to Frontex – the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, which is implementing Etias – there are many scam sites out there that are likely to apply fees way above the basic €20 (£17).

Any site other than europa.eu/etias is unofficial and should not be trusted. One “imposter” site claims to have processed 671 applications already; this is impossible since no applications have been processed anywhere.

Another site offers a 40 per cent discount for early applications. Some use the EU logo, which is illegal.

Frontex also warns about the risk of identity theft if personal information is provided to imposter sites.

MONTREAL — Air Canada flight attendants start voting today on whether to give a strike mandate to their union.

The vote, running through to Aug. 5, comes after the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees concluded the conciliation process with no deal reached.

The union represents more than 10,000 flight attendants who have been in contract talks since the start of the year.

The union's bargaining committee told members it was seeking a strike mandate to fight for an industry-leading contract through collective power.

"This is where our strength lies and this is how we will show the company that we are united, serious, and will accept nothing less than the contract we deserve," it said in a message to members.

Air Canada acknowledged the vote, saying it was a normal step in the negotiation process and does not mean a disruption will happen.

It noted that a strike can't take place until after a 21-day cooling-off period after the 60-day conciliation period has expired, and in the meantime continues to work toward a deal.

"Air Canada is committed to the bargaining process and remains fully available to continue negotiations towards a fair and equitable collective agreement with CUPE that recognizes the contributions of its Flight Attendants and supports the competitiveness and long-term growth of the company," it said in a July 25 statement posted on its website.

The union says that despite sustained efforts, including in the conciliation process with a federally-appointed mediator, key issues such as pay, unpaid work and pensions remain unresolved.

Last October, Air Canada's 5,400 pilots voted in favour of a contract that will see them receive a nearly 42 per cent cumulative wage increase over four years.

Pilots had voted overwhelmingly in support of a strike mandate, but a shutdown was avoided after their union reached a deal with the airline just before the cooling-off period ended.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2025.

Companies in this story: (TSX:AC)

The Canadian Press

Story by Craig Simpson, Ben Butcher

More Nigerians have been granted British visas for their expertise in fashion than people from any other country, Telegraph analysis of official data shows.

Nigerians have applied for by far the highest number of global talent visas that offer entry to the UK for fashion designers, as well as being granted the most approvals.

The British Fashion Council – a not-for-profit company – has been given powers to endorse applications on behalf of the Home Office, which then has the final sign-off on granting the visas.

The council receives about £2 million each year from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to promote British fashion.

Nigerian expertise in fashion has seen the country lead the way in being granted British visas - Sunday Alamba/AP

By Seun Adeuyi

ng to pay international tuition fees can now do so directly from their naira accounts, with processing completed in as little as four days, following renewed liquidity in the foreign exchange market.

This development comes as Nigerian banks announce the availability of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Form A platform, which allows individuals to pay for eligible services including educational fees, medical bills, and training courses using the official foreign exchange window.

In an email to its customers on Monday, Guaranty Trust Bank GTBank confirmed that both undergraduate and postgraduate tuition payments abroad can now be made through naira accounts using the Form A process.

Story by Neil Lancefield

A “radar-related issue” caused the air traffic control (ATC) failure that grounded flights across the UK on Wednesday, officials have said.

Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe was summoned to speak with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander on Thursday morning, a day after thousands of passengers were disrupted by the technical problem which forced the cancellation of more than 150 flights.

Airlines are demanding an explanation for what happened.

A spokesperson for Nats said: “This was a radar-related issue which was resolved by quickly switching to the back-up system during which time we reduced traffic to ensure safety.

“There is no evidence that this was cyber related.”

The PA news agency understands that the back-up system continues to be used by controllers while investigations continue.

Ms Alexander said: “I have spoken with Nats CEO Martin Rolfe who provided further detail on yesterday’s technical fault.

“This was an isolated event and there is no evidence of malign activity.

“I will continue to receive regular updates.”

The problem happened at Nats’ control centre in Swanwick, Hampshire, and affected the vast majority of England and Wales.

A Government source said the failure lasted around 20 minutes, and the level of disruption was similar to a day with bad weather.

More than 700,000 passengers suffered disruption when flights were grounded at UK airports in August 2023 when Nats suffered a technical glitch while processing a flight plan.

Aviation analytics company Cirium said 84 departures and 71 arrivals were cancelled to or from UK airports up to 10pm on Wednesday.

Several flights were diverted to other European airports.

There was limited disruption on Thursday, with a handful of British Airways flights cancelled because aircraft and crew were out of position.

Heathrow and Gatwick airports said they had resumed normal operations.

