The international company Apex Capital Partners and personally the President & Owner, Nuri Katz, together with Hollywood producer Philippe Martinez, are negotiating with the authorities of the Caribbean state of Antigua and Barbuda to launch a special option for the local Caribbean citizenship program. The subject of the investment will be a motion picture filmed on the territory of the state, which will create at least 200 jobs for the local population with a salary of at least $700 a week.
Philippe Martinez has extensive experience not only in the film industry (he has worked in Hollywood since 1996), but also specifically in the Caribbean. He has already shot 9 films in two years on St. Kitts, a neighboring island, and the share of local workers on the film crew was 75%. This job also included staff training. Mr. Martinez plans through his company MSR Media to invest at least $30 million in films that will be shot in Antigua under the citizenship program during the first year of operation, as well as attract celebrities to participate in the filming.
At various times he worked with Christopher Lambert, Denis Hopper, Gina Gershon, Sharon Stone, Andy Garcia, Elizabeth Hurley. Whereas Nuri Katz, a longtime player in the citizenship by investment industry, is not the first time he has worked with the authorities of the citizenship program’s founding country to fine-tune conditions and options for investors.
“The CIP is very critical component of the earnings of the government. Unfortunately, a lot of the other industries that have supported these countries like the offshore banking industries, the gambling industries have been shut down”, said Nuri Katz to Antigua.News.
How to get Caribbean citizenship?
Antigua and Barbuda. Currently, the minimum investment required by the Antigua CIP is $100,000 USD per applicant. For big families (at least 6 people) another non-refundable investment was launched — a contribution to the local University fund — from $ 150,000 USD.
It is also possible to invest in one of the real estate projects authorized by the authorities (from $ 200,000 USD, for example, Moon Gate, for a period of 5 years (the state, licensed agent or the developer do not bear the obligation to buy out the share).
There is also a fourth option, with a contribution to an authorized business project in the amount of $1,500,000 USD, but it is present rather nominally. Perhaps an investment in a movie project will replace this option or become the fifth option, making Antigua a “pioneer” in this direction.
So far, the only innovator in the Caribbean region that has introduced a unique new competitive option is St. Lucia. The country offers Caribbean citizenship for an investment in government bonds in the amount of $300,000 USD for 5 years with a guaranteed return of the full amount. Any number of dependent family members can be included in the application, while the government fee will be one – $50,000 USD. Due diligence and application fees are calculated as usual.
