About St Kitts and Nevis

St Kitts and Nevis, officially known as the “Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis”, is a state consisting of twin islands in the Caribbean.

The pleasant tropical climate of St Kitts and Nevis, turquoise waters and white sand beaches make the two islands a trendy tourist destination and truly an earthly paradise. The country is also one of the most environmentally friendly places on earth, as Nevis is going to launch geothermal energy sources in the coming years.

Originally under British rule, St Kitts and Nevis gained independence in 1984. Until now, the country remains closely associated with the UK, as a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Federation is also a member of the United Nations (UN), the Commonwealth of the Caribbean (CARICOM), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Organization of American States (OAS).

St Kitts and Nevis has a combination of relaxing and active pastimes. It has many golf courses and spas, but it also provides one of the world’s friendliest business climates for entrepreneurs looking to set up companies or engage in other commercial activities.

Location

The islands of St Kitts and Nevis are located between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The Federation can be reached by direct flight from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, by choosing one of the international airlines flying to the island daily

Citizenship by Investment

The St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme stands as the oldest and one of the most trusted programmes of its kind. Since 1984, it has allowed investors and their families to legally obtain citizenship of one of the Caribbean’s most idyllic locations.

The programme is managed by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) which, with many years of management experience and an updated system of transparency in the processing of applications, sets a positive example for all other countries with similar programmes.

Under the Programme, businesspeople and their families can invest in this peaceful country in exchange for full citizenship.

General Requirements

Applicants for the St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme must fulfil the following conditions:

All main applicants are required to attend a mandatory interview either virtually, in St Kitts and Nevis or in person at another location specified by the Citizenship by Investment Unit and approved by the Board of Governors. Dependants aged 16 years of age may at the discretion of the CIU be required to attend an interview.

Once an application is vetted, within 120 days of acknowledgment from the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) of submission of a CBI application, the CIU will issue a letter advising whether an application is:

• Approved-in-principle;
• Denied; or
• Delayed for cause and is still being processed.

Eligible Dependants:

A main applicant may include the following family members as dependants in their application:

• The spouse of the main applicant;
• Children aged under 18;
• Children aged between 18 and 25 who are in full-time attendance at a recognised secondary or tertiary level institution of learning and fully supported by the main applicant;
• Children aged 18 or over who are physically or mentally challenged; and
• Parents of the main applicant or the spouse of the main applicant aged 65 or over, living with and fully supported by the main applicant.

Siblings and grandparents of the main applicant or their spouse are not eligible dependants for the St Kitts and Nevis CBI Programme. 

Benefits of St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship

Successful applicants under the St Kitts and Nevis Programme are registered as citizens of the nation and may apply for a St Kitts and Nevis passport*.

*Note:While the Citizenship by Investment Unit and the Passport Office work in unison, obtaining citizenship and applying for a passport are two distinct processes.

They have access to a huge range of benefits including:

Investment Options

There are four CBI options an applicant can choose from to apply for citizenship under the St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme:

SUSTAINABLE ISLAND STATE CONTRIBUTION

The Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC) provides discerning investors the option to contribute to their new nation. It’s a sustainable and secure solution for intelligent investors who want to make a smart move.

The SISC is used to support the economic and social development of St Kitts and Nevis following seven pillars of prioritisation:

The minimum SISC required by law are as follows:

DEVELOPER’S REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT OPTION

From January 2023 onwards, only Approved Developments will be eligible for the Real Estate Investment Option under the new CBI regime.

The minimum real estate investment required by law is US$ 400,000 (resaleable after 7 years).

Upon submission of an application, non-refundable due diligence fees must also be paid. In addition to these fees, real estate buyers should be aware of purchase costs (mainly compulsory insurance fund contributions and conveyance fees).

PRIVATE HOME SALE INVESTMENT OPTION

The Private Home Sale Investment Option requires a minimum investment per application of US$400,000 in a condominium unit or US$800,000 in a single-family private dwelling home designated as an Approved Private Home.

An Approved Private Home is subject to the following restrictions:
1. It cannot be resold until a period of seven years has elapsed since the date of issuance of the formal legal document in favour of the main applicant to be the registered owner of the Approved Private Home; and

2. It cannot be sold to another purchaser who wishes to acquire Citizenship by Investment unless the Federal Cabinet is satisfied that substantial further investment was injected into the real estate unit by way of further construction, renovation or otherwise.

PUBLIC BENEFIT OPTION

From January 2023 onwards, the Alternative Investment Option (AIO) has been replaced by the newly introduced Public Benefit Option, where the minimum contribution is US$250,000 to an Approved Public Benefit Project.

Developers of projects which bring substantial benefit to the people of St Kitts and Nevis are required to apply to the Board of Governors of the CIU to be designated as an Approved Public Benefactor, whereby they can apply to have their project designated as an Approved Public Benefit Project.

Only Approved Public Benefit Projects qualify for the Public Benefit Option.

The following fees apply to all four CBI Options:

Due Diligence Fees:

The following due diligence fees apply to all CBI applications:

Main applicant: US$10,000

Each dependant aged 16 or over: US$7,500

Post-approval CBI application fees

On approval-in-principle of an application, the following post-approval application fees apply to applications made under the Developer’s Real Estate, Private Home and Public Benefit Options