Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment in Government Bonds with a 50% Discount
We like to travel the world. But visas are such a pain in the ass. So we thought to solve the problem once and for all by getting a second passport.
Kiran and Dasya,
Founders of the portfolio investment fund
Clients’ names and photos have been changed
The brother’s Kiran and Dasya decided to obtain second citizenship for visa-free travel around the world. Both investors are professional brokers. Therefore, they chose to purchase government bonds under the St Lucia citizenship by investment program.
The Saint Lucia CIP Unit has approved the brothers' applications. Unexpectedly, Dasya changed his mind and decided to abandon the purchase of the bond in favour of another option in order to cut the participation costs by two times.
We will explain how Dasya changed his investment option on such late notice and how Kiran bought a special offer government bond at a discount.
Why the brothers needed a second citizenship
Kiran and Dasya jointly founded a portfolio investment fund. For more than ten years, they have been professionally selling and buying securities of various companies.
Yuri has a large family of a wife and three children. Dasya is married, with one daughter. The brothers and their families live in Mumbai. At least twice a year, the families travel to Croatia in the summer and on New Year’s Eve when the children have holidays.
Visas were issued for each trip. To apply for a visa, the brothers traveled to Embassy of Croatia in New Delhi. From Mumbai to New Delhi it takes two hours by plane one way. Visits to consulates interfered with the work of adults and the study of children.
Kiran and Dasya learned that they can solve the problem and travel freely if they receive a passport of another country by investment. They read an article on the Internet by Immigrant Invest about how Caribbean citizenship helps with travelling around the world without visas.
Caribbean citizens travel visa-free to more than 140 countries around the world, including Schengen, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong. In the Schengen countries, it is allowed to stay without a visa for 90 days in half a year and in the UK, 180 days a year. They also receive tourist visas to the United States for ten years under a simplified procedure.
On the 7th of October, 2020, Kiran and Dasya applied to Immigrant Invest to choose a country and obtain a second citizenship.
What offers appeared during the crisis
In 2020, alongside Saint Lucia citizenship by investment, other Caribbean countries with citizenship programs also added special offers to attract more investment in the country’s economy.
Country
Special offer
According to old rules
Return of investment
$150,000
contribution to the state fund for a family of up to four
$195,000
contribution to the state fund for a family of four
Non-refundable
$175,000
contribution to the state fund for a family of up to four
$200,000
contribution to the state fund for a family of up to four
Non-refundable
$150,000
contribution to the state fund for a family of four
$190,000
contribution to the state fund for a family of four
Non-refundable
$250,000
purchase of government bonds
$500,000
purchase of government bonds
Return of investment after 5—7 years
Expenses for participation in citizenship programs
The cost of participation depends not only on the amount of the selected investment option but also on additional costs like fees for adding family members, the cost of due diligence and state fees.
Kiran and Dasya must participate in the program separately: each family according to its own application. This also affected costs.
Vladlena Baranova,
Lawyer, AML Compliance officer, certified CAMS specialist
Caribbean programs allow siblings to be included under certain conditions but Kiran and Dasya did not meet them.
For example, Dominica allows unmarried brothers up to 25 years old and Saint Lucia up to 18 years old. Saint Kitts and Nevis allowed siblings to participate in the program only in November 2020, up to age 30. Siblings must also be financially dependent on the investor.
Kiran and Dasya are over 40 years old, each with their own family and different sources of income. Therefore, they could participate in the citizenship program only on separate applications.
We have calculated the costs for families for all program options. According to Kiran’s application, five people were going to participate: the investor, his wife and children of 19, 11 and 4 years old. Regarding Dasya, there were three: the investor, his wife and a 10-year-old daughter.
Family expenses for participation in citizenship programs
Investment option
Program costs
Kiran's family: 2 adults and 3 kids
Dasya's family: 2 adults and a child
Purchase of government bonds
Saint Lucia: $314,550
Saint Lucia: $294,050
Non-refundable contribution to the state fund
Saint Lucia: $190,550
St Kitts and Nevis: $179,605
Dominica: $220,500
Saint Lucia: $168,050 St Kitts and Nevis: $164,133 Dominica: $189,900
Why Kiran and Dasya chose the Saint Lucia program
Kiran and Dasya are professional brokers, they are familiar with the terms of buying and selling securities. For them, the purchase of government bonds of Saint Lucia is the most understandable and profitable option.
St Lucia’ Citizenship by Investment Unit announced changes for investors since Jan. 1, 2023: new bond purchase offer — $300,000 instead of regular government bonds for $500,00.
The brothers reasoned that government bonds were a liquid asset. Although the Covid‑19 Relief Bonds of Saint Lucia are interest-free bonds, the investor has the right to return the money invested after five or seven years, depending on the amount of the transaction.
Conditions for the purchase and ownership of Saint Lucia government bonds
Investors understood that they could invest much less in Caribbean passports. But expenses are halved only if you choose a non-refundable contribution, which means losing money.
