New Citizen

Our latest new citizen, Belgian François Geleyns hails from Uccle and Waterloo, south of Brussels. Having worked in high-end real estate for many years, he also published restaurant guides on Brussels, Knokke-Heist and St Tropez. Now living on our paradise island, we met up with him to find out what prompted his move from Europe to the Caribbean and why he decided to become an Antigua & Barbuda citizen.

When did you become an Antigua & Barbuda citizen?

After receiving my passport at the beginning of 2019, I came to live in Antigua at the end of August last year. I’ve now been living here for seven months.

We’d heard that Antigua was a very safe island with a great educational offer, and once we came here, we didn’t need to look elsewhere.

Why did you decide to become a citizen of the twin islands?

The main reason was that my ex-wife and I felt that too many negative things were happening in Europe and we wanted to live elsewhere. We also wanted to give our son a better life; somewhere that is safe and where there are fantastic outdoor activities for children to do like sailing. Good schooling, a nice climate and good connectivity were also high on our list. We chose Antigua and it was a great decision, both for him and for us!

Did you consider becoming a citizen of anywhere else other than Antigua & Barbuda?

We’d heard that Antigua was a very safe island with a great educational offer, and once we came here, we didn’t need to look elsewhere.

What has your experience living here been like so far?

I would say that Antigua is a true paradise and the local people are incredibly nice and welcoming. I have nothing but great words to say about it.

Your son is at Island Academy. How does schooling here compare to back in Belgium?

He absolutely loves his school. It is very different to his school back in Belgium. Before leaving for Antigua, we placed him in an international school in Belgium for six months in order to prepare him. However, since it wasn’t an Englishspeaking environment, he arrived in Antigua with absolutely no knowledge of English. Despite that, in seven months he has learned the language and now speaks English better than I do!

What do you like to do in your spare time in Antigua?

I really do such a variety of things. I enjoy going to the beach with friends or going boating in these amazing surroundings. Every day is different. When you wake up in the morning in Antigua with nothing to do, something will pop up and you will suddenly have plans! It is a very social place thanks to a great mix of both local and international people, and I love that about the island. It is a total contrast to my life back in Belgium where I was constantly stressed due to working all the time.

What did you do in your free time before coming to Antigua and how has that changed?

I’ve always liked moving from place to place and since Antigua is so well connected, I continue to regularly travel. I used to be an avid Harley Davidson fan and organised road trips in the USA and Europe for groups of riders. However, I gave up that hobby for my son’s sake around a year ago due to the danger on the roads. Hunting also used to be one of my passions, but naturally I don’t do that any longer in Antigua. My life has completely changed now for the better, and although I can’t do some of the things that I did in my previous life, there are so many other great things and new hobbies to get involved in on this beautiful island.

Would you recommend Antigua to your friends?

Yes, absolutely. I know a lot of people in Belgium and a few of them are already interested in exploring investment opportunities, citizenship or simply purchasing property in Antigua, which would enable them to spend a few months here every year. In fact, a friend of mine is currently on the island investigating opportunities and visiting plots of land and houses. He was originally interested in investing in the Dominican Republic, but after visiting Antigua, he changed his mind. When he saw photos of me here in Antigua, he decided to visit the island for a week, and now he is certain that he will be returning!