TIMSON Immigration
St. Kitts & Nevis - Citizenship by Investment Program
1. The legal basis
The legal basis of citizenship is contained in Part II of Section 3(5) of the 1984 Citizenship Act, which allows the government to operate the citizenship by investment program and to grant citizenship to anyone who fulfills the requirements as resolved by the cabinet.
The applicant may apply together with the following dependents:
- Spouse;
- Children aged under 18 and unmarried children aged 18 - 30 who are receiving education from a college and fully supported by the main applicant;
- Parents and grandparents aged 55 and over of the applicant and his/her spouse.
2. Requirements
To qualify for the Citizenship by Investment Program, the applicant shall:
- Be at least 18 years old;
- Have no criminal records;
- Pass the due diligence check conducted by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis;
- Be healthy; and
- Complete the required investment.
3. Investment options
Investors can choose one of the following investment options:
(1) Donation to the Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF) (Limited Time Offer)
Applicants may qualify for citizenship through donation to the Sustainable Growth Fund as below:
- Main applicant: US$ 125,000
- Main applicant and a spouse: US$ 15,000
- A family of not more than 4 members: US$ 170,000
- Each additional dependant (aged 18 years or over): US$ 25,000
- Each additional dependant (aged 17 years or over): US$ 10,000
Limited Time Offer available for a period of 6 months from 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023.
(2) Real Estate Option
Applicants may qualify for citizenship through an investment in a pre-approved real estate project.
Option 1
US$ 400,000 for each main applicant - Two or more applicants may apply for citizenship by investment together by purchasing one piece of real estate, provided that each main applicant contributes not less than US$ 400,000 in one piece of real estate. The real estate should be held for at least 7 years.
Option 2
US$ 200,000 for each main applicant - Two or more applicants may apply for citizenship by investment together by purchasing one piece of real estate, provided that each main applicant contributes not less than US$ 200,000 in one piece of real estate worth not less than US$ 400,000 and the transfer shall be exempt from stamp duty under the Stamps Act, Cap.20.40. Each main applicant should be held for at least 5 years.
On approval in principle of an application made through a real estate investment, a Government fee applies, as follows:
- Applicant: US$ 35,047
- Spouse: US$ 20,047
- Addition dependant of the main applicant (regardless of age): US$ 10,047
In addition, certain taxes and other costs shall be payable upon the applicant’s investment in a real estate project.
4. Government Fees
In addition to the government fees payable in the real estate option, the following fees are payable to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis for each application under the Citizenship by Investment Program (All Options)
(1) Due Diligence Fee:
- Applicant: US$ 7,500
- Spouse: US$ 4,000
- Parents and Grandparents over aged 55; Children aged 16 years or over: US$ 4,000/each
(2) Application form fee: US$ 250/each
(3) Certificate of Registration Fee: US$ 47/each
(4) Passport issue fee: US$ 350/each
5. Procedures and schedules
The documents and information requirements of the Citizenship by Investment Program of St. Kitts and Nevis are quite reasonable and application procedures are very straight forward, no interview is required. Applications through the SGF donation route can be approved in 3 to 6 months. However, applications through the Real Estate route can take 4 to 8 months before approval is obtained because the real estate route involves purchasing properties, which requires more paperwork. In addition, most investors would usually visit the country first before deciding to purchase real estates, and thus more the processing time is required.
6. Procedures and schedules
a. Short processing time: passports can be issued 3-6 months after submission the application;
b. Minimum entry requirements: no language, education, funding and business experiences are required;
c. One application for migration of up to four generations: the applicant together with his/her spouse, their children and parents and grandparents can obtain citizenship and passports of St. Kitts and Nevis through one application;
d. No landing or residency requirements: the applicant and his/her dependents are not required to land or reside in St. Kitts and Nevis for obtaining the citizenship and passports of St. Kitts and Nevis;
e. Visa-free/ Visa on arrival in more than
157
countries and regions, including all EU Schengen Area countries including Switzerland, UK and Ireland.
f. Low tax regimes: there is no exchange controls, personal income tax, corporate income tax, value added tax or inheritance tax in St. Kitts and Nevis. Citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis are not required to pay tax on their income, interest, gifts, assets and inheritances obtained overseas;
g. Multiple citizenships allowed: dual and multiple citizenships are legally recognized in St. Kitts and Nevis.
h. As a Commonwealth citizen, the applicant can enjoy the special beneficial treatment in the UK. For example, the applicant’s children can attend the Youth Exchange program designed by the UK for Commonwealth citizens.
7. Our fee charges
Our fee charges will depend on the situation of the applicant, and the number of dependents involved.
Note: This document is for reference only, all terms are subject to written contract.