Program details and criteria for qualification

To qualify for citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis under its Citizenship-by-Investment program, the Government requires either an investment in a designated real estate or a contribution to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) of St. Kitts.

Benefits of St. Kitts Citizenship

• Citizens of St. Kitts & Nevis enjoy tax-free income and an exemption from paying taxes on capital gains, gifts, wealth and inheritance
• As a St. Kitts & Nevis citizen, one can travel visa-free or obtain a visa on arrival in 140 countries including all of the European Union countries.
• Passports are issued in approximately 90-120 days of filing an application. Expedited processing is available to reduce to approval time to 58 days.
• With a generous tax regime and a currency pegged to the US dollar, St. Kitts & Nevis provides a favorable business development environment. Moreover, trade with Canada and the Caribbean is completely tax-free.
• Citizens enjoy full residency status and the right to work in St. Kitts
• Dual citizenship is permitted and open to all nationalities (subject to Government rules) without the requirement to notify the applicant’s home country, as per the laws of St. Kitts
• With a number of direct and connecting flights from major cities like London, New York, Miami, Charlotte, Toronto, Atlanta and various other parts of the world, St. Kitts & Nevis is readily accessible.
• investing in a St. Kitts real estate project provides personal security, as your Spouse, children and elderly parents and for generations thereafter may also obtain citizenship.
• A highlight of becoming a St. Kitts citizen, is that you retain your current nationality. The government of St. Kitts respects your privacy and confidentiality and will not disclose your information.

1.Real Estate Option

Under the real estate option, the minimum investment required for citizenship is US$400,000.00 in a government approved real estate project. In addition to the cost of real estate investment, some government fees have to be paid:

Government Processing Fees

• US$50,000.00 for the main applicant
• US$25,000.00 for the spouse of the main applicant
• US$25,000.00 for each child of the main applicant under 18 years
• US$50,000.00 for each qualified dependent of the main applicant over 18 years, other than a spouse

Government Due Diligence Fees

• US$7,500.00 for due diligence and processing fees for the main applicant
• US$4,000.00 for due diligence background checks and processing fees for each dependent over 16 years

There are also authorized agency fees and real estate purchase fees that should be taken into consideration.

2.SIDF Contribution Option

Sugar industry has been the major economic contributor to the St. Kitts and Nevis economy for centuries. With the closure of sugar plants and fields in 2005 by the government, creating new economic development areas and establishing new industries to replace the sugar industry has been the priority for St. Kitts and Nevis Government. For this purpose, The Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation was established in order to provide funding to the development of alternative industries and support to secure the sustainability of such economic areas. SIDF is a public charity audited by PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

With the citizenship by investment program SIDF contribution option, the government aims to use the contributions from investors for the development of St. Kitts economy.

The SIDF contribution amount for citizenship varies based on the number of dependents of the applicant.

• Single applicant: a non-refundable contribution of US$ 250,000
• Applicant with up to 3 dependents: a non-refundable contribution of US$ 300,000
• Applicant with up to 5 dependents: a nonrefundable contribution of US$ 350,000
• Applicant with up to 7 dependents: a non-refundable contribution of US$ 450,000
• US$7,500.00 for due diligence and processing fees for the main applicant
• US$4,000.00 for due diligence background checks and processing fees for each dependent over 16 years

Government Processing Fees

In each of these categories, the above amounts include government processing fees. For the main applicant, spouse and dependent children under 18. For the dependent children between 18 and 25, provided that they are full time students and unmarried, or dependents over 65, an additional fee of US$ 50,000 is paid to the government.

Government Due Diligence Fees

In addition to the contribution amount and government fees, there are also authorized agency fees to be considered.

Please contact us for  details about the Real Estate or SIDF Contribution options and your eligibility for the Citizenship-by-Investment program.

Real Estates in St. Kitts and Nevis eligible for Citizenship by Investment

Government approves real estate projects basis that are eligible for the Citizenship by Investment program on an ongoing. Please note that the real estates purchased under this program cannot be sold for 5 years. However, with a new regulations passed in 2012, the next buyer may also qualify for citizenship. The new regulation will protect the value of your property and bring more liquidity to your investment.

Currently, there are over 40 Government approved projects on the Island that would qualify for the Citizenship-by-Investment program. Do note that each development has a different set of rules that can affect the eligibility of the client for the citizenship program and the processing times for Citizenship applications. Therefore, when considering the real estate investment in St. Kitts and Nevis for Citizenship purposes, we advise our clients to consider the following very important points:

• Fair market value of the property
• Eligibility for the Citizenship program and efficiency in completing citizenship paperwork
• Approvals and special government concessions