St Kitts and Nevis passport renewal ultimate guide: process, form, fees, and timing

The passport of a St Kitts and Nevis citizen is valid for 10 years for adults and for 5 years for children under 16. After that, it must be renewed.

On January 5th, 2012, St Kitts and Nevis introduced biometric e-passports, replacing the older machine-readable ones.

In November 2024, the government launched a new generation of e-passports under the ePassport Issuing and Control System, featuring polycarbonate data pages, advanced security elements, and integration with the ICAO Public Key Directory for stronger identity protection and global compatibility[1].

St Kitts and Nevis citizens visit around 150 countries without visas[2], including the Schengen Area and the UK. At the same time, the validity of a passport is longer than that of a Schengen visa which is issued for a maximum of 5 years.

In order not to lose the benefits that St Kitts and Nevis citizenship gives, it is important to change your passport in time. To do this, you need to fill out passport renewal forms and pay fees. It is recommended to apply for renewal at least 6 months before the expiry date.

Travelling with an expired St Kitts and Nevis passport is not allowed. Holding an expired passport also prevents citizens from updating visas or residence permits in other countries.

Investors who participate in the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship program receive a naturalisation certificate along with their passport. This document confirms the received status.

The certificate of naturalisation does not need to be changed — it is issued for life. It is important to keep it, because on its basis new passports are issued. But if it gets lost, investors can request a new certificate to be issued — it costs $2,200.

The investor receives passports for themselves and their family after they successfully pass Due Diligence and make an investment. The citizenship program department starts issuing documents as soon as it receives confirmation of the funds being credited.

On average, the passport is issued within up to 2 weeks from the moment the investment is credited. It is also possible to arrange an expedited procedure, completed in 4—5 days.

First, the applicant obtains the Certificate of Registration in person: either at an approved embassy or consulate or in St Kitts and Nevis. Then, the passport is issued on the basis of this Certificate.

To renew St Kitts and Nevis passport, it’s necessary to submit the following documents[3]:

• naturalisation certificate,
• expired passport,
• birth certificate, 
• certificate of no criminal record,
• photos for a new document.

The investor also pays a passport renewal fee of $1,055. The term for replacing a passport is up to 2 months.

The personal presence of the investor in St Kitts and Nevis is not required during the passport’s replacement. All procedures can be carried out remotely, and a new document can be received at any convenient address.

If the investor applied for St Kitts and Nevis citizenship with our help, we will remind him of the expiration of the passport several months in advance. Our lawyers will fill out the passport renewal forms, certify the copies and send the documents. The investor and his family will receive new passports quickly without any problems.

If a St Kitts and Nevis passport is lost or stolen, the holder must file a formal report before applying for a replacement. The entire process is as follows:

1. Submit a police report confirming the loss or theft.
2. Provide a notarised affidavit explaining the circumstances[4].
3. Fill out the replacement application form and submit it to the Passport Office or through an authorised agent.

The replacement fee is approximately $1,300, and the process usually takes up to 2 months. 

Applicants are encouraged to report the incident immediately to prevent misuse of the lost document.

To change the name, it's necessary to fill out several government forms, and attach a previous passport and a certificate of naturalisation.

Recognition of a name change made abroad requires separate approval by the authorities of St Kitts and Nevis. Applicants must provide official evidence that the change is valid under the country’s law.

The process of replacing a passport takes up to 2 months. It is completely remote and quite simple. Registration of documents and payment of fees for a citizen over 16 years old will cost about $4,000.

When it is necessary to change the name in the passport, investors contact us. Immigrant Invest lawyers help to fill out all the necessary forms, check the package of documents and transfer it to St Kitts and Nevis. The applicant just needs to wait for a new passport delivery.

1. The St Kitts and Nevis passport is valid for 10 years for adults and for 5 years for children under 16.
2. The process of a passport renewal takes up to 2 months and costs $1,055.
3. If the passport was lost or stolen, the person must first file a formal report to police before applying for a replacement.
4. In case of a name change, the investor must also renew their passport.

1. Source: SKNIS press release announces ePICS rollout and ICAO PKD membership
2. Source: List of visa-free countries for St Kitts and Nevis citizens, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
3. Source: SKN ePassport instructions lists renewal documents
4. Source: SKN ePassport instructions: loss and theft requires affidavit, recovery form and police report