A child approaching 16 should have a separate compliance file in a Dominica citizenship-by-investment application. As of July 12, 2026, the official CBIU FAQ requires every applicant aged 16 or older to attend a mandatory interview, while the official document reference list uses the same age threshold for police records. Build the child's identity, address, education, travel-document and residence history before submission, then have an Authorised Agent confirm the current requirements. A second passport may add a lawful nationality and travel-document option after approval. It does not merge the family's due diligence into one review or guarantee citizenship, visas, boarding, admission, or a completion date.
. Consider a family whose parents have assembled detailed financial and identity records while their 15-year-old son's folder contains only a passport and birth certificate. The parents may think he has no income and therefore no meaningful file. His age at submission and his own residence history tell a different story.
Planning answer: treat the teenager as a person under review
Dominica's official CBIU FAQ says all applicants aged 16 or older must attend a mandatory interview. Its required-documents reference page also calls for police records for applicants in that age group. Those points change the preparation plan. Calculate age on the expected submission date, then review each person's names, identity documents, addresses, schools and extended foreign stays. If a child crosses the age line during preparation, ask the Authorised Agent to confirm the current document and interview treatment before filing. The public list is expressly a reference, the CBIU may request further evidence, and only the government unit can decide the application. An interview invitation or a complete-looking folder is not an approval signal.
The task is consistency, not rehearsal. School dates, home addresses, passports held, previous names and cross-border moves should align across the child's records and the parents' forms. A dependant can have no earnings and still have a substantial identity history. When parents complete most of the paperwork, the child should understand the truthful facts rather than memorise polished phrases.
Three gaps often hidden inside a family file
The first is residence history. The CBIU reference list discusses records from the country of birth, country of citizenship, country of residence and any country where an applicant lived for more than six months in the past ten years. A child who has always lived in one place may have a simple record. A child who moved with a founder parent, boarded abroad or spent long periods with relatives may require a more careful jurisdiction map. The Authorised Agent should determine how the current rules apply to the actual dates.
The second gap is authority to sign. The official page says adult dependants sign where signatures are required, while forms for minors generally require both parents or a legal guardian. Divorce, sole custody, adoption and an unavailable parent can turn a routine signature into a document issue. Resolve that before notarisation rather than assuming a family relationship answers every authority question.
The third is the interview itself. The official FAQ establishes the requirement but does not promise identical questions for every applicant. A sensible review covers genuine facts: identity, previous documents, schools, addresses, family relationships and the reason for the application. Omitting an awkward period of residence creates risk. Honest uncertainty can be checked against records before submission.
What the Passport-First decision changes
If citizenship and a passport are eventually granted, the family gains another lawful nationality and travel document. That can create identity and mobility optionality. It does not remove each person's disclosure duties, determine the effect on an existing nationality, or replace destination visa and border rules. The passport is a planning tool, not a shared compliance shield.
I would build one page per person. Record every name version, birth document, passport or identity card, ten-year address history, schools or employment, lengthy foreign stays and custody or marriage document. Put the pages side by side and look for unexplained overlaps. If dates differ, return to source documents instead of making the timelines look tidy.
| Person | File to test first | Unsafe assumption |
|---|---|---|
| Main applicant | Identity, source of funds, work and address chain | Funding the case proves eligibility |
| Spouse | Separate identity, marriage and residence records | The spouse can copy the main applicant's history |
| Child near or over 16 | Police-record map, school, address and interview facts | A minor has no independent review |
| Younger child | Birth, custody, travel documents and signing authority | A birth certificate resolves every family issue |
A calm pre-submission review
Calculate age on the expected submission date. Compare address and school timelines for every family member. Ask the Authorised Agent to confirm current forms, notarisation, legalisation and English-translation requirements. The CBIU itself labels its document page as a reference list, so it should not be treated as a complete personal checklist.
Explain the application to the teenager in ordinary language. Make clear which facts may need confirmation and why truthful answers matter. This is not interview coaching. It is a way to prevent avoidable contradictions between parental paperwork and a young person's recollection. The government unit decides the case; advisers can organise the evidence but cannot promise the result.
Questions families ask near submission
Does a 16-year-old dependant have to attend the interview?
Yes under the current Dominica CBIU FAQ. All applicants aged 16 or older are required to attend a mandatory interview, even when included as dependants.
Is one police record from the current country of residence enough?
Families should not assume so. The official reference list covers several relevant jurisdictions, including certain countries where the applicant lived for more than six months during the past ten years.
Does completing the interview mean the family will be approved?
No. The interview is one part of the review. The CBIU still assesses identity, records, funds and other evidence, and retains the decision-making authority.
