Foreign buyers can own property freehold, typically after obtaining a Non-Citizen Land Holding Licence, unless purchasing within an approved development. Real estate that qualifies for citizenship (from around USD 300,000) must be held for at least five years. There is no tax on capital gains, inheritance or worldwide income.
Before you buy in Antigua and Barbuda, always:
General guidance only — rules change; confirm the current position with a qualified local lawyer.
Our free ownership checker and the Overseas Property Playbook walk through how foreign ownership works step by step — the questions to ask and the traps to sidestep.
Non-citizens need a Landholding Licence at about 5% of the price (allow three to six months), plus 2.5% buyer's stamp duty and legal fees of 1-2%, so total one-off costs commonly run near 9-12%.
Jolly Harbour for its marina and established expat community, English Harbour and Falmouth for yachting and history, and the St John's and Dickenson Bay area for amenities and beaches.
The main public facility is Mount St John's Medical Centre in St John's, with private clinics alongside, and complex treatment is often sought abroad. Expats rely on private or international health insurance, which is worth budgeting for carefully at older ages. Easy-going and generally safe with normal precautions; English is the native language and driving is on the left, so British retirees settle in comfortably.
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