Descent via grandparent (independence-acquisition test; no standalone s.5A)
Citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda
- Eligibility
- AG-DSC-03 addresses the grandparent limb of Antiguan and Barbudan citizenship descent: the rule under which a person born abroad can claim citizenship by reference to a grandparent's connection to pre-independence Antigua, as the route is anchored in the transitional provision of the Constitution (s.112(b)) that created the independence cohort.
- Timeline
- automatic
- Renunciation
- Not required
Example scenarios
INELIGIBLE — AG-DSC-03. Chain: great-grandfather born in Antigua (CUKC) → grandfather became citizen at independence under s.112(b) → parent born abroad and acquired citizenship under s.113(b) (citizen by descent only) → applicant born abroad. Parent is citizen ONLY by s.113(b). As above in AG-DSC-02, a citizen only by s.113(b) cannot transmit to a further foreign-born child. The s.112(b) cohort is the independence-era grandparent cohort (fixed 1 Nov 1981, now closed 44+ years). The chain breaks at the grandchild level. No standalone grandchild registration statute exists in AG (positive disconfirmation in AG-DSC-03).
AG-DSC-03 route doc: s.112(b) grandparent chain allows ONE generation of descent (to parent born abroad, as citizen by s.113(b)). The applicant's parent is citizen only by s.113(b) and cannot transmit. The independence cohort is closed; by 2026 the grandparent-cohort beneficiaries are 44+ years old. No Cap.22 grandchild registration cure. Pivot: CBI or naturalisation.
Informational summary compiled from primary legal sources — not legal advice. Citizenship law changes; verify with the competent authority before acting. Last verified 2026-06-15.
Track changes to this route
Descent and naturalization rules change. We'll email you in plain English when anything affecting Antigua and Barbuda updates — no spam.