Comparison of Grenada & St Lucia passports
There are many differences between passports of St Lucia and Grenada: visa-free destinations, costs and time of obtaining. Let’s discuss the passport holder’s opportunities and the features of Grenada and St Lucia programs, and compare them.
Author •Lyle Julien
Compared the two Caribbean CBI programs
Comparison of Grenada & St Lucia passports
What is the strongest country passport: comparison of Grenada and St Lucia
The term “a strong passport” means its holder can travel visa-free to many countries. Grenada and St Lucia passports allow you to visit 140+ states visa-free. But the country number isn’t the primary indicator.
Travel destinations and conditions for staying in countries without visas are essential. You can spend 90 days out of 180 in the Schengen Area and 180 days in a row in the UK with a Caribbean passport. Visa-free countries include China for Grenada citizens, and St Lucia citizens get visas for entering China.
It is also worth paying attention to the visa regime. Caribbean citizens can quickly obtain B‑1/B‑2 visitor visas to the US. This visa doesn’t allow you to work, study or do business in the country. You can have vacations, attend conferences and business meetings, and get medical treatment with a visitor visa.
Among Caribbean nationals, only the Grenadians can obtain an E‑2 visa, which allows them to move to the US to conduct business.
If you made a passport power comparison, the next step is to choose the conditions for obtaining citizenship. Essential terms for investors are costs and time.
Grenada’s passport is stronger than St Lucia’s, but its price is higher and takes longer to obtain.
The programs differ in terms of investment volume and options. Grenada offers to contribute $150,000 in a state fund or buy real estate for $220,000. The contribution is non-refundable. The investor can return the investment in a property after 5 years.
The program costs depend on the number and age of relatives who will obtain citizenship together with the investor. They can be spouses, children, parents, grandparents, and siblings.
St Lucia offers four investment options. The applicant must:
Contribute $100,000 to a state fund, a non-refundable option.
Buy real estate for $200,000, a refundable option.
Purchase government bonds for $300,000, a refundable option.
Invest in a local company for $3,500,000.
Validity of Grenada and St Lucia passports
An investor changes the passport of Grenada or St Lucia every five years.
Investors apply for passport renewal at the nearest country’s consulate two months before the expiration to the nearest country consulate. You don’t need to contact the consulate personally; you can apply through a licensed agent of the citizenship program.
The passport fee is about $100.
Rights of passport holders
Visa-free travelling. The countries signed agreements with 146 states about visa-free travelling or entering under the simplified regime, for example, with an e-visa or visa on arrival.
For your convenience, we have highlighted the countries with (х) and (!) in the table below:
(х) is for different entry conditions. For example, Grenada citizens need a visa, and St Lucia’s don’t, or the other way round;
(!) highlights the countries where entry conditions slightly differ. For example, Grenada citizens have visa-free entry, while St Lucia’s get visas on arrival.
Entering the US. As we said, Grenada and St Lucia citizens get B‑1/B‑2 visitor visas to the US.
Grenada citizens can also obtain E‑2 business visas. They invest in companies in the States and can live in the country as long as the business earns an income. There is no limit to the size of the investment. In practice, it is sufficient to invest $200,000. An E‑2 visa holder may enter and leave the US an unlimited number of times. Their spouse and children can live in the States too.
Preferences in the UK. Grenada and St Lucia are members of the Commonwealth of Nations, which includes former British colonies. Citizens of these countries can obtain scholarships for studying at some British universities and preferences for doing business in the UK.
Right to retain a second citizenship. St Lucia and Grenada recognise the right of its citizens to hold second, third or more citizenships in other countries. Therefore, an investor with Grenada or St Lucia citizenship will only have to give up their home country’s passport if they wish to do so.
Living in the Caribbean. Passport holders can enter the citizenship state anytime, even with closed borders. They can live in the country indefinitely, study, work and run a business without obtaining a special permit.
Grenada and St Lucia taxes
If an investor lives in a country for 183 days or more a year, they become tax residents and get a tax ID. Grenada or St Lucia residency is convenient for a more comfortable tax system and reducing tax payments.
Grenada and St Lucia income taxes for residents are calculated on a progressive scale. The tax count is based on Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$), the regional currency. One Eastern Caribbean dollar is always equal to 37 US cents.
Only domestic source income is taxed, without global revenue. In most cases, St Lucia tax rates are lower than in Grenada.
Comparison of taxes for individuals: Grenada vs St Lucia
How to get St Lucia or Grenada passport
The Caribbean citizenship programs have the same stages, the most important of which is Due Diligence of the investor. The main applicant proves the legality of the income.
Grenada’s Due Diligence is the strictest: the applicant provides information about all sources of income, not just the source of the investment. DD lasts from 3 to 6 months. If the CBI unit, the program department, has further questions, the check period will increase.