Heidi Alexander (Stefan Rousseau/PA) (PA Wire)

he European Union has approved scanners capable of reliably detecting liquid explosives, an EU Commission spokeswoman told dpa, potentially paving the way for the lifting of long-standing restrictions on liquids in carry-on luggage.

The spokeswoman confirmed that the new CT scanners, similar to those used in medical imaging, can reliably identify threats and theoretically allow passengers to carry larger bottles. It is now up to individual airports to adopt the technology, she added.

However, implementation - especially in Germany - is set to take time due to outdated equipment and technical hurdles.

At Germany's Frankfurt Airport, 40 of about 190 security lanes are equipped with the new systems, with 40 more on order, a spokeswoman said.

However, passengers still face the 100-millilitre limit because it's unclear which scanner will inspect their bags - and some of the new devices are still missing the necessary software.

Munich Airport faces similar delays, with software upgrades postponed until after the busy holiday season.

Currently, passengers must not carry liquids exceeding 100 millilitres, with containers to be placed inside a resealable transparent plastic bag holding no more than 1 litre in total.

This rule was introduced in 2006 after authorities foiled a terror plot involving liquid explosives smuggled aboard a plane.

Roughly 700 scanners using the new software are currently in use or being installed across 21 EU countries, according to the EU Commission.

A spokeswoman for Germany's airport association ADV said full nationwide rollout is complex and expensive, requiring not just the new equipment but structural modifications due to the machines' larger size.

By Jide Ajia

Passengers at Nigeria’s international airports can look forward to functional Wi-Fi services, at least in Terminal 2, by late 2025.

This assurance came from the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, during a live interview on Channels Television on Sunday, where he shed light on the long-standing issue of internet connectivity at the nation’s aviation hubs.

For years, the absence of Wi-Fi at Nigerian international airports has been a point of frustration for travellers, a situation highlighted by the interviewer who noted Nigeria’s position among major African, European, and American airports in this regard.

Keyamo attributed the delay to a “number of factors,” primarily an internal dispute between two key agencies under his ministry: the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria.

Keyamo confirmed that funds for “major infrastructure” required for Wi-Fi operation have been included in the 2025 budget.

By Dorcas Marfo

Canadians are increasingly exploring citizenships through real estate investment – not for better visa access but for lifestyle, flexibility and future security, according to experts.

Five countries in the eastern Caribbean are no longer marketing their endless beaches as the only selling point. Instead, the drive to get citizens abroad to purchase a home or make a donation in exchange for a passport has been a popular trend.

Islands that offer citizenship by investment (CBI) programs include Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and Grenada.

Eric Major, CEO of Latitude Consultancy, a U.K.-based global firm that specializes in citizenship and residency-by-investment, explained to CTVNews.ca that the Caribbean’s CBI program first launched in St. Kitts and Nevis in the mid-1980s and has matured into pathways for acquiring second citizenship.

These programs typically allow applicants to either invest in government-approved real estate or make a donation to a national fund.

“Canadians and Americans seem to be favouring the real estate route,” said Major. “It’s actually a place they wouldn’t mind spending time in.”

According to Major, clients have to disclose a lot of information about them. “You have to hire a licenced firm like ours,” he explained. “The application is four inches thick. It includes (a) medical exam, background checks, proof of funds and now even an interview to confirm identity.”

Major said the government takes three to nine months to review before making a decision to approve or deny an application. In this process, a due diligence firm is hired to validate the applicant’s information.

Once approved, applicants must complete their investment – which usually has a minimum threshold and ranges between US$270,000 to US$300,000 for real estate – before receiving their certificate of registration and ultimately a passport.

While there have been concerns with the idea of “buying citizenship,” Major said these programs are a vital economic tool for small island nations. “In some cases, it accounts for as much as 50 per cent of their GDP,” he noted.

“The reality of these islands is that, other than tourism, there’s very few things that they could offer to generate economic activity,” Major said.

For most global applicants, this process results in a better passport. Major said most of the applicants for these programs come from countries with poor passports in terms of visa-free travel.

“The Caribbean passports offer visa-free travel to 150-plus countries, including the EU, U.K. and Singapore,” Major said. “That’s appealing if you’re from countries like Nigeria, Pakistan or Vietnam.”

But Canadians are different. “Canadians already have strong passports,” Major said. “So, their motivations are usually one of three things: lifestyle, tax planning or a Plan B (like) security if things become unstable at home or abroad.”

