How Do You Choose a Government-Authorized CBI Agent?
In Short, A government-authorized CBI agent is a firm a country has licensed to send your application to its Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU). You cannot apply on your own. Always confirm the firm sits on the official unit list, or contact the unit, before you pay anything.
Pick a firm the government has licensed, then confirm it on the official list before you pay. This guide shows you how to check, what to ask, and which red flags mean walk away. It speaks to serious applicants who want to feel safe.
Key Takeaways
- A government-authorized CBI agent is the only party that can file your application.
- St Kitts and Dominica publish public agent lists you can check in minutes.
- Antigua has no full public list, so confirm any firm by contacting the unit.
- A price far below the official figure is a common scam sign.
- No real agent can promise approval, a fixed date, or US visa-free travel.
What is a government-authorized CBI agent?
A government-authorized CBI agent is a licensed firm that can send your file to a country’s Citizenship by Investment Unit. The unit will not take an application straight from you. Only that licensed firm can submit it.
The firm checks your documents, runs first due diligence, and acts as your line to the unit. Each Caribbean program keeps its own list of approved agents. A name on that list has signed an agreement and passed background checks.
Dominica, for one, posts every licensed agent on its official CBIU list, so you can read the names yourself.
Why do governments make you apply through an authorized agent?
Governments use agents to keep bad actors out and protect honest applicants. The licensed firm collects your papers, checks your source of funds, and submits a clean file. This screening happens before the unit ever sees your case.
The rule also gives you one accountable contact. If a firm breaks the rules, the unit can pull its license. That threat keeps approved firms honest. You also get a clear paper trail for the biggest purchase of your life.
How do you verify a CBI agent is government-authorized?
Open the official Citizenship by Investment Unit site for that country, find the agent list, and confirm the firm by name. If a country has no public list, email or call the unit and ask. Use this checklist before you sign or pay.
- Find the right unit. Each country runs its own. Use the official government domain, not a copy site.
- Open the agent list. St Kitts CIU and Dominica CBIU both publish a public list of approved agents.
- Match the exact legal name. Some brokers use a name close to a real agent. Read it letter by letter.
- Check Antigua by contact. Antigua CIU does not post a full public list, so email or phone the unit to confirm.
- Ask for the license in writing. A real firm will share proof without delay.
- Compare the price to the official figures. A fee far below the published amount is a warning sign.
- Keep records. Save the page, the email, and the date you checked.
What official source should you check?
Use the government unit page for the country you want, never a rival firm’s claim. The names there are the only ones cleared to file.
Search the St. Kitts and Nevis CIU list of authorized agents for the exact firm name before you sign.
Authorized agent vs marketing agent vs unlicensed broker: what is the difference?
An authorized agent can submit your file. A marketing agent can only promote a program, not file for you. An unlicensed broker has no standing at all and can put your money and your case at risk.
| Role | Can submit your application? | Risk to you |
|---|---|---|
| Authorized agent | Yes | Low. Name shows on the official list. |
| Marketing or sub-agent | No. Must pass your file to an authorized agent. | Medium. Confirm who really files. |
| Unlicensed broker | No | High. Possible fraud and lost money. |
One country breaks the pattern. Antigua keeps no full public list, so confirm a firm against the Antigua and Barbuda licensed agents page or by contacting the unit.
What are the red flags of an unauthorized CBI agent?
Walk away if a firm is not on the list, dodges your license question, or quotes a price well under the official figure. Each sign below should stop you.
- The firm is not on the unit list and gives excuses.
- The price sits far below the donation route or real estate route figures.
- Someone promises a sure approval or a fixed date. No honest firm can promise that.
- They push you to wire money fast, or to a personal account.
- They claim a Caribbean passport gives you visa-free entry to the United States. It does not.
Our full breakdown of how to choose a government-authorized CBI agent walks through every check in order.
Why is CTrustGlobal a government-authorized agent you can verify?
CTrustGlobal is a recognized government-authorized agent for Caribbean citizenship programs, with a Dubai office and a Canadian head office. You can confirm our standing on the official unit lists in minutes.
We work with the programs of Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, and others. We show our license on request. We quote the real government figures. We never promise an approval, because no agent can.
You can read which governments authorize CTrustGlobal and check our standing on the same official lists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply for citizenship by investment without an agent?
No. Caribbean units accept files only from licensed agents. You cannot send your application straight to the unit. The agent files for you and handles first due diligence.
How do I confirm an agent is on the government list?
Open the country’s official unit site and find the agent list. St Kitts and Dominica show theirs in public. For Antigua, email or call the unit to confirm a firm.
Do Caribbean passports give visa-free entry to the United States?
No. Caribbean CBI passports do not include US visa-free travel. Many do allow Schengen access, though ETIAS will apply, and the UK now asks for an ETA.
Is a cheaper agent fee a good deal?
Be careful. Government investment figures are fixed. A quote far below the official donation or real estate amount often points to fraud, not a discount.
What does an authorized agent actually do?
The agent checks your documents, runs first due diligence, submits your file, and speaks to the unit for you. They guide you from first questions to passport.
Work With a CBI Agent You Can Verify
Ready to move ahead with a government-authorized agent you can check first? Confirm our name on the official unit lists, then talk with our team. We answer plainly, quote real figures, and never promise what no firm can.
Ready to move? You can apply through a verified authorized agent and we will take it from there.
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