The government of Saint Lucia also offered a 50% discount on the purchase of government bonds. The minimum transaction amount was $250,000 instead of $500,000 as it was before.
50% discount
Applies to purchase of Saint Lucia government bonds
Kiran and Dasya decided to buy each of the government bonds for $250,000 for seven years. They entered into an agreement with Immigrant Invest to participate in the Saint Lucia citizenship by investment program.
Saint Lucia is known for its majestic Piton Mountains, drive-in volcano, refreshing waterfalls, spectacular hiking trails, beautiful beaches, local street parties and exclusive restaurants
Preparation of documents and application submission
Participation in the citizenship program of Saint Lucia is completely remote. In 2020, the program department moved all procedures online. The process of obtaining citizenship took about three months from the moment the application was submitted to the department until the receipt of the passport.
Collecting documents
Submitting an application to the program department
Due Diligence in the program department
Approval from the program department
Transferring the investment to the department's account
Receiving the certificate of naturalization and passport by mail
The collection of documents took a week and a half. Investors provided Immigrant Invest lawyers with:
copies of passports;
police clearance certificates for all participants over 18 years old;
marriage certificates;
birth certificates of children;
medical insurance;
receipt for payment of application processing fee and due diligence fee.
Lawyers completed government application forms and questionnaires. The notary certified copies of passports and certificates.
For Due Diligence in the department of Saint Lucia, lawyers also compiled a welfare
history. It indicated all the sources of income for the brothers and money for investments, confirming their legality.
Application submission. The lawyers filled out the application forms which indicate the personal data of the investors and the chosen investment option.
The whole procedure took place on the secure Internet portal of the program department. Lawyers uploaded scans of documents to the forms.
The Due Diligence in the program department took two and a half months. Kiran and Dasya received the approval of the department and the details for the purchase of bonds.
If the investor decided to change the investment option
When the lawyers gave the brothers the details for the transfer of investments, Dasya returned to Immigrant Invest with a question. He wanted to change the investment option: from buying government bonds to a non-refundable contribution. At the last moment before paying, he decided to cut the costs of participating in the program.
Saint Lucia makes it possible to change the option under two conditions:
The Investor has not yet transferred the investment contribution to the department’s account.
The department has agreed to change the option.
Immigrant Invest’s lawyers filed a request to the program department to replace the option.
Vladlena Baranova,
Lawyer, AML Compliance officer, certified CAMS specialist
Saint Lucia is supportive in situations when investors change their mind and decide to use another investment option. Once the investor has successfully passed the Due Diligence and received approval, there is no need to reapply. You don’t need to pay additional fees either. It is enough to agree on the change of the option with the department.
Purchase of Saint Lucia government bonds and transfer of the contribution
Dasya did not have to re-collect the documents: they fully corresponded to what the investor submitted to buy the bond. The investor received approval to change the option and continued to apply for St Lucia investment citizenship according to the standard procedure.
Transfer of the investment contribution to the account of the department. Dasya issued a bank transfer for the amount of a non-refundable contribution to the National Economic Fund of Saint Lucia. Kiran paid the cost of the bond and the fees for the program in one payment using the details from the department.
Dasya made a contributions to the state fund in the amount of $150,000.
Kiran bought a government bond for $250,000
Kiran did not have to redeem the bond or look for a broker. The Department of St. Lucia transferred the money to the finance department, which then issued a bond in the name of the investor.
The brothers received their St Lucia passports in February 2021. Due to the change in the option, Dasya received his passport a week later than Kiran. Equally, their participation in the program took around four months from the moment they applied to Immigrant Invest to the time of receivement.
Saint Lucia's registered government bond, which contains the investor's name and maturity date. The investor is not allowed to transfer or sell the bond before the maturity date
Travel without worries with a Saint Lucia passport
The brothers hope to travel with their families abroad in the summer on a trip to the national parks of Europe. They want to have a picnic on the shores of one of the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia, climb Mount Triglav in Slovenia and enjoy the silence of the Bavarian forests in Germany.
Kiran’s oldest daughter is looking for a student internship in the United States; she plans to get a visa to the United States for ten years with a Saint Lucia passport. This can be done using a simplified procedure.
Dasya wants to send his daughter to school in the UK in two years. As a citizen of Saint Lucia, the daughter will be able to obtain a student residence permit in the UK in two to three days. Indian citizens spend up to six months on the same procedure, because you need to get a visa in India first and only then, a residence permit in the UK.
When the borders open, Dasya and his wife will go to London to choose an educational institution situated near the British capital. Furthermore, the spouses will rent an apartment in the city to pick up their daughter from school on the weekends.
A passport of Saint Lucia will allow families like Kiran’s and Dasya’ to travel without visas to 146 countries including the Schengen and Caribbean regions, Singapore and Hong Kong. In the meantime as the pandemic continues, they have the right to travel to Europe for valid reasons; for business, education or medical treatment.
About all the opportunities that opened up for investors, in the guide "Citizenship of Saint Lucia: everything about the program".
Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent for government programs in the European Union and the Caribbean.
