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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.

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

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.

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.

5 years

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 ❌ and ⚠️ in the table below:

  • ❌ 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 For St Lucia citizens
1 Andorra Visa-free Visa-free
2 Austria Visa-free Visa-free
3 Belgium Visa-free Visa-free
4 Bosnia and Herzegovina Visa-free Visa-free
5 Bulgaria Visa-free Visa-free
6 Croatia Visa-free Visa-free
7 Cyprus Visa-free Visa-free
8 Czech Republic Visa-free Visa-free
9 Denmark Visa-free Visa-free
10 Estonia Visa-free Visa-free
11 Faroe Islands Visa-free Visa-free
12 Finland Visa-free Visa-free
13 France Visa-free Visa-free
14 Germany Visa-free Visa-free
15 Gibraltar Visa-free Visa-free
16 Greece Visa-free Visa-free
17 Greenland Visa-free Visa-free
18 Hungary Visa-free Visa-free
19 Iceland Visa-free Visa-free
20 Ireland Visa-free Visa-free
21 Italy Visa-free Visa-free
22 Kosovo Visa-free Visa-free
23 Latvia Visa-free Visa-free
24 Liechtenstein Visa-free Visa-free
25 Lithuania Visa-free Visa-free
26 Luxembourg Visa-free Visa-free
27 Malta Visa-free Visa-free
28 Moldova Visa-free Visa-free
29 Monaco Visa-free Visa-free
30 Montenegro Visa-free Visa-free
31 Netherlands Visa-free Visa-free
32 Norway Visa-free Visa-free
33 Poland Visa-free Visa-free
34 Portugal Visa-free Visa-free
35 Romania Visa-free Visa-free
36 ❌ Russia Visa-free Visa required
37 San Marino Visa-free Visa-free
38 ❌ Serbia Visa-free Visa required
39 Slovakia Visa-free Visa-free
40 Slovenia  Visa-free Visa-free
41 Spain Visa-free Visa-free
42 Sweden Visa-free Visa-free
43 Switzerland Visa-free Visa-free
44 ❌ Ukraine Visa-free Visa required
45 United Kingdom Visa-free Visa-free
46 Vatican City Visa-free Visa-free
North America
No. Entry country For Grenada citizens For St Lucia citizens
1 Anguilla Visa-free Visa-free
2 Antigua and Barbuda Visa-free Visa-free
3 Bahamas Visa-free Visa-free
4 Barbados Visa-free Visa-free
5 Belize Visa-free Visa-free
6 Bermuda Visa-free Visa-free
7 British Virgin Islands Visa-free Visa-free
8 Cayman Islands Visa-free Visa-free
9 Costa Rica Visa-free Visa-free
10 Cuba Visa-free Visa-free
11 Dominica Visa-free Visa-free
12 Dominican Republic  Visa-free Visa-free
13 ❌ El Salvador Visa required Visa-free
14 French West Indies Visa-free Visa-free
15 Greenland Visa-free Visa-free
16 Grenada Visa-free Visa-free
17 ❌ Guatemala Visa required Visa-free
18 Haiti Visa-free Visa-free
19 ❌ Honduras Visa required Visa-free
20 Jamaica Visa-free Visa-free
21 Montserrat Visa-free Visa-free
22 ⚠️ Nicaragua Visa on arrival Visa-free
23 Panama Visa-free Visa-free
24 St Kitts and Nevis Visa-free Visa-free
25 St Lucia Visa-free Visa-free
26 St Vincent and the Grenadines Visa-free Visa-free
27 Sint Maarten Visa-free Visa-free
28 Trinidad and Tobago Visa-free Visa-free
29 Turks and Caicos Islands Visa-free Visa-free
South America
No. Entry country For Grenada citizens For St Lucia citizens
1 Argentina Visa-free Visa-free
2 Aruba Visa-free Visa-free
3 Bolivia Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
4 Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba Visa-free Visa-free
5 Brazil Visa-free Visa required
6 Chile Visa-free Visa-free
7 Colombia Visa-free Visa-free
8 Curacao Visa-free Visa-free
9 Ecuador Visa-free Visa-free
10 French Guiana Visa-free Visa-free
11 Guyana Visa-free Visa-free
12 Peru Visa-free Visa-free
13 Suriname Visa-free Visa-free
14 Uruguay Visa-free Visa required
15 Venezuela Visa-free Visa-free
Asia
No. Entry country For Grenada citizens For St Lucia citizens
1 Armenia Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
2 ⚠️ Bangladesh Visa-free Visa on arrival
3 Cambodia Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
4 ❌ China Visa-free Visa required
5 Hong Kong Visa-free Visa-free
