St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship By Investment

St Kitts and Nevis is one of the countries that offer citizenship benefits for people who are interested in enrolling in their investment program. Here, we’ll explain everything about that opportunity to you!

An easy path to a second passport

There are many reasons why you would like to obtain citizenship of another country. You may want to do business there, open yourself more international connections, find a safer place to live with your family members…

St Kitts and Nevis has a citizenship by investment program. It is a government approved public benefit project where you can legally obtain citizenship benefits by making an investment in the country, such as a real estate purchase. This article will show you details about that investment program.

Benefits of the St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program

Let’s start with the most alluring part. The St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment program can help you in a number of ways. We’re going to list them so you can take a closer look and decide if it can really offer what you and your family need right now.

Eligible Family Dependents

In your application process, you can include your spouse, children under 26 years old, and your parents if they are above 65 years old. You can add other dependents in the future. Parallel to that, your St Kitts and Nevis citizenship is extendable to your future generations.

150+ visa-free countries for St Kitts and Nevis citizens

Visa free travel becomes a reality with the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship. That is important in case you want to enjoy tourism or do business abroad. St Kitts and Nevis is a member of the Commonwealth, so you will have some privileges in the UK and the other countries that belong to the group.

Privileges in other countries

Some of the countries where you will get visa free travel belong to the Schengen region. Besides that, you will be able to stay in the United Kingdom for 6 months at a time, and you will get access to most of the CARICOM member countries for unlimited time.

Public Good Investment Option

There are good real estate investment options too. You can purchase a second home for your loved ones and enjoy the fact that St Kitts and Nevis has good air links to Europe and North America.

Dual citizenship benefits

St Kitts and Nevis recognizes dual citizenship, which means you do not have to let go of your original one. However, we advise you to check the rules of your birth country before filing your citizenship application to make sure there will be no problems there either.

No minimum stay required

Even though the country is a great option for you to live with your family members, you don’t have to do so if you don’t want. The St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment program doesn’t require a minimum stay.

A Caribbean passport by investment may be a great option for you if…

You have a clean background and good intentions
Your family members comply with the requirements
You can make the minimum investment needed by the program
You want a dual citizenship for business and/or tourism

Grenada citizenship by investment is another interesting option in case you want to stay in the Caribbean region. There are lower limits for donations (USD 150,000) and real estate purchases (USD 200,000) as well. Once you pay the government fee, the process takes up to 90 days.

Qualifying Investments: Three Options

So far, you know that the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment is full of benefits and fairly easy to participate. Now is the time for us to sweeten the deal by saying that there are multiple investment options. Let’s analyze one at a time:

A. Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC) Option

This case requires you to make a donation to the country’s sustainable growth fund. If you opt for this public benefit unit, these are the minimum investment fees:

USD 250,000 for a single applicant.
USD 300,000 for the main applicant plus a spouse or dependent.
USD 350,000 for the main applicant, spouse and up to two dependents.
USD 50,000 for each additional dependent under 18 years old.
USD 70,000 for each additional dependent above 18 years old.

B. Approved public benefit project

This is an alternative investment option where you can make a non-refundable contribution of at least USD 250,000 to a public benefit unit which belongs to any of the St Kitts and Nevis approved real estate projects.

We advise you to hire a real estate consultant so they can show you the best options in case you choose to take this path for your citizenship application.

C. Real estate purchase

Obtaining citizenship in St Kitts and Nevis is also possible if you are willing to make a real estate investment. If that is the path you choose to earn your lifetime citizenship, here are the options:

USD 400,000+ from an approved real estate development.
USD 400,000+ for a condominium unit.
USD 800,000+ for a single-family private dwelling.

St Kitts and Nevis Taxes

This is another benefit you’ll get when obtain citizenship in St Kitts and Nevis. The country offers rather sizable tax incentives:

No capital gains tax, no wealth tax, and no personal income tax.
Ability to open accounts in international banks using the St Kitts passport and obtain bank statements.
Duty-free trading in the Caribbean region.
Many other tax incentives which your licensed agent can provide access depending on the type of business you intend to do using your St Kitts and Nevis citizenship.

Step-by-step procedure of obtaining St Kitts and Nevis citizenship

The St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment program is the oldest in the world. However, there are still only relatively few passports you can obtain like that one, which makes those programs rather unknown. Here’s what the successful applicants have done.

1. St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program (CBI) 2023 — Licensed Agent

The very first step is to talk to an independent professional firm commissioned to that end. It can assign a specialist to walk you through the necessary steps and show you the necessary fees. This way, you can enroll in the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship program with no surprises.

2. Preliminary Due Diligence

The licensed agent runs a background check on the main applicant and their family members to make sure they all have a clean criminal record and positive intentions with this application process.

If there’s no problems with that, you can officially start the economic citizenship program. You sign the agreement to the agent’s terms and conditions and pay the initial diligence fees.

3. Official start of the application process

Once you gather all the required documents, the licensed agent may file the application with the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment unit (CIU). Keep in mind that there will be government fees at this point. This step may take up to 90 days to be processed.

4. Government approval letter

After the local government runs its due diligence checks and analyzes your application, it will issue its approval letter. That’s the moment when you will have to do your part of the purchase and sales agreement and make the minimum real estate investment required by the program.

5. St Kitts citizenship + St Kitts passport

As soon as you obtain citizenship, you may apply for the St Kitts and Nevis passport as well. That step will grant you visa free access to all those countries and create exciting new opportunities to you.

St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment cost

The main amount you’re going to spend is considered an investment, so we’re not taking it into account in this topic. Both government fees and due diligence fees apply. Here, we’ll cover what else you’ll need to pay in order to carry on with your application process.

