The Immigration (Transition) (Global Citizen Exemption) Regulations, 2020 (Regulations) expire on 30 November 2023 (unless extended to a later date by Cabinet). An application for a Global Citizen Certificate must be made no later than 31 October 2021 or, in the case the Regulations are extended, no later than two years before the new expiration date of the Regulations.
A person meeting the following requirements may apply to the Director of the Workforce, Opportunities and Residence Cayman Office (WORC) for the grant of a Global Citizen Certificate that would allow the successful applicant to reside in the Cayman Islands for a period of up to 24 months. The person must:
- be employed outside the Cayman Islands and intend to remain so employed if a Global Citizen Certificate is granted;
- provide evidence that he or she earns no less than the following minimum annual income:
- applicant: USD 100,000
- applicant and spouse/civil partner: USD 150,000
- applicant and spouse/civil partner and dependant child or children: USD 180,000
- applicant and dependant child or children: USD 180,000
- provide evidence that the income is generated outside of the Cayman Islands.
The successful applicant may have a dependant or dependants accompany or join him or her in the Cayman Islands if named in the Global Citizen Certificate. A dependant who also wishes to work remotely from the Cayman Islands shall make his or her own application to the Director of WORC for a Global Citizen Certificate.
Certain restrictions will apply to the successful applicant, including a prohibition against offering any goods or services to any person or entity in the Cayman Islands; a prohibition against obtaining more than one Global Citizen Certificate; and a requirement to possess health insurance which the Director of WORC considers to be adequate for the applicant and his or her dependants for the duration of the Global Citizen Certificate. On the termination of employment of a person holding a Global Citizen Certificate, the employer of that person shall advise the Director of WORC of that termination as soon as reasonably possible but no later than 30 days after the termination and the Global Citizen Certificate shall automatically expire on the date of termination of employment. In addition, the Director of WORC may revoke the Global Citizen Certificate in certain circumstances listed in the Regulations.
The annual fee for a Global Citizen Certificate for an applicant and one dependant is CI$1,230. The annual fee for each dependant of any applicant (where there is more than one dependant) is CI$420.
For more information on the Global Citizen programme, please contact a member of the Appleby Private Client & Trusts Group or your usual Appleby contact.
For more information on how the digital nomad culture is evolving in our other jurisdictions, please refer to our article dated 4 September 2020, ‘Safe Havens: temporary relocation and residency by investment in Appleby’s jurisdictions.’