To participate in the program, you need to contact a licensed agent, Immigrant Invest. According to the conditions of the Caribbean CBI programs, you can’t apply yourself.
1 day
Preliminary Due Diligence
An Anti-Money Laundering Officer of the licensed agent conducts a preliminary Due Diligence of the investor. This step allows lawyers of Immigrant Invest to identify the rejection risks.
An Anti-Money Laundering Officer of the licensed agent conducts a preliminary Due Diligence of the investor. This step allows lawyers of Immigrant Invest to identify the rejection risks.
2 to 4 weeks
Preparation of documents
Lawyers prepare the investor’s documents: translate and notarise them, and fill out government forms and the investor’s application. Each investor’s case is unique, so lawyers prepare an affidavit 一 a detailed explanation of the principal applicant’s story.
Lawyers prepare the investor’s documents: translate and notarise them, and fill out government forms and the investor’s application. Each investor’s case is unique, so lawyers prepare an affidavit 一 a detailed explanation of the principal applicant’s story.
3 to 6 months
Due Diligence
The CBI unit checks investors and their adult relatives. St Lucia’s Due Diligence goes faster than Grenada’s, which may last up to 6 months.
The CBI unit checks investors and their adult relatives. St Lucia’s Due Diligence goes faster than Grenada’s, which may last up to 6 months.
30 to 90 days
Investment terms fulfilment
When the CBI unit informs the agent about approving the application, the main applicant fulfils investment program terms: contributes to the fund, purchases real estate, or buys bonds. St Lucia’s CBI unit gives 90 days for fulfilment, and Grenada’s 一 30 days.
When the CBI unit informs the agent about approving the application, the main applicant fulfils investment program terms: contributes to the fund, purchases real estate, or buys bonds. St Lucia’s CBI unit gives 90 days for fulfilment, and Grenada’s 一 30 days.
Up to 4 weeks
Getting passport
When the fulfilment is confirmed, the naturalisation certificates and passports of the investor and the relatives are issued. The main applicant gets the documents at the agent’s office or by delivery service.
When the fulfilment is confirmed, the naturalisation certificates and passports of the investor and the relatives are issued. The main applicant gets the documents at the agent’s office or by delivery service.
Interesting facts about Grenada and St Lucia
Grenada and St Lucia are tropical countries. The rainy season lasts from May to November, and the best time for a holiday is January or February. Air and water temperatures range between +25 and +30℃. Wealthy UK, Canadian and US citizens buy villas in Grenada and St Lucia and spend the winter there.
Other interesting facts about the countries include the following:
About 90% of the population is Christian.
The national currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar which costs 37 US cents.
Each island can be driven around in a day by car.
Grenada and St Lucia are the safest countries in the Caribbean, and you can travel peacefully.
Grenada and St Lucia are members of the commonwealth CARICOM, so their citizens can live, study and work in any CARICOM country without obtaining a residence permit. For example, you can fly from St Lucia to Grenada in 45一50 minutes.
15 Caribbean states of CARICOM:
Antigua and Barbuda.
The Bahamas.
Barbados.
Belize.
Dominica.
Grenada.
Gayana.
Haiti.
Jamaica.
Montserrat.
St Kitts and Nevis.
St Lucia.
St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Suriname.
Trinidad and Tobago.
There are four universities in the Caribbean, and the West Indies University in St Lucia is more popular. Grenada has a renowned private St George’s University. The university students undertake an internship in the US, and the university diploma is recognised in 47 countries, including the US and the UK.
Checklist for Caribbean citizenship by investment comparison
We have listed the comparison parameters in order of priority and how investors choose the program in practice. We will help you choose the most suitable second passport by investment for your tasks.
Visa-free destinations. To choose a program, the investor compares some terms. First, we recommend paying attention to visa-free destinations rather than the number of countries. For example, if the investor often visits China, they need a Grenada passport.
Living in the US. If the investor wants to move to the US, they get Grenada passports and E‑2 business visas to the US. The visa allows the investor to move to the States with the family.
Costs. Investment volume and program fees depend on the program, the investor’s family composition and relatives' age. For example, purchasing real estate for a family of 4 under the Grenada program would be $291,800. Of these, $220,800 can be paid back in 5 years, and non-recoverable costs will be only $71,000.
We recommend calculating all options for the investor’s family composition for the Grenada and St Lucia programs.
Time. Investors get St Lucia passports faster than Grenada’s by about three months.
Relatives' age. The program conditions for the investor’s relatives are similar; only age limits for siblings differ. This term is rarely a decisive factor in a choice. Adult relatives other than the spouse must depend financially on the investor or the spouse.
Age limits for relatives comparison
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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