Residences at Secret Bay
The Residences at Secret Bay is a share in a completed villa at a working resort on a rainforest clifftop at Tibay, on Dominica's northwest coast. You buy a fractional interest in a villa the hotel operator runs commercially, a set block of nights a year, and a share of what that villa earns — not a deed. It is named on the Citizenship by Investment Unit's approved list and clears the US$200,000 minimum for authorised property, so most buyers here are buying the passport first. It suits someone who wants a second citizenship through something already built and trading, not someone who wants a home or a fast exit.
What you actually own
Your rights come from a share agreement, not a title deed. The interest sits inside a company structure — the operator's own announcement describes returns as contingent on "LLC/Villa performance" — and the villa is run as part of the resort. Income is shared per villa, so your return tracks one specific unit rather than a resort average.
- Completed and trading, which removes the largest risk in citizenship real estate: a project stalling after your money is in.
- The program is marketed from US$216,000 for two weeks up to US$1 million for ten. Get your exact week count, booking window and blackout rules in writing.
- The developer says it has paid US$3 million to more than 185 investors and guarantees no specific return. I hold them to both halves of that.
The honest cost of holding it
The government charges under the real-estate route sit on top of the property price and are not negotiable.
- Government fee: US$75,000 for a single applicant; US$100,000 for a main applicant with up to three dependants; US$25,000 per further dependant under 18, US$40,000 at 18 or over.
- Due diligence: US$7,500 main applicant, US$4,000 spouse, US$4,000 per dependant aged 16 or above.
- Processing: US$1,000 per application. Certificate of naturalisation: US$500 each. Interview: US$1,000, and every applicant 16 or over must attend one.
That is about US$85,000 in government charges for a single applicant before legal fees, and materially more for a family of four. Anyone quoting the sticker price as the cost of a Dominica passport is quoting the property, not the cost. I set out the whole number in advance.
This property qualifies for the Dominica Citizenship by Investment program.
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Interested in Residences at Secret Bay?
Book a private call with Dan to explore availability, ownership options and eligibility.
Book a Private CallDan Merriam & Associates acts for the buyer. Our advice is independent, not contingent on any sale, and we hold no brokerage or developer mandate.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to hold each year?
Dominica levies no nationwide property tax, and the fractional program is marketed as carrying no annual or owner fees. Insurance, staffing, power and refurbishment still cost money, and if you are not invoiced for them they come out of the villa's revenue before your distribution is calculated. Ask to see the expense line, not only the net figure.
Can I rent it out?
The resort does it: it reserves weeks, runs the villa, deducts expenses and distributes the balance quarterly to that villa's owners. Weeks you occupy are weeks the villa does not earn, so establish before you buy whether your own stays are netted against your distribution.
Does it qualify for citizenship?
Yes. It is on the Citizenship by Investment Unit's approved list and clears the US$200,000 property minimum, with roughly US$85,000 in government charges on top for a single applicant. The passport carries visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 145 destinations on the 2026 Henley Passport Index, but US citizens are taxed on worldwide income regardless of a second citizenship, so this is not a tax plan for Americans.
What is the catch?
You must hold the property for three years, and the natural buyer at the end is the next citizenship applicant, so your resale price depends on program rules the government can change without reference to you. It is one villa, one operator, one island in the hurricane belt — and a share is not a deed, so read the transfer restrictions and any forced-sale clause before you assume you can get out.