6 ❌Indonesia Visa required Visa required
7 Iran Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
8 Israel Visa-free Visa-free
9 Jordan Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
10 Laos Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
11 ⚠️ Macao Visa-free Visa on arrival
12 Malaysia Visa-free Visa-free
13 Maldives Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
14 Nepal Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
15 ❌ Pakistan Visa required Electronic entry permit
16 Palestinian Territory Visa-free Visa-free
17 Philippines Visa-free Visa-free
18 Singapore Visa-free Visa-free
19 South Korea Visa-free Visa-free
20 Sri Lanka Electronic entry permit Electronic entry permit
21 ❌ Taiwan Visa required Visa-free
22 Timor-Leste Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
23 Uzbekistan Visa-free Visa-free
Oceania
No. Entry country For Grenada citizens For St Lucia citizens
1 Cook Islands Visa-free Visa-free
2 Fiji Visa-free Visa-free
3 French Polynesia Visa-free Visa-free
4 Kiribati Visa-free Visa-free
5 Micronesia Visa-free Visa-free
6 New Caledonia Visa-free Visa-free
7 Niue Visa-free Visa-free
8 Palau Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
9 Samoa Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
10 Solomon Islands Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
11 ❌ Tonga Visa required Visa on arrival
12 Tuvalu Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
13 Vanuatu Visa-free Visa-free
Africa
No. Entry country For Grenada citizens For St Lucia citizens
1 Botswana Visa-free Visa-free
2 Burundi Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
3 Cape Verde Islands Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
4 ⚠️ Comoro Islands Visa-free Visa on arrival
5 Egypt Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
6 Eswatini Visa-free Visa-free
7 Gambia Visa-free Visa-free
8 Guinea-Bissau Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
9 Kenya Visa-free Visa-free
10 Lesotho Visa-free Visa-free
11 Madagascar Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
12 Malawi Visa-free Visa-free
13 Mauritania Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
14 Mauritius Visa-free Visa-free
15 Mayotte Visa-free Visa-free
16 Mozambique Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
17 Reunion Visa-free Visa-free
18 Rwanda Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
19 Senegal Visa-free Visa-free
20 Seychelles Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
21 Sierra Leone Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
22 Somalia Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
23 Saint Helena Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
24 Tanzania Visa-free Visa-free
25 Togo Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
26 ❌ Tunisia Visa required Visa-free
27 Uganda Visa on arrival Visa on arrival
28 Zambia Visa-free Visa-free
28 Zimbabwe Visa-free 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.

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

TaxesGrenadaSt Lucia
Income tax10 to 28%0 to 30%
Taxes on dividends, interest, royalties0%0% on dividends
10% on interest, royalties
Property tax and fees0% 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 day
Preliminary Due Diligence
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 to 4 weeks
Preparation of documents
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 to 6 months
Due Diligence
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.

30 to 90 days
Investment terms fulfilment
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.

Up to 4 weeks
Getting passport
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

Family memberGrenadaSt Lucia
SpouseUnlimitedUnlimited
ChildrenUnder 30Under 30
Parents and grandparentsOver 55Over 55
SiblingsOver 18Under 18

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.

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Comparison of Grenada & St Lucia passports