Jennifer Harding-Marlin, a licenced citizenship-by-investment lawyer with JH Marlin Law based in St. Kitts and Nevis, said, “There’s a lot of Canadians and Americans that are looking to get another citizenship. More people are looking for a holiday destination that’s outside of traditional Florida or Cuba. Countries in eastern Caribbean are becoming more popular.”

No legal red tape

For Canadians considering CBI programs in the Caribbean, there’s no legal red tape when it comes to holding multiple passports. In fact, Canadian law permits dual and multiple citizenships without restrictions.

Major said the federal government doesn’t limit the number of nationalities a citizen can acquire, which makes programs like those offered by these five Caribbean nations appealing for Canadians looking for a lifestyle upgrade, an offshore home or a backup plan in uncertain times.

Where Canada does take notice is the realm of taxation, Major said.

“Having a passport doesn’t make you a taxable person. What makes me liable for tax in Canada is if I spend a certain amount of time there, typically six months or more.”

Red flags might be raised by the federal government if individuals maintain bank accounts, driver’s licences or other personal ties in the country, Major explained.

Harding-Marlin said citizenship by investment and residency by investment are two different routes.

Residency by investment (RBI), also known as “golden visas,” allows foreign nationals to obtain legal residence status, not full citizenship, in a country by investing in real estate, businesses or government bonds.

“It’s important to get proper tax advice when deciding to relocate or changing your tax status,” she said.

New Caribbean measures

According to the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority (ECCIRA), a new draft legislative framework proposes a minimum 30-day physical presence requirement for successful applicants within the first five years of acquiring their citizenship.

The rule, released July 1, would apply to all five participating countries.

If an applicant or citizen does not meet the 30-day requirement without a valid reason, the country can charge them a fine of up to 10 per cent of their investment amount and start the process to take away their passport following that country’s laws, the proposal said.

Canada’s investment immigration

Major said Canada should look into bringing back investment-based citizenship programs.

“With this world of visas, including passports, golden visas and investment visas, there’s a lot of developments happening there,” he said referencing Caribbean programs. “We’re hopeful that Prime Minister Carney is going to revitalize the old Canadian Immigrant Investor Program.”

The program, which allowed wealthy individuals to gain permanent residency in exchange for significant financial investment, was scrapped in 2014 under a previous government.

But Major believes renewed interest in the wake of geopolitical alliances, trade tensions and economic uncertainty could put pressure on Ottawa to re-enter the space.

Major added that the demand for second citizenships is no longer driven by emerging markets. “Our number one source of market for second citizenship is Americans,” he said, calling the sector “a growing industry (with) lots of interesting developments.”

Harding-Marlin said it could bring in revenue and attract wealthy individuals, business owners and experts in their fields.

“Canada could potentially seek the benefits that other countries are seeing through their citizenship investment programs,” she said.

BY  Gemma Handy

Business reporter

• Published 28 July 2025

Scroll through homes for sale in the Eastern Caribbean and it is no longer just bewitching beaches and a laid-back lifestyle being touted to woo buyers.

More and more property listings are offering a passport too – and political and social volatility in the US is said to be fuelling an upsurge in interest.

Five of the region's island nations – Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia – offer such citizenship by investment (CBI) from as little as $200,000 (£145,000).

Buy a home, and you also get a passport that grants the holder visa-free access to up to 150 countries including Europe's Schengen area, and for all but Dominica, to the UK too.

For the wealthy, the islands' absence of taxes such as capital gains and inheritance, and in some cases on income too, is another major draw. And all five of the region's schemes allow buyers to retain their existing citizenship.

In Antigua, estate agents are struggling to keep up with demand, says Nadia Dyson, owner of Luxury Locations. "Up to 70% of all buyers right now are wanting citizenship, and the vast majority are from the US," she tells the BBC.

"We don't talk politics with them, but the unstable political landscape [in the US] is definitely a factor.

"This time last year, it was all lifestyle buyers and a few CBI. Now they're all saying 'I want a house with citizenship'. We've never sold so many before."

Despite Antigua's programme having no residency requirement, some purchasers are looking to relocate full-time, Ms Dyson says, adding: "A few have relocated already."

US citizens account for the bulk of CBI applications in the Caribbean over the past year, according to investment migration experts Henley & Partners.

Ukraine, Turkey, Nigeria and China are among the other most frequent countries of origin of applicants, says the UK firm which has offices around the world.

It adds that overall applications for Caribbean CBI programmes have increased by 12% since the fourth quarter of 2024.

Everything from gun violence to antisemitism is putting Americans on tenterhooks, according to the consultancy's Dominic Volek.

