Citizenship
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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.

Lyle Julien

Author •Lyle Julien

Compared the two Caribbean CBI programs

Grenada and St Lucia passports allow visa-free access to at least 140 states

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.

Caribbean passport comparison: visa-free destinations, time and costs for obtaining Grenada and St Lucia passports

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:

  1. Contribute $100,000 to a state fund, a non-refundable option.

  2. Buy real estate for $200,000, a refundable option.

  3. Purchase government bonds for $300,000, a refundable option.

  4. Invest in a local company for $3,500,000.

Individual cost calculation for Grenada citizenship

Individual cost calculation for Grenada citizenship

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.

  • Europe

    No.

    Entry country

    For Grenada citizens

    1

    Andorra

    Visa-free

    2

    Austria

    Visa-free

    3

    Belgium

    Visa-free

    4

    Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Visa-free

    5

    Bulgaria

    Visa-free

    6

    Croatia

    Visa-free

    7

    Cyprus

    Visa-free

    8

    Czech Republic

    Visa-free

    9

    Denmark

    Visa-free

    10

    Estonia

    Visa-free

    11

    Faroe Islands

    Visa-free

    12

    Finland

    Visa-free

    13

    France

    Visa-free

    14

    Germany

    Visa-free

    15

    Gibraltar

    Visa-free

    16

    Greece

    Visa-free

    17

    Greenland

    Visa-free

    18

    Hungary

    Visa-free

    19

    Iceland

    Visa-free

    20

    Ireland

    Visa-free

    21

    Italy

    Visa-free

    22

    Kosovo

    Visa-free

    23

    Latvia

    Visa-free

    24

    Liechtenstein

    Visa-free

    25

    Lithuania

    Visa-free

    26

    Luxembourg

    Visa-free

    27

    Malta

    Visa-free

    28

    Moldova

    Visa-free

    29

    Monaco

    Visa-free

    30

    Montenegro

    Visa-free

    31

    Netherlands

    Visa-free

    32

    Norway

    Visa-free

    33

    Poland

    Visa-free

    34

    Portugal

    Visa-free

    35

    Romania

    Visa-free

    36

    (х) Russia

    Visa-free

    37

    San Marino

    Visa-free

    38

    (х) Serbia

    Visa-free

    39

    Slovakia

    Visa-free

    40

    Slovenia

    Visa-free

    41

    Spain

    Visa-free

    42

    Sweden

    Visa-free

    43

    Switzerland

    Visa-free

    44

    (х) Ukraine

    Visa-free

    45

    United Kingdom

    Visa-free

    46

    Vatican City

    Visa-free

  • North America

    No.

    Entry country

    For Grenada citizens

    1

    Anguilla

    Visa-free

    2

    Antigua and Barbuda

    Visa-free

    3

    Bahamas

    Visa-free

    4

    Barbados

    Visa-free

    5

    Belize

    Visa-free

    6

    Bermuda

    Visa-free

    7

    British Virgin Islands

    Visa-free

    8

    Cayman Islands

    Visa-free

    9

    Costa Rica

    Visa-free

    10

    Cuba

    Visa-free

    11

    Dominica

    Visa-free

    12

    Dominican Republic

    Visa-free

    13

    (х) El Salvador

    Visa required

    14

    French West Indies

    Visa-free

    15

    Greenland

    Visa-free

    16

    Grenada

    Visa-free

    17

    (х) Guatemala

    Visa required

    18

    Haiti

    Visa-free

    19

    (х) Honduras

    Visa required

    20

    Jamaica

    Visa-free

    21

    Montserrat

    Visa-free

    22

    (!) Nicaragua

    Visa on arrival

    23

    Panama

    Visa-free

    24

    St Kitts and Nevis

    Visa-free

    25

    St Lucia

    Visa-free

    26

    St Vincent and the Grenadines

    Visa-free

    27

    Sint Maarten

    Visa-free

    28

    Trinidad and Tobago

    Visa-free

    29

    Turks and Caicos Islands

    Visa-free

  • South America

    No.

    Entry country

    For Grenada citizens

    1

    Argentina

    Visa-free

    2

    Aruba

    Visa-free

    3

    Bolivia

    Visa on arrival

    4

    Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba

    Visa-free

    5

    Brazil

    Visa-free

    6

    Chile

    Visa-free

    7

    Colombia

    Visa-free

    8

    Curacao

    Visa-free

    9

    Ecuador

    Visa-free

    10

    French Guiana

    Visa-free

    11

    Guyana

    Visa-free

    12

    Peru

    Visa-free

    13

    Suriname

    Visa-free

    14

    Uruguay

    Visa-free

    15

    Venezuela

    Visa-free

  • Asia

    No.

