Independent Means
A person who is eighteen years of age or older and who satisfies the requirements set out below may apply to the Chief Immigration Officer for the right to reside in the Cayman Islands as a person of independent means.
If the application is successful, the person will be granted a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means. The Certificate, which is valid for twenty-five years and is renewable thereafter at the discretion of the Chief Immigration Officer, entitles the person to reside in the Cayman Islands without the right to work.
Dependants of the holder of a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means
The spouse and any dependent children of a holder of a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means that were listed in the application and who were approved by the Chief Immigration Officer will be granted a Residency Holders (Dependant's) Certificate entitling them to reside in the Cayman Islands without the right to work.
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible to apply for a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means a person must:
- be at least eighteen years of age
- not have any serious criminal conviction
- be in good health and possess adequate health insurance coverage
- have attained the following financial standing:
Where the applicant intends to reside in Grand Cayman, he must satisfy the Chief Immigration Officer
- that he has a continuous source of annual income in the amount of CI$150,000, without the need to engage in employment in the Islands; and
- that he has invested the sum of CI$750,000 in Grand Cayman of which at least CI$250,000 must be in developed residential real estate.
Where the applicant intends to reside in Cayman Brac or Little Cayman, he must satisfy the Chief Immigration Officer
- that he has a continuous source of annual income in the amount of CI$75,000 without the need to engage in employment in the Islands; and
- that he has invested the sum of CI$250,000 locally of which at least CI$125,000 must be in developed residential real estate.
Making an application
Please click here for a checklist of all the information and supporting documentation that must be submitted when applying for a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means.
Death of, or divorce from, the holder of a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means
Upon the death of, or divorce from, the holder of a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means the right of the surviving or former spouse to reside in the Islands may be revoked at the discretion of the Chief Immigration Officer but the surviving or former spouse may, within a period of three months of any revocation, apply for the grant of a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means in their own right. The same eligibility requirements set out above must be satisfied.
Where an application for a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means has been made within the three months from the date of the revocation, the applicant's right to reside in the Islands shall continue upon such terms and conditions until the Chief Immigration Officer determines the application.
Dependent Children of the holder of a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means
The right of a child to reside in the Islands as a dependant ceases upon completion of their full-time tertiary education or when they reach the age of twenty-four years, whichever happens earlier.
The Chief Immigration Officer may vary or amend a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means to add or delete dependent children.
A dependant child of the holder of a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means who was listed in the original application for the certificate, who has attained the age of eighteen years, and who is of proven good character and conduct, may apply for permanent residence under section 30 of the Immigration Law, 2007 Revision). For information on how to apply, please click here.
Revocation of a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means
The right to reside in the Cayman Islands on the basis of a Residency Certificate for Persons of Independent Means (or a Residential Certificate for Retirees acquired under the Immigration Law, 2003) may be revoked by the Chief Immigration Officer if -
- the holder fails to maintain the financial standing requirements set out above
- the holder was not physically present in the Islands for a minimum of thirty days in aggregate in any calendar year; or
- in the opinion of the Chief Immigration Officer any of the general grounds for revocation of permanent residence applies to the holder. To see the full list of these grounds, please click here.
Last Updated: 2008-01-07
