St. Kitts & Nevis

In 1984, pursuant to Section 92 (1) (h) of the Constitution, Parliament prescribed that such other persons who would be entitled, upon making application, to be registered as citizens. Accordingly, Section 3 (5) of the Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship Act, 1984 (No. 1 of 1984) makes the following provisions: “Subject to subsections (8) and (9) of this section, a person is entitled, upon making application under this subsection to the Minister in the prescribed manner and upon payment of any fee that may be prescribed, to be registered as a citizen of St. Christopher and Nevis without any rights of voting save under and in accordance with the provisions of any law governing the qualification of voters, if the Cabinet is satisfied that such person has invested substantially in St. Christopher and Nevis.”

The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship-by-Investment Program has been operating since 1984, which makes it the longest running program of its kind.

The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship-by-Investment Program works by permitting a foreigner, at least 18 years of age, who invests in one of the options permitted by the program, and applies with the correct documentation, to become a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis with all associated benefits.

The investment options include a contribution of at least USD $250,000, plus fees and charges, to the St. Kitts and Nevis Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF), or an investment of at least USD $400,000, plus fees and charges, in approved real estate.

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

• Visa-free travel to more than 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.

Yes, your spouse and dependent children can be included in your application. Under St. Kitts and Nevis law, your spouse is defined as your partner of the opposite sex to whom you are legally married. Your children must be under 18 years old, or between 18 and 25 and in full-time studies and fully financially dependent on you.

In some circumstances, your elderly parents may also be included in your application. This may include where your parents are at least 65 years of age, live with you and are fully financially dependent on you.

If you and your spouse are granted citizenship, any future children of the relationship will also become citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis, as will their children and so on.

Yes, citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis is granted for life and extends to future generations of your family.

Generally, you are not required to attend St. Kitts and Nevis at any time during the application process, although the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis does reserve the right to require you to attend an interview if the Government deems it necessary.

There is no interview process, however, due to strict due diligence procedures, the Government may request an interview.

There are no residency requirements with the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship-by-Investment Program. This means you do not ever have to visit St. Kitts and Nevis if you do not wish to. As a citizen, you have full residency rights meaning you can choose to visit, stay or live in St. Kitts and Nevis at any time for any length of time. As St. Kitts and Nevis is a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis also comes with the right to live and work in any other nation which is a member of CARICOM.

If you decide to invest through the real estate option, we recommend that you visit St. Kitts and Nevis to see the development for yourself. However, if this is not convenient we can assist you to find a reputable property manager who will take care of everything, including rental arrangements, on your behalf.

Your application for citizenship is ultimately at the discretion of the St. Kitts and Nevis Government. The requirements issued by the St. Kitts and Nevis Government are strictly enforced. This is why having the help of CS Global Partners is so important. We know the common problems applicants encounter and can help you ensure your application is complete and has the strongest chance of being approved.

You will need documents relating to your identity and family, your business connections and professional life, your health and education, a police clearance certificate, and documents relating to your investment in St. Kitts and Nevis. CS Global Partners will provide you with a detailed list of documents, and will assist you to obtain the necessary documents. We will check you have everything required and have fully responded to all requests from the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis before submitting the application.

The fee structure depends on the investment option you choose, and the number of applicants included in your application. The table below provides a general overview of the fees. For a personal and confidential quote, please contact us.

Generally, applications are processed within 3 months of being submitted to the St. Kitts and Nevis Government.

Delays can be caused by issues in obtaining properly certified and translated documents, forms not being completely or accurately completed and references not complying exactly with St. Kitts and Nevis guidelines. CS Global Partners can help you ensure your documents are perfectly in order and meet perfectly the requirements of the St. Kitts and Nevis Government the first time they are submitted, so your application will be processed with minimal delay.

If your application for citizenship is ultimately not approved by the St. Kitts and Nevis Government, your investment under either option will be refunded in full (subject to any terms in the real estate purchase contract), along with the additional Government fees paid under the real estate option. Under either option, the due diligence fees are not refundable.

St. Kitts and Nevis allows citizens to hold dual citizenship and does not publish or make available information on applicants for citizenship by investment. You should check the dual citizenship rules of your first country of citizenship. CS Global Partners can also give you advice on this.

The Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) is a public charity established in 2006 and audited by an international auditing firm. The SIDF’s purpose is to support the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis to grow or develop the national economy and maintain economic stability. The SIDF has been designated a specially approved project for the purpose of citizenship by investment in St. Kitts and Nevis.

The minimum contribution to comply with the SIDF option varies according to the number of dependents included with the main applicant’s application, as follows:

• Main applicant: USD $250,000
• Main applicant and up to three dependents: USD $300,000
• Main applicant and up to five dependents: USD $350,000
• Main applicant and up to seven dependents: USD $450,000

If your application for citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis is ultimately not approved, your contribution to the SIDF will be refunded in full. Otherwise, the contribution is non-refundable.

The SIDF is audited by PricewaterhouseCooper and its audited annual financial statements are published online when they become available.

A real estate investment must be at least USD $400,000 and invested in an authorised development in order to qualify for the Program.

The property may be sold after 5 years. The purchaser may also become eligible for Citizenship-by-Investment Program.

The property must be designated real estate, as approved by the St. Kitts and Nevis Government. Properties vary from residential units and villas to lots of land in resorts and other high-end developments.

Some developments will permit joint investment in one property. For example, where two families wish to invest, both may invest at least USD $400,000 to jointly purchase property with a value of at least USD $800,000.

Yes, we can recommend property managers so you can have the benefits of St. Kitts and Nevis property ownership without the hassle.

The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis (St. Kitts and Nevis) is a two-island nation in the Caribbean Sea.

The official language is English and the currency is the East Caribbean Dollar.

The islands are tropical, with beautiful and varied terrain and an average temperature of 24 °C (75 °F). The population is approximately 55,000.

St. Kitts and Nevis is about two (2) hours of flying time from Miami, USA. St. Kitts and Nevis is serviced by direct flights from London Gatwick, New York City and Miami, as well as most other Caribbean nations. St. Kitts and Nevis is in the same time zone as New York.

St. Kitts and Nevis is a constitutional monarchy in the British Commonwealth and as such, the Queen is the Head of State. The legal system is the Westminster system.

St. Kitts and Nevis has highly developed infrastructure, including luxury hotels, villas and residences, golf clubs, restaurants, spas, medical centers, schools and universities. International banking facilities are available through the headquarters of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, which is located on St. Kitts.

There is no income tax for non-residents, nor any wealth, inheritance or net wealth taxes. Property taxes are low.