Citizenship-by-Investment

Citizenship-by-Investment in St. Kitts and Nevis 

The Citizenship-by-Investment Program of the Federation of St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis was established in 1984, making it the longest established program of this kind in the world.

The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis through this program is able to attract investors of good character to make a substantial contribution to the development of the Federation. These investors are then given the opportunity to apply for citizenship and passport within the strict guidelines of the law and the relevant regulations.

To qualify for citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis under its Citizenship-by-Investment Program, the Government requires either an investment in an approved Real Estate project of at least US$350,000.00 plus payment of various registration and other fees, or a contribution to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) of an amount between US$200,000.00 and US$ 400,000.00, depending on the number of dependents included in the application.

With each qualifying option there will be a required Agent Processing fee which can vary depending on family structure and domicile. Please contact us today for a free quote.

Real Estate Option

Under the Real-Estate option the following processing and due diligence fees are payable to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis:

• US$50,000 for the main applicant.
• US$25,000 for the spouse.
• US$25,000 for any dependent children below the age of 18.
• US$50,000 for any qualified, dependent and unmarried child older than 18 but younger than 25. 
• US$50,000 for any qualified, dependent parent over the age of 65.
• US$7,500 due diligence fee for the main applicant.
• US$4,000 due diligence fee for each qualified dependent of the main applicant who is over the age of sixteen.
• US$47.00 for each Certificate of Citizenship.

*The real estate cannot be re-sold within 5 years after purchase, however, it will qualify any subsequent buyer for citizenship.

SIDF Option

Under Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) option there are four different categories:

• Single applicant: a non-refundable contribution of US$250,000 is required.
• Applicant with up to three dependents (i.e. one spouse and two children below the age of 18): a non-refundable contribution of US$300,000 is required.

• Applicant with up to five dependents (i.e. one spouse and four children): a non-refundable contribution of US$350,000 is required.

• Applicant with six and more dependents: a non-refundable contribution of US$450,000 is required.

• An additional Government fee of US$50,000 will apply to any qualified dependent child between 18-25 and any dependent parent over 65.

 The above amounts are inclusive of all Government fees payable for the main applicant and his or her dependents except for the due diligence fees which are payable as follows:-

• US$7,500 due diligence and processing fee for the main applicant.
• US$4,000 due diligence and processing fees for each dependent of the main applicant who is over the age of sixteen years.

The Legal Basis

The Citizenship-by-Investment Program of St. Kitts and Nevis was established in 1984 and operates on the following constitutional, legislative and regulatory foundations:

 1)    Citizenship of Saint Christopher and Nevis is governed by Chapter VIII (Sections 90-95) of the Constitution of Saint Christopher and Nevis. 

2)    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, and if the Cabinet is satisfied that such person has invested substantially in St. Christopher and Nevis." 

3)    The Government determines, by Cabinet Decisions, the projects and the size of investment which shall qualify as a "substantial investment" and thus lead to eligibility under the Citizenship-by-Investment Program.

Please note there are government prescribed application forms (US$250.00 per applicant) that must be submitted along with supporting documentation with regards to the applicant’s identity, health, birthplace, criminal record and source of funds. As an authorized provider by the Government, Corporate Solutions Ltd can facilitate this process for you and assist you in the completion of these forms. Once your forms have been completed and all supporting documentation is submitted the turnaround time for "approval in principal" for your Citizenship-by-Investment application is typically less than 90 days. Please contact us today for a free pre-screening process to see if you qualify for the Citizenship-by-Investment program.

Benefits

• St. Kitts & Nevis recognizes Dual Citizenship.
• Visa free travel to over 120 countries (click here for countries requiring visas).
• No income tax, no gift tax, no wealth and inheritance tax, no capital gains tax, no foreign income tax. 
• No residency requirement.
• Approximately 90 days for Due Diligence processing of Economic Citizenship applications.