Dominica's golden passport scheme

Criminals buy Dominica's passports - 6th Nov 2023

For $100,000, anyone can buy a passport from Dominica. They can then travel without a visa to 130 countries, which includes countries in the EU. Since 1993, this programme has made $1 billion for the small Caribbean island. But there's a problem - it also attracts criminals.

The programme takes only four to six months to organise. It isn't even necessary to visit Dominica.

One study by special journalists discovered criminals are involved. A top nuclear scientist for Saddam Hussein bought a Dominican passport. Other criminals included a Turkish millionaire and a lawyer from California. Businessmen Fayez and Mutasem Faouri broke the law in Jordan. Later, Mutasem Faouri used his Dominican passport to buy businesses in the UK.

Roosevelt Skerrit, the island's prime minister, has explained that their system works. He says they make careful checks. But, for many experts, Dominica isn't doing enough to prevent problems.

One group in the EU has suggested the situation should change. It wants an end to passport programmes like Dominica's.

The island isn't a rich one, and often experiences terrible storms. If the programme's stopped, Dominica will need to find other ways to make money.