Comparison of Antigua and Barbuda & St Kitts and Nevis passports
Wealthy people often get second passports for visa-free travelling. Caribbean citizenship is famous for its wide range of visa-free destinations, and Caribbean CBI programs for investors — for their low cost and fast-track procedures.
Two of the five Caribbean investment programs operate in St Kitts and Nevis and in Antigua and Barbuda.
Learn about conditions for obtaining citizenship by investment, how to compare passports of Antigua and Barbuda with St Kitts and Nevis’s, and choose the most convenient citizenship by investment program.
Author •Lyle Julien
Comparison of Antigua and Barbuda & St Kitts and Nevis passports
Antigua and Barbuda or St Kitts and Nevis: which citizenship is better considering visa-free destinations
Antigua and Barbuda passport holders travel to 150 countries visa-free, and citizens of St Kitts and Nevis 一 to 156 states.
Although the number of visa-free countries is different, popular destinations are equally available to citizens of both states: the Schengen Area, the UK, Singapore, and Hong Kong. For a visit to the US, Caribbean citizens get 10-year B‑1/B‑2 visitor visas.
To quickly compare visa-free countries for the passport holders of St Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda, we check the differences with icons ❌ and ⚠️:
❌ means that citizens of Antigua and Barbuda need a visa, and St Kitts and Nevis’s don’t, or the other way round;
⚠️ means that the entry conditions are slightly different. For example, Antigua and Barbuda citizens have visa-free entry, while St Kitts and Nevis’s get visas on arrival.
Comparison of conditions for investors and their families
Antigua and Barbuda or St Kitts citizenship benefits are pretty much the same. But the conditions of getting their passports by investment are very different, and investors compare citizenship programs by costs and time frames.
Investment options The Antigua and Barbuda program offers four investment options, and St Kitts and Nevis’s 一 three.
Fund contributions are non-refundable, and investment in real estate can be returned in 5 or 7 years. The government approves real estate projects: five-star hotels, resort complexes, and infrastructure such as marinas.
Antigua and Barbuda also offers large families of six or more to contribute to the University of the West Indies Fund and get a year of studying at the university for free. Besides, there is an option to invest in local businesses.
Comparison of investment options
Conditions for the investor’s family. Investor’s relatives can participate in a citizenship program with the main applicant. Each CBI unit sets unique age limits and conditions for family members.
The program terms of Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis are very similar. There is a distinction only for siblings. All adult family members, except the spouse, must be financially dependent on the investor or the spouse.
The more investor’s relatives participate in the program, the higher the costs. For example, for spouses and two minor children, participation in the program will cost about $147,000, including fees if the investor contributes to the Antigua and Barbuda government fund.
Individual cost calculation for Antigua and Barbuda citizenship
Validity of Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis passports
Program participants get naturalisation certificates and passports of Antigua and Barbuda or St Kitts and Nevis. The passports have to be renewed every 10 years, and there is no need to renew the certificates.
To renew a passport, the investor submits documents 2 months before the expiration:
an expiring passport;
a naturalisation certificate;
a birth certificate;
a certificate of no criminal record;
photos for a new passport.
Adult holders of Antigua and Barbuda passports must prove that they took the oath and spent at least 5 days within the first 5 years in Antigua. They can’t renew the passport for the first time without proof of visit to the country.
Also, the holder pays a renewal fee of approximately $370 for a document in St Kitts and Nevis and $1,000 in Antigua and Barbuda. A new passport is issued within 4 weeks.
Individual cost calculation for St Kitts and Nevis citizenship
Obligations and rights of the passport holders
The duties of Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis citizens are similar. They must provide truthful information, including investors. Providing false information can be deprived of citizenship.
Investors who chose the real estate option keep property investment for 5 or 7 years subject to the terms of the programs.
Participants of the Antigua and Barbuda program must visit the country at least 5 days within the first 5 years after getting citizenship. Also, they take the oath.
Right 一 visa-free travelling. All passport holders can freely travel to the countries which signed visa waiver agreements with their citizenship state.
