ST KITTS & NEVIS ECONOMIC CITIZENSHIP PROGRAMME
BACKGROUND
As a foreign national, the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis (also known as St Kitts and Nevis) allows you the opportunity to obtain citizenship through its government sponsored investment programme (“the Economic Citizenship Programme”). The Economic Citizenship Programme in St Kitts and Nevis is the longest established economic citizenship program in the world having been established in 1984. The Economic Citizenship Program is legitimate, well regulated and enjoys international approval and acceptance. Regulations for the Economic Citizenship Programme are provided for in the Citizenship Act and the Programme is fully supported by the Sovereign Government of St. Kitts and Nevis.
BENEFITS
The Economic Citizenship Program is unique and provides you with numerous benefits.
Citizenship for life – citizenship for life is awarded to a successful applicant and all eligible family members. There is no need for the applicant to reside in St Kitts or Nevis;
Dual Citizenship – there is no requirement to abandon your existing citizenship or notify your home country as dual citizenship is permitted under St. Kitts and Nevis law;
Valid passports/second passports – once approved and all requisite fees are paid valid passports are issued to the applicant and other eligible family members;
Visa-free travel – A St Kitts and Nevis passport allows you visa-free travel to numerous countries in the world including: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Canada, all CARICOM Caribbean countries, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and most British Commonwealth countries.
Full Residency Status – As a resident, you enjoy the right to work in St Kitts and Nevis;
Tax Breaks – As a citizen of St Kitts and Nevis you will enjoy tax free status on all income, capital gains, gifts, wealth and inheritance.
Wonderful Climate – St Kitts and Nevis has a pleasant climate, particularly during the cool months of December to March and lots of sunshine for the remainder of the year. Humidity is relatively low and the Northeast trade winds keep the islands cool.
Excellent Real Estate Investment – While you invest in real estate property you are provided with a guaranteed return on your investment.
COUNTRIES REQUIRING VISAS WITH A ST. KITTS NEVIS PASSPORT
Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina (90 days), Australia, Bahrain, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina, Faso, Burma, Guinea, Hong Kong (90 days), Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland (90 days), Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama (30 days), Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Rwanda, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Canada (6 months/ 180 days), Chad, Chile (90 days), China, Colombia (30 days) Congo, Costa Rica (30 days), Cuba (27 days), Dominican Republic, Ecuador (90 days), Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia Gabon, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Korea, Singapore (14 days) Senegal, South Africa, South Korea (90 days) Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom (6 months/180 days), United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen.
* Nationals travelling to the Dominican Republic and Panama can get a tourist card on arrival.
* Visas are not needed for a visit up to period indicated.
* Holders of United States visas may enter visa free into Mexico.
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
St. Kitts and Nevis enjoys stable diplomatic relations with the countries listed below. It also has membership in the United Nations and its various organizations, the Organization of the Americas (OAS), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
(OECS) and the Eastern Caribbean Economic Union.
Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina Austria Australia, Monaco Morocco Namibia Nauru, Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize, Bolivia Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Canada Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica (Commonwealth of) Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador Finland France, Gambia (The), Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras India, Ireland (Republic of) Israel, Italy Jamaica Japan Kenya, Kiribati (Republic of) Latvia (Republic of) Lesotho, Luxembourg (The Grand-Duchy) Malawi, Malaysia Maldives Malta Mauritius Mexico, Netherlands (Kingdom of the), New Zealand Nicaragua Nigeria, North, Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), Norway Pakistan Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland (Republic of) Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles (Republic of) Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia (Republic of), Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea (Republic of Korea) Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the, Grenadines, Swaziland Sweeden Switzerland Suriname, Taiwan (Republic of China) Tanzania, Thailand (Kingdom of ) Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago (Republic of) Tuvalu, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela (The Bolivarian Republic of) Western Samoa, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
LEGAL AND POLITICAL SYSTEM
St. Kitts and Nevis enjoys a stable democracy based on Constitutional rule and free and fair elections and a Parliament based on the Westminster Model. The law derives its roots from the Common law of England and has been augmented by statutes and judicial determinations in St. Kitts and Nevis.
St. Kitts and Nevis shares a judicial system with the rest of the Eastern Caribbean States and islands called the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Final appeals go to the Privy Council in England. Judges are independent and impartial.
REQUIREMENTS
In obtaining this citizenship by virtue of the Economic Citizenship Programme, two (2) options are available to you. You must either invest in a pre-approved real estate project or invest in the Sugar Investment Diversification Programme.