"Around 10-15% actually relocate. For most it's an insurance policy against whatever they're concerned about. Having a second citizenship is a good back-up plan," he explains.

Mr Volek says the ease-of-travel advantages the Caribbean passports provide appeals to businesspeople, and may also present a security benefit. "Some US clients prefer to travel on a more politically-benign passport."

Prior to the Covid pandemic, the US was not even on Henley's "radar", Mr Volek continues.

Movement restrictions proved "quite a shock" for affluent people used to travelling freely on private jets, prompting the first surge in stateside CBI applications. Interest ratcheted up again after the 2020 and 2024 US elections.

"There are Democrats that don't like Trump but also Republicans that don't like Democrats," Mr Volek says.

"In the last two years we've gone from having zero offices in the US to eight across all major cities, with another two to three opening in the coming months."

Robert Taylor, from Halifax in Canada, bought a property in Antigua where he plans to retire later this year.

He invested $200,000 just before the real estate threshold was raised to $300,000 last summer.

Not only does being a citizen avoid restrictions on length of stay, it also gives him the freedom to take advantage of business opportunities, he explains. "I chose Antigua because it has beautiful water, I find the people very, very friendly and it also means great weather for the later part of my life."

Still, such programmes are not without controversy. When passport sales were first mooted in 2012 by the then Antiguan government as a way of propping up the ailing economy, some considered the ethics a little iffy.

Protesters took to the streets in condemnation, recalls former Speaker of the House Gisele Isaac. "There was a sense of nationalism; people felt we were selling our identity, so to speak, to people who knew nothing about us," she says.

Leaders of some other Caribbean nations that do not offer CBIs have also been quick to criticise, including St Vincent and the Grenadines' Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves. He has previously said citizenship should not be "a commodity for sale".

Among the international community, there are fears that lax oversight may help criminals get through their borders.

The European Union has threatened to withdraw its coveted visa-free access for Caribbean CBI countries, while the US has previously raised concerns over the potential for such schemes to be used as a vehicle for tax evasion and financial crime.

A European Commission spokesperson tells the BBC that it is "monitoring" the five Caribbean schemes, and has been in talks with their respective authorities since 2022.

She says an ongoing assessment is seeking to substantiate if citizenship by investment constitutes "an abuse of the visa-free regime those countries enjoy vis-à-vis the EU and whether it is likely to lead to security risks for the EU".

The Commission has acknowledged reforms carried out by the islands, which it says will have an impact on its evaluation.

For their part, the five Caribbean nations have reacted angrily to claims that they are not doing enough to scrutinise applicants.

Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has described his country's CBI programme as "sound and transparent", adding authorities had worked hard to ensure its integrity.

The government says passport sales have raised more than $1bn since the initiative's inception in 1993, paying for vital infrastructure including a state-of-the-art hospital.

In St Lucia, Prime Minister Philip J Pierre says the island adheres to the highest standards of security to ensure its CBI does not inadvertently aid illicit activities.

The need to appease the world's superpowers with raising revenue is a delicate balancing act for small Caribbean nations with meagre resources, dependent on the whims of tourism.

CBI programmes were labelled a lifeline at a regional industry summit in April, with funds used for everything from cleaning up after natural disasters to shoring up national pension schemes. Antigua's Prime Minister Gaston Browne said money raised had brought his country back from the brink of bankruptcy over the past decade.

Aside from buying property, other routes to Caribbean citizenship through investment typically include a one-off donation to a national development fund or similar. They range from $200,000 in Dominica for a single applicant, to $250,000 for a main applicant and up to three qualifying dependents in Dominica and St Kitts. In Antigua, investors also have the option of donating $260,000 to the University of the West Indies.

In the face of international pressure, the islands have committed to new measures to bolster oversight, including establishing a regional regulator to set standards, monitor operations and ensure compliance.

Additionally, six principles agreed with the US include enhanced due diligence, regular audits, mandatory interviews with all applicants, and the removal of a loophole that previously enabled an applicant denied by one country to apply in another.

These days, passport sales account for 10-30% of the islands' GDP.

Andre Huie, a journalist in St Kitts, says his country's CBI scheme is "generally well supported" as a result. "The public understand the value of it to the economy, and appreciate what the government has been able to do with the money."

The UK government said it would begin detaining small-boat migrants “within days” to be sent back to France, as the two countries prepared to formalize a “one in, one out” treaty on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer reached an agreement with France’s premier Emmanuel Macron last month to send an unspecified number of migrants crossing the English Channel on illegal small boats back to France, in return for accepting the same number of migrants from France who haven’t already tried to make the crossing.