Right 一 adding relatives to the citizenship program. An investor with a passport of Antigua and Barbuda or St Kitts and Nevis have the right to add the relatives to the citizenship program after getting their passport. The list of qualifying family members is the following:
a spouse;
children;
grandchildren;
parents;
siblings.
Their age must meet the limits of the program. Relatives can be of the investor’s spouse.
Right 一 relocation. They can move to the country of second citizenship anytime and live, do business, work, or study without a residence permit or special permission. If the investor lives in the state for 183 days or more, they must get a tax ID and pay taxes.
Tax systems of the two countries: St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda
Both Antiguan and St Kitts tax systems can be convenient for investors. Sometimes, wealthy people from developed countries move to the islands to cut their tax payments.
For example, there are no income taxes and taxes on dividends, interest, royalties in the countries.
Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis taxes for individual residents
How to get citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis or Antigua and Barbuda
Stages and timing of the CBI programs are similar. Differences appear only at the steps of taking the oath and visiting the country for investors in Antigua and Barbuda. The St Kitts CBI unit doesn’t require it.
Preliminary Due Diligence
The investor contacts the licensed agent of the program, Immigrant Invest. An Anti-Money Laundering Officer of the company conducts a preliminary Due Diligence. The stage allows to identify the rejection risks.
The investor contacts the licensed agent of the program, Immigrant Invest. An Anti-Money Laundering Officer of the company conducts a preliminary Due Diligence. The stage allows to identify the rejection risks.
Preparation of documents
The lawyers prepare investor’s documents: collect, translate and notarise them. Also, lawyers fill out government forms and file affidavits. The application and documents are submitted to the CBI unit.
The lawyers prepare investor’s documents: collect, translate and notarise them. Also, lawyers fill out government forms and file affidavits. The application and documents are submitted to the CBI unit.
Due Diligence
The CBI unit checks investors and their family members aged over 12 years in Antigua and Barbuda and over 16 years in St Kitts and Nevis.
If the CBI unit has any questions about the investor or the family members, it requests additional documents and explanations. A detailed affidavit helps avoid additional questions.
The CBI unit checks investors and their family members aged over 12 years in Antigua and Barbuda and over 16 years in St Kitts and Nevis.
If the CBI unit has any questions about the investor or the family members, it requests additional documents and explanations. A detailed affidavit helps avoid additional questions.
Investment terms fulfilment
After the agent gets approval of the investor’s application from the CBI unit, the applicant has 30 days to fulfil investment conditions of the Antigua and Barbuda program and 90 days to fulfil conditions of the St Kitts and Nevis program.
After the agent gets approval of the investor’s application from the CBI unit, the applicant has 30 days to fulfil investment conditions of the Antigua and Barbuda program and 90 days to fulfil conditions of the St Kitts and Nevis program.
Getting passport
The naturalisation certificates and passports are issued within 4 weeks after fulfilling financial conditions. The investor obtains documents at the agent’s office or by delivery service.
The naturalisation certificates and passports are issued within 4 weeks after fulfilling financial conditions. The investor obtains documents at the agent’s office or by delivery service.
Oath of allegiance
The investor and all the adult family members must take the oath of allegiance. The procedure can take place by videoconference, at the nearest national consulate or in Antigua and Barbuda.
The investor and all the adult family members must take the oath of allegiance. The procedure can take place by videoconference, at the nearest national consulate or in Antigua and Barbuda.
Moving to Antigua and Barbuda or St Kitts and Nevis
One must get a temporary or permanent residence permit for moving to St Kitts and Nevis or Antigua and Barbuda. Wealthy people with second citizenship by investment can relocate to the country and become their tax residents anytime they want.
Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis’ living conditions are similar. The countries are on islands with a tropical climate, warm sea all year round, good medicine, schools and universities.
Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis passports offer matching opportunities. Therefore, we recommend calculating the costs for both programs for your family composition. If there is no possibility or desire to come to Antigua and Barbuda to fulfil all program conditions, we advise choosing the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship program.
Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent for citizenship and residence by investment programs in the EU, the Caribbean, Asia, and the Middle East. Take advantage of our global 15-year expertise — schedule a meeting with our investment programs experts.
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