Saint Kitts and Nevis Economic Citizenship Program

St. Kitts and Nevis (St. Christopher & Nevis) Citizenship-by-Investment Program was established in 1984 under the regulations of the 1984 Citizenship Act, Section 3 (5) making it the longest established Citizenship-by-Investment Program. Citizenship is granted based on a substantial contribution within St. Kitts & Nevis.

Investors of good character and repute can opt to make a contribution to the development of St. Kitts & Nevis and in return are given the opportunity to apply for citizenship and a passport within the legal framework of the Federation of St Kitts & Nevis.

In 1983 independence was gained from Britain and a twin island federation was formed; Nevis with an area of 93.2 km² and St. Kitts with 168.4 km². The Federation is a British Commonwealth nation with the Head of State being Queen Elizabeth II and a well functioning democracy based on Britain's parliamentary system.

St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Benefits

• 3-4 months to process
• Investment is made once government has issued an Approved in Principal letter to the applicant
• Citizenship for Life
• Multiple Citizenship
• Visa free travel to more than 120 countries including Canada, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Schengen Zone
• No interview required
• No requirement of travel St. Kitts during the application process
• No educational or language requirement
• No residency requirement
• No tax on world-wide income, a tax-haven country
• Application can include children below the age of 25 and parents above the age of 62 if they are fully depedent on the Principal Applicant

INVESTMENT OPTION I: Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) Contribution

High net worth individuals may also choose to make a monetary contribution to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation via one of the prescribed contribution levels as follows:

• USD $250,000 - Single Applicant
• USD $300,000 - Family with up to 3 dependents (spouse + 2 children below 18 yrs)
• USD $350,000 - Family with up to 5 dependents (spouse + 4 children below 18 yrs)
• USD $450,000 - Family with up to 7 dependents (spouse + 6 children below 18 yrs)
• USD $50,000 - Additional per person above 7 dependents
• USD $50,000 - Each child 18-24 yrs (up until a day before 25th birthday)
• USD $7,500 - Due diligence for Main Applicant
• USD $4,000 - Due diligence for each dependent above 16 yrs

INVESTMENT OPTION II: Real Estate Option A - Redeemable Preferred Share Offer (Buy Back Option)

The Redeemable Preferred Share Offer, is a product offered which is commonly referred to as the Buy Back Option. The offer allows applicants to purchase a share within a specially appointed Cottage Suites within a real estate development for a purchase price of USD $400,000.

The applicant is renouncing any income or dividends from the company, in exchange for the guaranteed option to re-sell the property back to the developer after 5 years.

After the 5 year "must hold" period the purchaser will have the option to:

• Redeem their share for the exact same purchase amount (USD $400,000), or
• Re-sell the property to a private buyer, who can also apply for St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship, or
• Choose to retain ownership.

INVESTMENT OPTION III: Real Estate Option B - Property Investment

The property purchased must be minimum USD $400,000 in a government-approved real estate development. The property must be owned and maintained for a minimum of five years.

Property registration, processing fees and taxes must be paid in addition to the property purchase.

Real Estate (option A or B) Government Fees:

• USD $50,000 - Main Applicant
• USD $25,000 - Spouse
• USD $25,000 - Child below 18 yrs
• USD $50,000 - Child above 18 yrs
• USD $7,500 - Due diligence of Main Applicant
• USD $4,000 - Due diligence for each dependent above 16 yrs

Procedure

1) File preparation and payment of due diligence fees

2) Citizenship application submission

3) Issuance of "Approved in Principal Letter" by government

4) Investment is made

5) Naturalization certificate is issued.

6) Passport is issued.

Total processing time: Less than 12 weeks.

Location

The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. St. Kitts is the larger of the two Caribbean islands that comprise the nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

People

Saint Kitts has a population of around 45,000, the majority of whom are mainly of African descent. Residents call themselves Kittitians.

Language

The primary language is English, with a literacy rate of approximately 98%.

Climate

Hot and tropical climate tempered by trade winds throughout most of the year. The driest period is from January to April and there is increased rainfall in summer and towards the end of the year.

Capital

The capital of the two-island nation, and also its largest port, is the town of Basseterre on Saint Kitts.

Time

Eastern Caribbean Time Zone UTC-04:00.

Economy

The economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis has traditionally depended on the growing and processing of sugar cane; decreasing world prices have hurt the industry in recent years. Tourism, export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking activity have assumed larger roles. St. Kitts & Nevis uses the Eastern Caribbean dollar, which maintains a fixed exchange rate of 2.7-to-one with the United States dollar. The US dollar is almost as widely accepted as the Eastern Caribbean dollar.

How to get there?

St. Kitts is easily reached from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and rest of Europe. A wide range of international scheduled airlines and charter carriers serve the island regularly. A second weekly flight has just been added by British Airways from London-Gatwick Airport.

Which countries can I travel to visa free? Can I visit the US?

You can travel visa free or you will receive visa upon arrival in more than 100 countries, such as EU, Switzerland, Norway, UK, Canada, Hong Kong. You need to apply for a visa before visiting the United States, however, being a St. Kitts national will make this process easier and once approved, you will be issued a 10-year multiple entry visa.

How long do I have until my investment is required to be made?

The investment has to be made when you submit your application.

Do I need to have a strong knowledge of English language?

English language knowledge is not a requirement for applying for the St. Kitts Economic Citizenship Program.

Where do I collect my passport? Is it a requirement to visit St. Kitts?

It is not a requirement to visit the island. You can collect the passport from our office, we can mail it out to you or you can collect it at any St. Kitts embassy or consulate around the world.