St Kitts and Nevis's Citizenship by Investment Program

St. Kitts and Nevis is a dual-island Caribbean destination offering pristine beaches and tropical landscapes. Its culture is diverse, with African, British, Carib, and French influences. It is an attractive location for owning a second home in the Caribbean, enjoying good air links to Europe and North America. The St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment program is the longest-standing CBI program in the world. The citizenship program of St. Kitts was established in 1984 and requires applicants to make an economic contribution to the country. In exchange, they and their families are granted full citizenship. The program is renowned for its simplicity and speed. Unlike many traditional immigration processes, applicants can often gain citizenship within just a few months. The legal basis regarding citizenship by investment is contained in Part II, § 3 (5) of the Citizenship Act, 1984 and the Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Regulations, 2011. These provisions allow the government to operate a program under which citizenship is granted to persons who qualify under criteria set by cabinet decision.

Benefits of the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program

• Citizenship by descent is available to future generations.
• Ability to include a spouse, children under 26, and parents aged 65 and over, as well as to add dependents after citizenship has been granted to the main applicant.
• St. Kitts and Nevis is a member of the Commonwealth, which entitles its citizens to certain privileges in the UK and other Commonwealth countries.
• St Kitts and Nevis citizens can get a 10-year B-1/B-2 visa to the USA. It allows the holder to travel around the country, visit friends and family, participate in business meetings and get medical treatment in American clinics.
• The dual-island nation is an attractive location for owning a second home, with good air links to Europe and North America.
• Dual citizenship is allowed by the nation.
• There is no minimum stay required.
• Freedom from income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, and gift tax
• No language test required
• Fast-track citizenship
• The St Kitts and Nevis passport is powerful, not only its holder can travel freely around the world but can also establish residence and live in any of the 15 CARICOM countries if they wish to do so
• Citizens have the right to register a company in St Kitts and Nevis. It helps investors in working with their foreign partners. For example, payments can be made without worrying about foreign exchange control regulations. The beneficial owner’s data is not entered in the commercial register when registering a company.

St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment requirements

The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program requires applicants to make a significant economic contribution to the country. In exchange, and subject to a stringent application procedure including thorough background checks, the applicants and their families are granted full citizenship.

• To qualify for citizenship, the main applicant must be over 18 years of age, meet the application requirements
• Mandatory interview is required for all investors applying for citizenship by investment, either virtually (default) or in person
• biometric and fingerprinting requirement from applicants
• Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC). This contribution is non-refundable
• A minimum non-refundable contribution of USD 250,000 to a public benefit unit in an Approved Public Benefit Project.
• The purchase of real estate with a minimum value of USD 400,000 from an approved real estate development, or a minimum of USD 400,000 for a condominium unit or USD 800,000 for a single-family private dwelling. The real estate purchased under both options can be resold after seven years under certain conditions.
• Provide police reports – evidence of a clean criminal record
• Have no outstanding visa refusals
• Submit various documentation, including financial documents, employment/ business documents, ID, proof of address
• Passports and ID cards
• Birth certificates
• Letters of recommendation from banks, employers, or other professional entities, along with character references
• Where relevant, marriage or divorce certificates to affirm marital conditions
• Legally validated documents related to the investment route chosen, such as property agreements or fund donation receipts

Family Requirements

Family members can be included in the application for St Kitts citizenship. The main investor can include;

• Spouse
• Dependent Children
• Dependent Parents over 65 years

Procedures and time frame of the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program

Interested parties can benefit from submitting their applications for citizenship through a competent agent. Usually, agents are law firms that are familiar with the details of the application process and ensure everything is processed efficiently. This helps ease the responsibility placed on applicants because an agent checks all documents and application materials before submission, works with the government of St. Kitts & Nevis, and acts as a liaison back to the applicant.

The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) is responsible for processing all applications. The CIU examines the application thoroughly and a mandatory interview is required for all investors applying for citizenship by investment, either virtually (default) or in person at a location specified by the CIU and approved by the Board of Governors. Dependents of a main applicant aged 16 years or over may also be required to attend an interview if deemed necessary. Interviews are conducted by an independent professional firm commissioned by the CIU, which also performs background due diligence checks on the CIU itself. All background due diligence checks are commissioned by the CIU and conducted by independent professional firms in Europe, the UK, and the USA in accordance with the requirements set by the Board of Governors. The CIU will decline an application if the applicant makes a false statement or omits any relevant information. The applicant must personally complete the prescribed government forms, which are only available from an authorized service provider. The documentary requirements of the program are reasonable and the procedures straightforward.

The government has committed to processing all applications within a maximum of four months of submission to the St Kitts Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU). On average it takes most applicants between 2-6 weeks prior to this to gather all their documentation. Most applicants will usually visit the islands before deciding on the purchase of real estate, but it is not a prerequisite for the application process, which usually takes 120 days (four months) from submission of the application to the CIU for approval. Under the real estate option, the time frame may vary depending on the development, so it is important to choose a real estate project that complements the citizenship application efficiently.

