St Kitts and Nevis’s citizenship program by investment is the oldest in the world: it was launched in 1984. Since then, more than 20,000 applicants have received passports.
To obtain citizenship, investors make a non-refundable contribution to the state fund of $150,000 or buy real estate for $200,000+. The real estate option is more profitable as the capital invested can be recouped in 5–7 years.
Investors do not take exams in the language or history of the country. There are also no residency requirements: applicants do not need to come to St Kitts and Nevis before or after obtaining their passport.
The investor can include family members in the application: spouse, children, parents and siblings. They are granted citizenship at the same time as the investor.
St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment can be inherited by the investor’s children.
Possibilities
What does St Kitts and Nevis citizenship offer
1
Visa-free travel to the UK and the Schengen countries
St Kitts and Nevis citizens can travel visa-free to 157 countries around the world, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Britain, Ireland and the Schengen states. A St Kitts and Nevis passport gives broader travel opportunities than any other Caribbean passport.
2
Long-term US visa
St Kitts and Nevis citizens can get a 10-year B-1/B-2 US visa. It allows the holder to travel around the country, visit friends and family, take part in business meetings and receive medical treatment in American clinics.
3
International business
Citizens by investment have the right to register a company in St Kitts and Nevis. This helps investors in working with their foreign partners. For example, payments can be made without worrying about foreign exchange control regulations. When registering a company, the beneficial owner’s data is not entered in the commercial register.
4
Tax optimization
St Kitts and Nevis tax residents do not pay tax on dividends, interest or royalties. There is no tax on wages, capital gains or inheritance in the country.
fully financially dependent on the investor if over 18
Parents of the investor and their spouse
over 55
completely financially dependent on the investor
Brothers and sisters of the investor and their spouse
under 30
unmarried
no children
Budget
Costs for an investor
St Kitts and Nevis offers applicants 2 options: a non-refundable contribution to the Sustainable Development Fund or the purchase of real estate.
1Option investment
Non-refundable contribution
$150,000+
Investors make a contribution to the Sustainable Development Fund. The government of St Kitts and Nevis spends the fund’s resources on the development of health care, education, tourism, culture and alternative energy.
The contribution is non-refundable and the investor cannot earn income from investment in the fund.
Investor
Married couple
Family of 4, excluding siblings
Family of 5 or more
Contribution to the fund
$150,000
$175,000
$195,000
$195,000
+ $10,000 for a child or parent starting with the fifth family member
+ $20,000 for a sibling
Due Diligence
$7,500
$11,500
$7,500 for the investor
+ $4,000 per family member over 16 years old
$7,500 for the investor
+ $4,000 per family member over 16 years old
Other fees and charges
$1,161
$1,922
$3,294+
$3,294+
All costsShow less
2Option investment
Purchase of real estate
$175,000+
1. An investor can spend $175,000 or more to buy a share in a social or infrastructure real estate project in Saint Kitts and Nevis.
2. An investor can buy a share or a whole property for at least $200,000. A real estate project is to be approved by the government for qualifying for the citizenship program. These projects include shares in five-star hotels and resorts, apartments, villas, yacht berths.
The property can be sold in 7 years if has been bought for $200,000, or in 5 years if the property cost has exceeded $400,000. The investor also receives income from leasing the property of 2 to 5% per annum.
3. A villa not included in the list of government approved projects can be bought for at least $400,000.
If an investor buys property of the second or third type, an additional government fee is paid in the amount of at least $35,050.
Investor
Married couple
Family of 3 or more
Purchase of real estate
$200,000
$200,000
$200,000
State fee
$35,050
$55,100
$35,050 for the investor
+ $20,050 for a spouse
+ $10,050 per child or parent
+ $40,000 for a sibling
Due Diligence
$7,500
$11,500
$7,500 for the investor
+ $4,000 per family member over 16 years old
Other fees and duties
$1,161
$1922
$3,294+
All costsShow less
Cost of citizenship for a family of 4
Spouses and children of 9 and 17 years old
Contribution to the state fund
Purchase of social real estate
Purchase of property of the second or third type
Investment
$195,000
$175,000
$200,000
State fee
—
—
$75,200
Due Diligence
$15,500
$15,500
$15,500
Other fees and charges
$3,294
$3,294
$3,294
Total
$213,894
$193,894+
$294,094+
Individual calculation of the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship cost
Get an individual calculation for your family with all associated costs and government fees
By law, an investor cannot apply for citizenship by investment on their own. The applicant needs to contact a licensed agent to participate in the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment program. The licensed agent is a law firm that assists applicants at every stage of obtaining citizenship.
Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent of the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship program.
Step-by-step procedure of obtaining St Kitts and Nevis citizenship
The stages of obtaining a St Kitts and Nevis passport are similar in both options: a contribution to the state fund and the purchase of real estate.
1 day
Preliminary check
Preliminary check
1 day
A Compliance Anti Money Laundering Officer examines the investor’s documents. The procedure is confidential and takes only 1 business day. The applicant only needs to provide a passport.
Immigrant Invest is the licensed agent of the St Kitts and Nevis program, that has its own compliance department. Pre-screening reduces the risk of our clients’ applications being rejected to 1%.
2 to 4 weeks
Preparation of documents
Preparation of documents
2 to 4 weeks
Immigrant Invest’s lawyers prepare lists of the personal and financial documents required to participate in the citizenship program. They include passports, birth and marriage certificates and bank statements.
Our lawyers fill out all the state forms themselves and certify copies of documents: the investor only needs to sign.
2 to 6 months
Due Diligence check
Due Diligence check
2 to 6 months
We send the finished package of documents to the St. Kitts and Nevis program department. The applicant pays the Due Diligence fee and the Due Diligence begins. All family members over 16 years old must undergo a Due Diligence check.
Up to 3 months
Approval and fulfillment of the investment condition
Approval and fulfillment of the investment condition
Up to 3 months
When the department in charge of the citizenship by investment program notifies Immigrant Invest about the approval of their client’s application, the investor has to fulfill the investment condition within 90 days: contribute to the state fund or buy real estate.
Up to 4 weeks
Obtaining a passport
Obtaining a passport
Up to 4 weeks
Within 4 weeks after fulfilling the investment condition, a passport and a certificate of naturalization are issued. They are sent by courier to the address indicated by the investor.
Schedule a meeting in one of the offices or online. A lawyer will analyze the situation, calculate the cost and help you find a solution based on your goals.
Some of the money under the St. Kitts and Nevis program can be returned, but only if you buy real estate. It can be sold 5 to 7 years later and you can earn rental income for the entire ownership period. Usually the investor earns 2–5% per annum.
Can your company guarantee that I will receive a passport?
No licensed agent can guarantee a passport. If you are offered a 100% guarantee, you are probably dealing with scammers.
In order to increase the chances of approval of each application, we conduct a preliminary screening of the applicant in which our certified Compliance Anti Money Laundering Officer examines the investor’s documents. If they identify risks, we look for an alternative solution: for example, we offer the applicant a different program.
Immigrant Invest is the only company in Russia with its own compliance department. The pre-check service helps our clients get the result they want in the vast majority of cases.
Can I apply for citizenship myself?
You can, if you apply for citizenship by naturalization, marriage or for other reasons. However, documents for participation in the citizenship by investment program can only be submitted through a licensed program agent.
Do I need to come to St Kitts and Nevis to get a passport?
No, the procedure for obtaining citizenship can be completed remotely: you do not need to come to the islands before or after obtaining a passport.
International travellers are welcome to visit St Kitts and Nevis. This Caribbean country is ideal for relaxation, with a pleasant climate, beautiful nature and numerous beaches. If an investor buys a share in a hotel, they get the right to spend 1–2 weeks a year at the property for free.
Which family members must undergo Due Diligence?
Due Diligence is required for all family members over 16 years of age. Children under 16 years old do not need to go through it.
Due Diligence is fee-based. The cost for the main applicant is $7,500 and $4,000 for each adult family member included in the application.
Immigrant Invest
