St. Kitts & Nevis

As a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis you can take advantage of a range of personal benefits which include:

• Visa-free travel to over 130 countries.
• Tax free – no wealth, gift, inheritance, foreign income or capital gains tax.
• Dual citizenship benefits – there are no restrictions on dual nationality.
• No residence or minimum stay requirements.
• Full residency status – you have the right to live or work in St. Kitts and Nevis and the CARICOM countries.
• Lifetime citizenship for you and your family and future generations.
• Wealth and asset protection.
• Privacy in a small peaceful country.
• Owning a second home in the tropical paradise of St. Kitts and Nevis.
• Guaranteed return on your investment with the Real Estate option.

The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship-by-Investment Program is well regarded globally and has an excellent reputation. Successful applicants can benefit from visa-free travel to the countries below.

Please note however that visa-free travel to the listed countries is subject to change. We strongly recommend that the relevant Government authorities and agencies are contacted before travelling.

* Visa issued on arrival.

St. Kitts and Nevis, also known in the country’s constitution as Saint Christopher and Nevis, has been independent since 19 September 1983. The country has a population of about 50,000 and English is the official language. The country has a 97,8 literacy rate.

The head of state is the Queen of England. St. Kitts and Nevis is a stable democracy based on the British parliamentary system. The country is 1 hour ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time (UTC-4). The legal system is based on the English common law system and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the final court of appeal.

Geography

St Kitts and Nevis is in the Caribbean and forms part of the group of islands known as the Lesser Antilles, located some 2,000 km to the southeast of Miami (17 20 N, 62 45 W). The Federation comprises two islands: Nevis with an area of some 93.2 km2 and St. Kitts with 168.4 km2. The country boasts a tropical climate that remains constant through-out the year due to the gentle sea breezes. St Kitts and Nevis is a tropical paradise.

The country has coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball. Both are volcanic islands, separated by a 3-km-wide channel called The Narrows.

St Kitts and Nevis Economy

The economy of St Kitts and Nevis depends on tourism. Tourism replaced the sugar industry as the main industry of the country. The sugar industry was closed in 2005. The government introduced the SIDF to diversify the agricultural sector and to stimulate other areas of the economy, such as manufacturing of goods for export and offshore financial services industry. The government welcomes investment into the country and offers substantial tax breaks to new investors. The financial services industry of St. Kitts & Nevis has developed legislation for the registration of companies, foundations, trusts, international insurance and trust service providers.

Getting to St Kitts and Nevis

A wide range of international scheduled airlines and charter carriers serve the island regularly. St. Kitts is easily reached from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and rest of Europe. There are also numerous regional commuter flights from with the Caribbean area. There is a direct flight from London-Gatwich twice a week on a Saturday and a Tuesday.

The official name of the airport on St. Kitts is the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw (RLB) International Airport, while the booking (sabre) code is SKB. The airport can accommodate commercial jumbo jets and handles scheduled non-stop flights – numerous regional commuter flights from within the Caribbean area. RLB International Airport also provides facilities for cargo jets, private jets and various other types of aircraft.

See http://www.stkittstourism.kn/explore-st-kitts-getting-here-airport.php

St. Kitts and Nevis – Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqPVtSWUTZw

St. Kitts and Nevis – Useful Links

• Government of St. Kitts & Nevis – Official website of the St. Kitts & Nevis Government
• Communications Unit – Office of the Prime Minister
• Citizenship-by-Investment Unit of the Government of St. Kitts & Nevis
• SIDF.org
• Ministry of Finance / Marketing and Development Department
• Eastern Caribbean Central Bank
• St. Kitts Tourism Authority
• Nevis Tourism

At CS Global Partners ™ we understand that applying for an alternative citizenship can be a complex and daunting process. That is why we ensure that our service makes the application process as easy for our clients as possible. We offer the following service elements as standard:

• A dedicated relationship manager as your single point of contact throughout your application.
• Professional guidance on the application procedure and support throughout the process.
• Documentation preparation and validation.
• Representation on your behalf before the St. Kitts and Nevis Government.
• Management and resolution of any legal queries related to the application.
• Additional services available on request for clients wishing to utilise our partner network to support their application, including:
  • Notary Public services
  • Translation services
  • Medical services
  • Banking services
  • Concierge services
  • Tax planning
  • Trust planning
  • Fiduciary services
  • Relocation assistance
  • Property investment and advice.

Application Overview

The process of applying for citizenship is rigorous and requires diligent preparation in order to gather all the information needed. Application timelines can vary and be difficult to predict. Generally this depends on the complexity of the application. We advise clients 3-6 months is a guideline for the length of time it may take from enquiring about citizenship to having citizenship granted and a passport issued.

See below a simplified overview process.

Step 1: Application preparation and pre-approval from CS Global Partners.
Step 2: Citizenship file submission.
Step 3: Government approval in principle confirmation.
Step 4: Investment is made in selected option Real Estate or SIDF Contribution.
Step 5: Citizenship certificate issued.
Step 6: Passport application / Passport issued.

*All required funds are deposited in a designated escrow account until the application is processed. Upon approval, funds will be released to the government.

Application Procedure

To protect the integrity of the program the government due-diligence checks and procedures are extensive. Citizenship approval is at the discretion of the St. Kitts and Nevis Government. In the unlikely event that the application is rejected and there are no grounds for appeal, investment funds will be returned to the client minus government due-diligence fees and application processing fees. Currently there is no mandatory requirement to attend government interviews.

While the established areas of the economy such as: tourism; financial services; real estate; manufacturing and agriculture continue to grow, citizens can also benefit from a wealth of unexplored business and trade opportunities within a region of strategic importance.

Trade agreements within CARICOM, South America, the USA and Canada make St. Kitts and Nevis an attractive proposition for global business leaders and entrepreneurs looking to enter new regions and markets.

In addition, the St. Kitts and Nevis Government is regularly announcing new trade agreements, initiatives, partnerships and improved incentives to attract inward investment and foreign direct investment into the region.

CS Global Partners™ also provides advisory and consultancy services on general business and investment opportunities within the region.

We understand the real estate market in St. Kitts and Nevis, providing independent advice on the selection of real estate opportunity available to clients.

SIDF Fees

For a single applicant, the required investment amount is USD 250,000. This amount increases to USD 300,000 when up to 3 dependants are included with the applicant. For an applicant with up to 5 dependants, the required amount is USD 350,000. The Due Diligence Fee for a single applicant is USD 7,500 and for an applicant with up to 3 dependants, the additional fee for each dependant over the age of 16 is USD 4,000. The amount remains the same for an applicant with up to 5 dependants, with a Due Diligence Fee of USD 4,000 for each dependant aged 16 and over.

Real Estate Fees

For a single applicant, the minimum required to invest is USD 400,000. For an applicant with up to 3 dependants, the required amount stays the same at USD 400,000. For an applicant with up to 5 dependants, the minimum required to invest is also USD 400,000. The Due Diligence Fee for a single applicant is USD 7,500 and for an applicant with up to 3 dependants, the additional fee for each dependant over the age of 16 is USD 4,000. The amount remains the same for an applicant with up to 5 dependants, with a Due Diligence Fee of USD 4,000 for each dependant aged 16 and over. The Government Fees for the main applicant are USD 50,000 and USD 25,000 for the spouse and dependants under the age of 18. For dependants aged between 18-25 or over the age of 65, the government fee is USD 50,000.

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