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Citizenship by Investment

The Federation of St Kitts and Nevis offers a number of incentives to encourage inward foreign investment. One of these incentives, based on the St Christopher and Nevis Citizenship Act 1984 and Chapter VIII of the Federation's Constitution, is the possible grant of citizenship to individuals based on a qualifying investment in the Federation.

The grant of citizenship brings with it the right, but not the obligation, for qualifying individuals and their families to live completely tax free within the Federation. Citizenship includes the issue of a passport valid for worldwide travel.

In June 2009 St Kitts and Nevis entered into a mutual visa-free travel agreement with the European Union, demonstrating how well managed and respected this incentive program is at an international governmental level. St Kitts and Nevis citizens may now enter European Union countries for up to three months at a time within a six month period without the need to apply for a visa.

Qualification Requirements for Economic Citizenship

There are two investment options that qualify an investor to apply for citizenship:

Purchase of real estate within an approved investment project, being specific zoned areas in either of the two islands. The purchase price must be at least US$350,000 and the property may not be resold during the five years following the purchase.
A non-refundable contribution to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation, a public charity that assists displaced former sugar workers and funds research into the development of sustainable economic activities. The contribution required is US$200,000 for a single individual, US$250,000 for an individual with up to three dependants, US$300,000 for an individual with four or five dependants, and US$400,000 for an individual with six or more dependants.

Besides the required investment, there is a one-time registration fee of US$35,000 for the head of household, US$15,000 each for the spouse and family members under the age of eighteen, and US$35,000 for other adult family members. Applicants are also required to pay a number of other fees including the fee for due diligence, details of which are available on request, as well as the professional fee of the local service provider.

The due diligence checks on potential new citizens are exhaustive and are based on preparation and submission of a file of documents that will then be used as the basis for a detailed background check. Applicants with criminal records or infectious diseases are not accepted.

Those seeking to apply for citizenship by investment must present their application through a local service provider. NTL Trust Limited has experience in this matter. If you are interested in making this investment and this commitment to the Federation, please contact our offices for an initial discussion without any obligation.

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