A. Government fees

USD 35,000 for the single applicant.
USD 20,000 for the spouse.
USD 10,000 for each additional dependent.

Any dependent children you want to add must be under 25 years old. They also must be unmarried and enrolled in a full-time educational institution. Any children over 25 must file a separate application.

B. Due diligence fees

This amount provides financial support for the background check run by the government. St Kitts and Nevis hires an agency that works with international entities such as Interpol and World-check in order to make sure you have a clean criminal record.

USD 10,000 for the single applicant.
USD 7,500 for the spouse.
USD 7,500 for each dependent over 16 years old.

It’s important to know that you will also be required to undergo an interview, either virtually or in person. Once you reach this point of the process, the licensed agent will show everything that the St Kitts and Nevis government mandates; this will be the only due diligence fee you will have to pay.

List of Documents Required

St Kitts and Nevis wants to protect citizenship investors of good faith, so it has a series of requirements in terms of documentation. The following list is applicable to the single applicant only:

The next documents are required from all applicants including children:

Photograph and Signature Certificate (Form C2).
Medical Certificate (Form C3) including original results of an HIV test – it is required from everyone applying for citizenship, including children. The HIV test results must be not older than 3 months.
Certified copy of your current passport(s) showing name, photo, citizenship/nationality, date and place of issue, expiration date, passport number and issuing country.
Certified copy of your current national identity card(s).
Six original passport-size photos taken within the past 6 months.
Original excerpt of full birth record or certified copy of full birth certificate (i.e. a birth document that also includes your parent’s details, or a household register, family book etc.).
Original police certificate(s) from country of citizenship (unless you can provide satisfactory evidence that you have never lived there) and from any country where you have lived more than 1 year over the past 10 years. Police certificates must be less than six months old at the time you lodge your application. Children below 18 years old do require presenting a Police certificate.

Get Golden Visa: Discover Our Expertise and Let Us Guide You

Unfortunately, same-sex marriage is not recognized in St Kitts and Nevis yet. If that’s the case with you and your partner, there are two alternatives you can choose. One is obtaining citizenship on your own: each one would have to file their application individually.

The other one is to apply for one of the European Golden Visa programs. That path allows same-sex couples to apply together.

How does the St Kitts citizenship by investment compare?

There are several other countries which offer citizenship by investment programs. Antigua and Barbuda citizenship by investment requires lower minimum donations (USD 100,000) and lower investments in real estate (USD 200,000). You can also get visa free travel to 161 countries, which is a little more than what the St Kitts passport offers.

Let’s discuss the details

Can two or more applicants apply for citizenship by investment together?

In a way, yes. The main applicant may add their spouse, parents and children to their own application as dependent family members. They will all receive the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship.

Now, same-sex marriage is still not recognized in the country. Those couples can only apply individually, which means each person would have to make the minimum investment on their own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do US citizens need a passport to go to St Kitts and Nevis?

No. US citizens have visa free travel rights to St Kitts and Nevis. Conversely, the St Kitts and Nevis passport grants access to the USA under certain conditions.

How long does it take to process the citizenship application?

4 months on average. During the first two, you’ll undergo a background check and will have to gather the required documents. There will be a licensed agent to help you through this process.

You’re expected to receive the pre-approval letter by the third month. The government will execute its diligence checks and you will be required to pay the due diligence fee. That is the moment when the St Kitts and Nevis government will make its decision.

Once that step is done, you will be invited to make the minimum investment according to how many family members you want to enroll with yourself. After that, obtaining citizenship and the St Kitts and Nevis passport is a matter of days.

How much does it cost to get citizenship in St Kitts and Nevis?

The lowest amounts are reached when there’s only the main applicant. If they opt for the Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF), the minimum amount to invest will be USD 250,000.

In case the main applicant chooses to make a real estate investment, the minimum investment unit will be of USD 400,000. Real estate developers must notice that they must keep the property for at least 7 years.

Public Benefit Option (PBO) is another one among those investment options. In this case, the main applicant will have to dispose of at least USD 250,000 to move forward and obtain citizenship in St Kitts and Nevis.

Is there another interesting citizenship by investment program?

Turkey citizenship by investment is an option if you want something outside the Caribbean. It’s quite flexible in terms of residency (you can add the entire family and there’s no obligation to stay in the country) but has higher limits for donations (USD 400,000) and grants visa free access to fewer countries (only 125).

What are the benefits of investing in real estate in St Kitts and Nevis?

First of all, this is a possibility for legally obtaining citizenship and the St Kitts and Nevis passport. When you invest in an approved real estate project, you can legally stay in the country for as long as you wish and/or do visa free travel to over 150 countries.

Among all the investment options, it’s also profitable, since you can earn income from your real estate investment. People who choose the sustainable island state contribution cannot count on that because that option consists of making a donation to the government.

There are various real estate developers capable of helping you with this procedure. We strongly advise you to consult with one before investing in approved public benefit projects, so you can choose the best real estate investment opportunities.

What are the investment options for St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment?

One of them is the sustainable island state contribution. In this case, you make a direct donation to the government; more specifically, to its brand new sustainable growth fund.

The main applicant can also make a non-refundable contribution to one of the country’s publicly approved public benefit projects.

The third option is enroll in a real estate project, that is, make a real estate investment. This is the only option where you can be refunded in a way: you will have the right to sell your property after 7 years.

What is the minimum investment required under the real estate option?

USD 400,000. Keep in mind that this amount covers the real estate investment itself. There is also a due diligence fee each plus government fees. Before you participate in any real estate developer projects, we strongly advise the main applicant to consult with a specialist.