    Entry country

    For Grenada citizens

    1

    Armenia

    Visa on arrival

    2

    (!) Bangladesh

    Visa-free

    3

    Cambodia

    Visa on arrival

    4

    (х) China

    Visa-free

    5

    Hong Kong

    Visa-free

    6

    (х) Indonesia

    Visa required

    7

    Iran

    Visa on arrival

    8

    Israel

    Visa-free

    9

    Jordan

    Visa on arrival

    10

    Laos

    Visa on arrival

    11

    (!) Macao

    Visa-free

    12

    Malaysia

    Visa-free

    13

    Maldives

    Visa on arrival

    14

    Nepal

    Visa on arrival

    15

    (х) Pakistan

    Visa required

    16

    Palestinian Territory

    Visa-free

    17

    Philippines

    Visa-free

    18

    Singapore

    Visa-free

    19

    South Korea

    Visa-free

    20

    Sri Lanka

    Electronic entry permit

    21

    (х) Taiwan

    Visa required

    22

    Timor-Leste

    Visa on arrival

    23

    Uzbekistan

    Visa-free

  • Oceania

    No.

    Entry country

    For Grenada citizens

    1

    Cook Islands

    Visa-free

    2

    Fiji

    Visa-free

    3

    French Polynesia

    Visa-free

    4

    Kiribati

    Visa-free

    5

    Micronesia

    Visa-free

    6

    New Caledonia

    Visa-free

    7

    Niue

    Visa-free

    8

    Palau

    Visa on arrival

    9

    Samoa

    Visa on arrival

    10

    Solomon Islands

    Visa on arrival

    11

    (х) Tonga

    Visa required

    12

    Tuvalu

    Visa on arrival

    13

    Vanuatu

    Visa-free

  • Africa

    No.

    Entry country

    For Grenada citizens

    1

    Botswana

    Visa-free

    2

    Burundi

    Visa on arrival

    3

    Cape Verde Islands

    Visa on arrival

    4

    (!) Comoro Islands

    Visa-free

    5

    Egypt

    Visa on arrival

    6

    Eswatini

    Visa-free

    7

    Gambia

    Visa-free

    8

    Guinea-Bissau

    Visa on arrival

    9

    Kenya

    Visa-free

    10

    Lesotho

    Visa-free

    11

    Madagascar

    Visa on arrival

    12

    Malawi

    Visa-free

    13

    Mauritania

    Visa on arrival

    14

    Mauritius

    Visa-free

    15

    Mayotte

    Visa-free

    16

    Mozambique

    Visa on arrival

    17

    Reunion

    Visa-free

    18

    Rwanda

    Visa on arrival

    19

    Senegal

    Visa-free

    20

    Seychelles

    Visa on arrival

    21

    Sierra Leone

    Visa on arrival

    22

    Somalia

    Visa on arrival

    23

    Saint Helena

    Visa on arrival

    24

    Tanzania

    Visa-free

    25

    Togo

    Visa on arrival

    26

    (х) Tunisia

    Visa required

    27

    Uganda

    Visa on arrival

    28

    Zambia

    Visa-free

    28

    Zimbabwe

    Visa-free

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.

Individual cost calculation for St Lucia citizenship

Individual cost calculation for St Lucia citizenship

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

Taxes

Grenada

St Lucia

Income tax

10 to 28%

0 to 30%

Taxes on dividends, interest, royalties

0%

0% on dividends
10% on interest, royalties

Property tax and fees

0% for a buyer
5% for a seller

2% for a buyer
2.5 to 5% for a seller

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

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.

2

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.

3

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.

4

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.

5

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.

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:

  1. Antigua and Barbuda.

  2. The Bahamas.

  3. Barbados.

  4. Belize.

  5. Dominica.

  6. Grenada.

  7. Gayana.

  8. Haiti.

  9. Jamaica.

  10. Montserrat.

  11. St Kitts and Nevis.

  12. St Lucia.

  13. St Vincent and the Grenadines.

  14. Suriname.

  15. 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

Family member

Grenada

St Lucia

Spouse

Unlimited

Unlimited

Children

Under 30

Under 30

Parents and grandparents

Over 55

Over 55

Siblings

Over 18

Under 18

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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Frequently asked questions

  • Which Caribbean citizenship is the best?

    The best citizenship allows you to travel visa-free to popular destinations. A Grenada passport is the strongest of Caribbean ones because its holder can visit visa-free Schengen countries, the UK and China.

    Caribbean citizens get B‑1/B‑2 visitor visas for 10 years to travel to the US. Grenada citizens can obtain E‑2 business visas to move to the US.

  • How strong is the St Lucia passport for visa-free travelling?

    The passport is good for travelling. St Lucia citizens enter Schengen countries and the UK visa-free, and they can get 10-year B‑1/B‑2 visitor visas to the US. Wealthy people get St Lucia passports by investment.

  • Is Grenada citizenship suitable for investors?

    Yes, it is. A Grenada passport allows the investor to visit 146 countries visa-free, including the Schengen Area and the UK. Also, Grenada citizens can obtain 10‑year B‑1/B‑2 visitor visas to the US for travelling or E‑2 business visas for moving to the US.

  • How to get St Lucia residency?

    For example, you can obtain a St Lucia residence permit for working in the country or through marriage. Wealthy people get St Lucia citizenship by investing at least $100,000.

    Investors can live, do business, and work in the country for an unlimited time.

  • How to get Grenada citizenship?

    You can obtain a Grenada passport through marriage to a national or as his or her relative. Or to get it after 10 years of residency with a Grenada residence permit. The fastest way is Grenada citizenship by investing $150,000, which takes about 6 months to obtain.