The Federation of St Kitts and Nevis, a dual-island Caribbean nation that pioneered Citizenship by Investment with its programme unveiled nearly 40 years ago, has been encompassed in the Caribbean Journal's ranking of the region's best islands to visit in 2021. Good news for investors wishing to acquire citizenship of the country via investment in a government-approved tourist property.
According to the Caribbean Journal, Saint Kitts & Nevis was included due to its "uncrowded, calm and beautiful" nature – elements enticing for seasoned travellers. St Kitts and Nevis also boasts the lowest coronavirus rate in the Caribbean, reporting only 34 total cases and zero deaths. This makes it the perfect off-the-grid destination for American holidaymakers.
Before the pandemic, St Kitts and Nevis enjoyed a thriving tourism sector with a popular cruise season. The nation soon welcomed one million cruise passengers for two years consecutively, and it was recognised as a marquee destination by the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association. In recent years, St Kitts and Nevis have quickly become a popular destination for travellers and those seeking second citizenship.
With the coronavirus pandemic still imposing global lockdowns and triggering uncertainty amongst investors, many Americans are looking to acquire alternative citizenship as a 'Plan B' to protect their families from future unpredictability.
"COVID-19 has unveiled the weaknesses of Governments and their ability to deal with a crisis. Having a Plan B for one's family is worth a lot than the actual cost of investing in a safe, happy country," says Micha Emmett, CEO of CS Global Partners, London-headquartered legal advisory and marketing firm.
Under its Citizenship by Investment programme, St Kitts and Nevis welcomes high net-worth individuals and their families to become citizens after investing in its economy. Established in 1984, it is the longest-running CBI Programme in operation and is acknowledged within the industry as a 'Platinum Standard' brand.
Once successfully passing the multi-tiered vetting checks, applicants can invest in the Sustainable Growth Fund – the fastest and most straightforward route to a second citizenship. After gaining citizenship, investors gain access to a wide range of benefits including visa-free travel to 156 destinations across the world, the right to live and work in the country, and the ability to pass citizenship down for generations to come. A single applicant must only make an investment of US$150,000 to unlock a range of life-transforming benefits which also include a second home in a safe paradise.
Find out more about Saint Kitts' citizenship by investment programme by clicking here
With the support of its world-leading Citizenship by Investment programme, the Caribbean island of Dominica is working on becoming the world's first climate-resilient nation.
When it comes to freedom of movement, the just-released Henley Passport Index Q1 2021 reveals that while Asia Pacific passports deliver the greatest global mobility, the countries offering citizenship by investment programmes continue to maintain and even increase their freedom of movement footprint with four CBI countries ranked in the top 10 most powerful passports.
Investing in shares in one of the oldest surviving estates in Dominica, now a 53-acre self-sufficient eco-friendly estate, will give you not just a return on investment, but also Dominican citizenship (second passport) and a safe secure and peaceful haven for yourself and your family should a second pandemic hit.
Launched under Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment programme in reaction to the pandemic in May, the temporary COVID-19 Relief Bond which gives potential investors the chance to acquire citizenship by purchasing government bonds for half their previous price, has been extended for one more year.
Thanks to the ongoing pandemic and the upcoming Brexit situation, which from 1st January 2021 will limit British citizens' travel to the European Union, there has been a surge in British citizens enquiring about citizenship by investment in order to guarantee open and easier travel mobility within the EU.
In a bid to lure foreigners to invest in property in Thailand, and until December 2022 only, Thai-based property developers are giving investors who acquire a condo worth US$333,000 or more a Thai Elite visa, allowing them residency in Thailand for five years.