1. Sugar Investment Diversification Foundation (SIDF)
The SIDF is designated a special approved project for the purposes of the Economic Citizenship Programme. This is a charitable contribution/Investment made by the applicant which is aimed at assisting the social and economic problems arising from the closure of the sugar industry in the federation.
The prescribed contribution/investment amounts in relation to the SIDF are as follows:
Single applicant – US$200,000.00; Applicant with up to three dependants – US$250,000.00; Applicant with up to five dependants – US$300,000.00; Applicant with up to six or more dependants US$400,000.00
2. Real Estate Project
Should you choose to invest in a real estate project, the investment should be no less than US$350,000.00.
It would be prudent of you to select a property for purchase that is already an approved development. In that regard, please see the list below indicating the approved developments in the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis that we are aware of. Of course, obtaining the assistance of Realtors, like ourselves, would be best to find a property that is suitable to you.
APPROVED DEVELOPMENTS FOR ST KITTS & NEVIS ECONOMIC CITIZENSHIP
NEVIS
1. Botanical Gardens
2. Bush Hill
3. Carino Hamilton Estate
4. Cliffdwellers
5. Fern Hill Villa Development
6. Fort Ashby Beach Club
7. Four Seasons Resort Estates
8. Jones Estate and Red Hawk Ridge
9. Sunset Ridge (Live Nevis)
10. Mount Nevis Hotel
11. Nelson’s Spring Beach Villas and Spa
12. Oualie Beach Resort
13. Paradise Garden Estate
14. Rawlins Plantation
15. Royal Getaway Estate
16. Hermitage Plantation Inn Villas & Estates
ST KITTS
1. Calypso Bay Resort
2. Christophe Harbour
3. Golf View
4. Half Moon Bay Villas
5. Heritage Plantation
6. Horizon Villas
7. Kittitian Hill
8. Leeward Cove
9. Marriott Vacation Club
10. Ocean’s Edge
11. Pirate’s Nest
12. Royal St St Kitts Hotel & Casino
13. Sea Lofts
14. Silver Reef Resort
15. St Christopher Club
16. Sundance Ridge
17. Sunrise Hill Resort
PROCEDURE
1. Complete (original) application forms (copy of form attached)
2. Submit application forms (prescribed original form) together with various supporting documents relating to identity (passport, birth certificate), civil status, criminal record, financial resources and health, affidavit of support, bankers reference, character reference, résumé, photographs and letter of authorization (for lawyer to act on applicants behalf).
These supporting documents must be in English or translated in English and any photocopies of documents must be notarized and properly certified.
N.B. – (i) Should you choose the SIDF option, an Investment Confirmation/Escrow Agreement will be necessary and should be submitted along with the other documents or;
(ii) In the case of the real estate investment option you must identify a property for purchase (i.e. a property that is within the pre-approved Government project as identified above) and at least fully execute a Purchase and Sales Agreement which should be submitted along with application forms.
3. The Government will then undertake due diligence (background checks on you and all members of the family over the age of 16 years seeking citizenship).
4. Provided that everything is in order, approval is granted and you then take steps to be registered as a citizen.
TIMING
The duration is dependent on the time within which a property is purchased and transferred, payment of relevant fees and the completion of relevant application forms. After applications are submitted the approval process can take as little as six (6) weeks or as much as 3 months.
COSTS
The current fees associated are as follows:
1. Application and Processing fee – US$250.00 for each applicant.
2. Due Diligence fee (non-refundable) – US$3,500.00 for each applicant which must be paid to Government to cover its costs for conducting background checks on each applicant who is over 16 years of age.
3. Registration fee (payable if application is successful) –
US$35,000.00 for head of household (male or female); US$15,000.00 for spouse;
US$15,000.00 for each child under 18 years of age; and
US$35,000.00 for each adult family member or other adult.
Additionally, each citizenship certificate of registration is USD$47.00 and the cost for each passport is US$13.00.
4. Legal Fees – the economic citizenship – US$5,000.00 per applicant.
5. Estimated Legal/ Transaction fees – the land purchase (and in accordance with the Bar Association Scale of Fees), is as follows: –
Purchase and Sale Agreement – 1 % of Purchase Price
Memorandum of Transfer: – Approximately 1% of Purchase Price.
Surveyor’s Fees: – Approximately, EC$1000 per acre.
Government Fee: – Registration fee of US$2.70
Assurance Fund – Purchase price or value of land divided by 500.
6. Kindly note that any task outside the scope of the above is regarded as additional legal services and can attract hourly legal rates plus any expenses/ disbursements made in relation to said task/s.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS LEGAL ADVICE
