--- title: "Antigua and Barbuda Spouse of a citizen requirements 2026" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/spouse-of-citizen/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-11 --- Antigua and Barbuda · Spouse visas # Antigua and Barbuda Spouse of a citizen **First stay:** 3 yrs Resident Permit on Grounds of Marriage to a Citizen of Antigua and Barbuda First checked against official sources on 11 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) - **First stay:** 3 yrs (Resident permit of up to three years, renewable; apply for renewal three months before expiry.) - **Who can apply:** Any passport ## Key facts Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Antigua and Barbuda. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source. - **First stay:** 3 yrs ## Time and long term **Renewal: Renewable** The resident permit is granted for up to three years at a time; apply for renewal at the Immigration Department three months before it expires. [Antigua and Barbuda Immigration Department](https://immigration.gov.ag/frequently-asked-questions/residency-permit-faqs/) **Permanent residence: After 1 year of marriage** The spouse resident permit is the marriage class of resident permit, available after one year of marriage to a citizen. [Antigua and Barbuda Immigration Department](https://immigration.gov.ag/frequently-asked-questions/residency-permit-faqs/) **Citizenship: After 3 years of marriage** The spouse of a citizen is entitled to apply to be registered as a citizen once the marriage has lasted more than three years and the couple are not living apart under a court decree or separation deed. Without that route, a non-Commonwealth resident needs 12 months of residence plus 5 of the previous 7 years, and a listed Commonwealth citizen 7 years. [Laws of Antigua and Barbuda, Ministry of Legal Affairs](https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-23.pdf) **Presence rules: Away under 6 months** A resident permit can be revoked if the holder lives outside Antigua and Barbuda continuously for 6 months or more, and the holder must live in the country for at least half of the time the permit is valid. [Antigua and Barbuda Immigration Department](https://immigration.gov.ag/frequently-asked-questions/residency-permit-faqs/) ### What you'll need #### Who can apply - Married to a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda for no less than one year. - Did not enter the country illegally and has not been convicted of an offence. - Intends to remain in Antigua and Barbuda permanently. #### Documents - Marriage certificate and birth certificate, and a copy of the passport bio page. - Police certificate of character from Antigua and Barbuda and from any place lived in over six months. - Health certificate issued by a medical practitioner as directed by the Immigration Department. - Letter from the Statutory Boards showing the necessary taxes have been paid, and proof of fee payment. #### Steps 1. Apply to the Immigration Department; the Chief Immigration Officer decides and may ask for other documents. #### After you arrive - The permit lasts up to three years and renewal is applied for three months before it expires. - A surviving or former spouse can have the right to reside revoked, and may apply for a permit in their own right within three months. ## When you become tax resident How Antigua and Barbuda decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records. - **Stay on this route:** **3 years at first, renewable** - **Tax residence:** The IRD home page still lists personal income tax among the taxes it administers. - **Foreign-source income:** **No personal income tax** Antigua and Barbuda abolished personal income tax in 2016 (2026 Budget Statement), so employment, investment and other foreign-source income of individuals is not subject to a personal income tax; self-employed and partnership business income is instead taxed under the Unincorporated Business Tax, with 0% on the first XCD 42,000 (≈ $15,600) for a sole trader, 8% from XCD 42,001 (≈ $15,600) to 186,000 and 25% above XCD 186,000 (≈ $68,900). [All tax rules for Antigua and Barbuda](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/tax/) Tax records checked 10 Oct 2026 **Full official text** For a person married for at least one year to a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda. It gives a resident permit of up to three years with the right to take employment. (sources 1, 2) #### Requirements - Married to a citizen of Antigua and Barbuda for no less than one year. (sources 1, 2) - Did not enter the country illegally and has not been convicted of an offence. (source 1) - Intends to remain in Antigua and Barbuda permanently. (source 1) - Marriage certificate and birth certificate, and a copy of the passport bio page. (source 1) - Police certificate of character from Antigua and Barbuda and from any place lived in over six months. (source 1) - Health certificate issued by a medical practitioner as directed by the Immigration Department. (source 1) - Letter from the Statutory Boards showing the necessary taxes have been paid, and proof of fee payment. (source 1) - Apply to the Immigration Department; the Chief Immigration Officer decides and may ask for other documents. (source 1) - The permit lasts up to three years and renewal is applied for three months before it expires. (source 2) - A surviving or former spouse can have the right to reside revoked, and may apply for a permit in their own right within three months. (source 1) #### Stay - Resident permit of up to three years, renewable; apply for renewal three months before expiry. - Initial permitted stay: 36 months. - Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal. #### Work The Resident Certificate entitles the holder to accept employment. #### Family Dependants listed in the application and approved by the Chief Immigration Officer can reside with the holder. #### Fine print The Immigration Department says citizenship follows seven years of residence, but the Constitution lets the spouse of a citizen register after more than three years of marriage. Checked 2026-10-11 ## Official sources 1. [Residency: Application for Resident Permit](https://immigration.gov.ag/general-services/residency/) · Antigua and Barbuda Immigration Department · checked 2026-10-11 2. [Residency Permit FAQs](https://immigration.gov.ag/frequently-asked-questions/residency-permit-faqs/) · Antigua and Barbuda Immigration Department · checked 2026-10-11 3. [Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Order 1981, Cap. 23 (section 114)](https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-23.pdf) · Laws of Antigua and Barbuda, Ministry of Legal Affairs · checked 2026-10-11 4. [Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship Act, Cap. 22](https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-22.pdf) · Laws of Antigua and Barbuda, Ministry of Legal Affairs · checked 2026-10-11 ## Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives | Route | Money needed | Stay | Work | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Spouse of a citizen | – | 3 yr, renewable | – | | [Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/mexico/spouse-of-citizen/) Mexico | – | 2 yr, renewable | Limited | | [Partner of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/colombia/partner-of-citizen/) Colombia | – | – | Yes | | [Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/costa-rica/spouse-of-citizen/) Costa Rica | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited | | [Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/brazil/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) Brazil | – | – | Yes | ## Questions people ask ### How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen? Resident permit of up to three years, renewable; apply for renewal three months before expiry. ### Can I work on the Spouse of a citizen? The Resident Certificate entitles the holder to accept employment. ### Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a citizen? Dependants listed in the application and approved by the Chief Immigration Officer can reside with the holder. ### Does the Spouse of a citizen lead to permanent residence in Antigua and Barbuda? Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward permanent residence in Antigua and Barbuda, which the rules allow after 1 year of marriage. Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward citizenship, which the rules allow after 3 years of marriage. ### How are Spouse of a citizen holders taxed in Antigua and Barbuda? No special regime in our records is tied to the Spouse of a citizen. The standard rules apply: Self-employed business income is taxed on net income at 0% up to EC$42,000, 8% to EC$186,000 and 25% above for a sole trader. ## More in Antigua and Barbuda [Citizenship · $300k property](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/citizenship-investment-real-estate/) [Citizenship · NDF $230k](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/citizenship-investment-ndf/) [Citizenship · UWI Fund $260k](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/citizenship-investment-uwi-fund/) [Citizenship · $5M joint business](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/citizenship-investment-business-joint/) [Citizenship · $1.5M own business](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/citizenship-investment-business-single/) [Work permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/work-permit/) [Student permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/student-permit/) ## Spouse and partner visas elsewhere [🇦🇷 Spouse visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/argentina/family-reunification/) [🇺🇸 Spouse green card (F2A)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-states/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) [🇵🇦 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/panama/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇵🇪 Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/peru/spouse-of-permanent-resident/) [🇩🇴 Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/dominican-republic/spouse-of-citizen/) [🇨🇼 Spouse of a resident](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/curacao/spouse-of-resident/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated. ## How this was checked **Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 official sources.** Status: verified against the official sources. Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out. 1. [Residency: Application for Resident Permit](https://immigration.gov.ag/general-services/residency/) · Antigua and Barbuda Immigration Department · checked 2026-10-11 2. [Residency Permit FAQs](https://immigration.gov.ag/frequently-asked-questions/residency-permit-faqs/) · Antigua and Barbuda Immigration Department · checked 2026-10-11 3. [Antigua and Barbuda Constitution Order 1981, Cap. 23 (section 114)](https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-23.pdf) · Laws of Antigua and Barbuda, Ministry of Legal Affairs · checked 2026-10-11 4. [Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship Act, Cap. 22](https://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-22.pdf) · Laws of Antigua and Barbuda, Ministry of Legal Affairs · checked 2026-10-11 Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.