Digital Nomad & Residency - Cayman Islands

The Global Citizen Concierge Programme grants up to 24 months' residence to individuals who work remotely for employers/businesses registered outside Cayman. Minimum income thresholds are USD 100,000/year (individual), USD 150,000/year (couple or family). The annual fee is USD 1,469 for up to two persons plus USD 500 per additional dependent. Holders may leave and re-enter freely provided they spend at least 90 days per 12-month period on-island. The programme confers no pathway to permanent residency.

The official gov.ky press release confirmed the programme was extended beyond its original end date, and the 2023 Revision of the Global Citizen Exemption Regulations keeps the legal framework in force. However, multiple third-party sources reported as of mid-2024 that applications were no longer accepted 'until further notice.' Prospective applicants should verify current intake status directly with WORC or via the official portal before applying.

Applicants investing at least CI$2,000,000 (≈USD 2.44 million) in developed Cayman real estate may obtain a Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means. The certificate is renewable every 25 years; minimum physical presence is just one day per year. After five years of legal residence under this certificate, holders become eligible to apply for naturalisation as a British Overseas Territories Citizen. Issuance is capped by statute at 250 certificates per calendar year.

A 25-year Residency Certificate requires investment of at least USD 1.2 million in local real estate (at least half in a residential property); it carries no right to work and no BOTC pathway. Separately, Certificates of Direct Investment and Residency Certificates for Substantial Business Presence are available to investors and senior executives in licensed/financial-services businesses; both are valid for 25 years and permit work within the invested entity.

The Immigration (Transition) (Amendment and Validation) Acts 2025 and 2026 came into effect on 1 May 2026. Key changes: the work-permit-holder points-system wait for PR was extended from 8 to 9 years; permanent residents must now reside for 20 years (up from 15) before applying for Caymanian status; spouses of Caymanians face a 13-year wait for PR (up from prior rules). The Acts explicitly preserve existing PIMS and PRPS certificate pathways and their naturalisation timelines unchanged.

The Cayman Islands levies no personal income tax, capital gains tax, corporate tax, inheritance tax, or ongoing property tax. Remote workers and residents may therefore receive worldwide employment or investment income entirely free of local taxation, a principal draw of both the GCCP and the investment-based residency routes.