Once the documents and forms are ready the representatives submit them to the CIP unit. They then take 3-5 days to review the forms and deem the file complaint or request missing documents. If it is compliant then the applicant will receive a decision on the application within 90 days of the date the file is deemed compliant. A Compliance Anti Money Laundering Officer examines investors’ documents. The procedure is confidential and takes 1 business day. The applicant only needs to provide a passport. Once approved after / before 90 days applicants are then given a letter of approval which requires the payment of the investment sum fee within 60/90 days. Once the investment amount is paid the applicant(s) then receive their citizenship Certificate and then they get the passport about two/four weeks later.

Once the application has been approved, all processes and due diligence checks have been finalized and the investment has been made, a Certificate of Registration will be issued to the main applicant, which must be collected in person in St. Kitts and Nevis or at an embassy or consulate specified by the CIU as approved by the Board of Governors. The Certificate of Registration confers citizenship status and once it has been issued, the applicant is entitled to apply for a passport. St Kitts issues biometric e-passport valid for 10 years under the CBI program.  The passport can be collected through authorized agent or at embassy.

Investment options

Donation to the Sustainable Island State Contribution Fund (SISC)

The lowest cost route to gain St Kitts Citizenship is via a donation to the Sustainable Island State Contribution Fund (SISC). The minimum investment required is currently $250,000 for a single applicant, $300,000 for couples, or $350,000 for a family of up to four people. Additional due diligence and processing fees are also applicable and will vary depending on the applicant’s age and the size of their family.

The sustainable island state contribution (SISC) is used to support the economic and social development of St Kitts and Nevis following seven pillars of prioritization:

• Increasing local food production
• Transitioning to Green Energy
• Diversifying the economy
• Attracting and supporting sustainable industries
• Evolving the Creative Economy
• Recovering from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic
• Expanding social protections and safety nets to protect the most vulnerable

Approved Public Benefit Project

Discerning investors who would like to develop a project which brings substantial benefit to the people of St Kitts and Nevis can apply to the CIU to be designated as an Approved Public Benefactor. They can then apply for their projects to be designated as Approved Public Benefit Projects qualified for sale under this option.

Approved Public Benefit Projects designated by the CIU can not only maximize local employment, but also make it possible to embark upon projects including transfer of technology and capacity building.

Under the Public Benefit Option, each main applicant is required to make a minimum contribution of US$250,000 in a unit of an Approved Public Benefit Project, to be paid to the relevant Approved Public Benefactor.

Real Estate Investment

Applicants can also gain citizenship in Saint Kitts and Nevis by investing in government-approved real estate developments, such as hotel resorts and touristic properties, by investing $400,000 (resalable after 7 years) in a condominium or US$ 800,000 single-family dwelling house designated by the Program as "Approved Private Home', for each main applicant. Some options offer the potential for an annual return and the real estate can be sold after a mandatory holding period, allowing investors to release their capital without affecting your citizenship status. There is a selection of government-approved real estate projects available in St Kitts that qualify for citizenship through real estate investment.

• The property shall be owned by certificate of title, by the vendor
• The value of the land shall not be included in determining the value of the home
• A single-family home shall be sold as one unit and shall not be converted to apartments or condominiums or otherwise divided for sale under the Citizenship by Investment program
• An apartment building or more than one apartment buildings on the same piece of island shall be sold as one unit and shall not be divided
• The use of shares is prohibited
• As of new regulations, the next buyer of the property will not qualify for citizenship.

Fees and other payments

The following due diligence fees apply to all CBI applications:

• Main applicant:US$10,000
• Each dependent aged 16 or over:US$7,500

On approval-in-principle of an application made through the public benefit option, the following post-approval application fees apply:

• Main applicant: $25,000
• Spouse of the main applicant: $15,000
• Any qualified dependent under 18: $10,000
• Any qualified dependent aged 18 or over: $15,000

The minimum SISC required by law are as follows:

• Main applicant only: $250,000
• Main applicant and a spouse: $300,000
• Main applicant and one dependent: $300,000
• Main applicant, a spouse and one or two dependents: $350,000
• Main applicant and two or three dependents: $350,000
• Each additional dependent under 18: $50,000
• Each additional dependent aged 18 or over: $75,000

Real Estate purchase

The minimum real estate investment in an Approved Development is US$400,000 (resalable after seven years) for each main applicant. 

On approval-in-principle of an application made through a real estate investment, the following post-approval application fees apply:

• Main applicant: Us$25,000
• Spouse of the main applicant: $15,000
• Any qualified dependent under 18:$10,000
• Any qualified dependent aged 18 or over: $15,000

In addition to these fees, real estate buyers should be aware of purchase costs (mainly compulsory insurance fund contributions and conveyance fees).