Residency Visa Options for the Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands offers several pathways to residency, depending on your situation and goals.

Work Permit Route

The most common way to establish residency is through employment. You'll need a work permit sponsored by a Cayman Islands employer [1]. This allows you to live and work legally in the islands while building toward longer-term residency options.

Residency by Investment

If you have significant financial resources, you can pursue residency through investment. This programme allows you to obtain residency without needing employment, though it's important to note this is not a direct citizenship-by-investment programme like other Caribbean nations offer. Citizenship becomes possible only after a minimum of five years of residency in the Cayman Islands [5].

Permanent Residency

Once you've been legally and ordinarily resident in the Cayman Islands for eight years, you may begin the application process for permanent residency [7][13].

Permanent Residency with the Right to Work uses a points-based system requiring a minimum of 110 points across categories including [13]:

• Occupation: Up to 15 points based on your profession
• Other factors related to your connection to the islands

There's also Permanent Residency without the Right to Work, which is available to British Overseas Territories Citizens with a connection to the Cayman Islands [11].

Property Owners

If you own property in the Cayman Islands and can show the Land Register, you can receive a six-month visitor permission for yourself and accompanying visitors [6]. This isn't full residency but offers extended stay options.

Important Note

The new government elected in April 2025 has indicated plans to reform the immigration system, so requirements may change [2].

Always verify current requirements with official sources as immigration rules change.