Saint Kitts & Nevis Citizenship By Investment

St Kitts Nevis citizenship by investment

SAINT KITTS & NEVIS CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT

Overview A sovereign state and realm of the Commonwealth, St Kitts & Nevis is a dual-island nation in the West Indies, located between the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. The islands are renowned for their cloud-shrouded mountains and beaches, with St Kitts the larger of the islands separated from Nevis by The Narrows strait of 3km.

Health & Education There are eight public high schools and several private ones with education free and compulsory between the ages of 5-16. St Kitts is home to UMHS, one of the leading Caribbean medical schools. Life expectancy in Saint Kitts is 75.5 years and there are a number of public hospitals offering basic free healthcare to citizens.

Transport The island nation has two international airports, the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport on Saint Kitts, which offers direct flights to London, New York, Miami and Toronto, among others; and the Vance W. Amory International Airport on Nevis, which offers flights to other Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico. Getting around the islands is easy via car, taxis, a bus system and ferries. There’s also a stunning scenic railway on St. Kitts.

Lifestyle Of volcanic origin, the islands feature an abundance of natural and unspoilt beauty and are known for their warm waters, white sandy beaches, clean air, relaxing pace of life and easy-going people. St Kitts is dominated by the dormant Mount Liamuiga volcano, which offers a four-hour hike to the top and is home to a crater lake, the island’s iconic green velvet monkeys and rainforests criss-crossed with hiking trails. Another main highlight is Frigate Bay on Saint Kitts, a flat expanse of land that juts out into the sea that is an unusual geological feature, home to three of the island’s main beaches. The Botanical Gardens of Nevis feature birds and butterflies, a waterfall and orchid garden. Cricket is the national obsession, with a modern stadium standing proud in the capital Basseterre, while Rugby, Netball and Football are also played. There are two annual national celebrations which bring the population of both islands together – the St Kitts Music Festival and St. Kitts-Nevis National Carnival.

Climate The islands deliver a tropical, hot and humid climate year-round that ranges from 24C to 28C.

Population 53,000 (2019)

Languages English is the official language, while Saint Kitts Creole is also used.

Religion Christianity makes up the majority of the population (82%), which consists of mainly Anglicans and other Protestant denominations.

Capital City The capital of larger island Saint Kitts is Basseterre, while Charlestown is the capital of Nevis.

Currency East Caribbean Dollar (ECD)

GDP per Capita $19,275.40 (2018)

Economy The dual island nation is the fourth strongest economy in the Caribbean. Once dependent on the sugar trade, Saint Kitts permanently closed its sugar trade in 2005 with many of its former sugar plantations now inns or ruins. Today, the islands are heavily dependent on tourism, with diversification into agriculture, light manufacturing industries and offshore banking. Saint Kitts offers a low tax regime including no income, inheritance or gift tax.

Did you know…? Saint Kitts & Nevis is the smallest sovereign state, both area and population, in the entire Americas.

SAINT KITTS & NEVIS CBI PROGRAMME

Established 38 years
Minimum outlay $150,000
Processing time 60 days
Residency or travel requirements None
Freedom of movement 157
Investment Options 2

Overview Launched in 1984, Saint Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment programme is the most established and long-standing program worldwide with a solid “reputation as the ‘platinum standard’ of citizenship by investment”, according to the CBI Index 2019 (Financial Times) and has been ranked top for the last two years. Furthermore, its due diligence systems are renowned as the strongest worldwide and expected to be strengthened following new regulations focusing on fingerprinting and biometrics. In fact, eligibility for citizenship is based on whether that person raises any integrity, reputational or security concerns.

Best for Freedom of movement: the CBI of Saint Kitts offers second passport holders visa-free access to the most destinations of any Caribbean country, 11 more than Saint Lucia.

Pros As the world’s most longstanding CBI, this dual citizenship program has been setting the standard for the CBI industry for decades and as a result has secured multiple awards. One of the fastest CIPs worldwide, from its Accelerated Application Process of 60 days to three months. The dual citizenship program has no mandatory travel or residency requirements and applicants do not need to undertake an interview. As well as delivering one of the strongest due diligence procedures in the world, the economic citizenship of Saint Kitts gives individuals visa-free access to the highest number of countries of any Caribbean CBI program. Finally, the citizenship by investment programme features an extensive list of government-approved real estate development investments, giving interested applicants plenty of choice.

Cons As the smallest country in the Caribbean, Saint Kitts has a smaller economy than most.

USP It is currently the only citizenship by investment nation to offer a secure, fast-track route. For a fee, the Accelerated Application Process (AAP) delivers a guaranteed 60-day result. Choosing the donation option and adding AAP feature makes obtaining citizenship from St Kitts and Nevis currently the fastest in the world.

Ease of processing While periodically reaching three months, Saint Kitts and Nevis’ dual citizenship programme offers an accelerated route for applicants who are willing to pay a premium. The Accelerated Application Process, which costs $25,000 for the main applicant and $500 for each dependent, guarantees 60 days delivery. Applicants do not need to travel to or reside in the country before, after, or during the procedures and there is no need for applicants to undertake an interview anytime during the process. There are also no language, education or business requirements.

Freedom of movement The citizenship by investment programme allows visa-free access to 157 countries, which is the highest of all the Caribbean countries, and includes all of the EU countries.

Investment options Saint Kitts and Nevis’ economic investor programme delivers two investment options.

www.ciu.gov.kn

ST KITTS & NEVIS CBI INVESTMENTS

Option 1 The fastest and most secure route to citizenship in St Kitts & Nevis, applicants make a non-refundable donation to the country’s Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF). For a single applicant, a donation of $150,000 is required, while a family of four needs to pay $195,000. For each additional dependent, including grandparents (and whatever age), a $10,000 fee must be paid. Applicants should consider the costs of due diligence fees, which total $7,500 for the main applicant and $4,000 for each dependent over the age of 16.

Option 2 This option involves investment in a pre-approved real estate project, the options of which include hotel shares, villas and condominium units. For single applicants, a minimum investment of $200,000 is required and the applicant must retain the property for seven years before being allowed to re-sell. The investment is double for a family of four, at $400,000, though you are able to re-sell after just five years. Then there’s the fees: due diligence fees of $7,500 for the main applicant and $4,000 for each dependent over 16; and government fees of $35,050 for main applicant, $20,050 for the spouse and $10,050 for each dependent. The beauty of this real estate investment option is that it offers an extensive list of pre-approved development projects, from Beach and golf residences, to condos and villas all houses in spa resorts or leading chain hotels, including luxury and established brands like the Four Seasons, Marriott and Park Hyatt.