CM INTERNATIONAL IMMIGRATION SERVICE
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
Background Citizenship Benefits of Citizenship Requirements Citizenship Routes & Costs Next Steps Special Notes
Background
The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is a two-island country in the West Indies. Located in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles, it is the smallest sovereign state in the Americas, in both area and population. The country is a Commonwealth realm, with the British monarch (currently queen Elizabeth II) as head of state.
The capital city is Basseterre on the larger island of Saint Kitts. The smaller island of Nevis lies about 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Saint Kitts across a shallow channel called "The Narrows."
Saint Kitts and Nevis is a sovereign, democratic and federal state. The Queen of Saint Christopher and Nevis, Elizabeth II, is its head of state. The Queen is represented in the country by a Governor-General, who acts on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party of the House, and the cabinet conducts affairs of state. The country may also be described by the unofficial term, "Commonwealth realm", because it is a constitutional monarchy which shares the same monarch as some other members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Citizenship
The Citizenship-by-Investment Program was established in 1984 under the regulations of the 1984 Citizenship Act, Section 3 (5) making it the longest established Citizenship-by-Investment Program in the region. Citizenship is granted based on a substantial contribution within St Kitts & Nevis.
Investors of good character and repute can opt to make a contribution to the development of St Kitts & Nevis and in return are given the opportunity to apply for citizenship and a passport within the legal framework of the Federation of St Kitts & Nevis.
The St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship-by-Investment Program facilitates you and your family's ease of travel throughout the world to over 100 countries visa free. Holding St. Kitts & Nevis citizenship also gives expansion on your business opportunities without being taxed on worldwide income.
Benefits of Citizenship
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Visa free travel to all EU Schengen countries including Switzerland, UK and Ireland
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No residency or visit to St Kitts needed
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Tax free – no income or wealth tax
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Lifetime citizenship
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Easy second passport and citizenship for your family members
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Privacy in small peaceful country
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Dual citizenship benefits
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No Personal visit required
The St. Kitts & Nevis passport is very well regarded and has an excellent reputation. Only a few passports have been issued under this Citizenship-by-Investment program by the Government.
Requirements
Applicants for the St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship-by-Investment program need to be of outstanding character with:
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no criminal record
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excellent health
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high personal net worth, and
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make an investment in a government-approved Real Estate development, or monetary contribution to the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF).
Citizenship Routes & Costs
There are currently two routes through which to obtain citizenship in St. Kitts and Nevis - a one time donation to the SIDF or investment in real estate in the nation.
A. Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) Contribution
The Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) is a charity setup by the Saint Kitts & Nevis Government to raise funds for displaced sugar industry workers. The minimum contribution is $250,000 per person and it is non-refundable by the Government once a passport is granted.
The SIDF costs $250,000 donation + Government fees + Due diligence fees for one person (excluding lawyer, bank and CM service fees). Additional costs apply for more family members. Please see below for more information on fees.
The SIDF option is the fastest and cheapest way to attain a second citizenship and the processing time takes 4-6 months.
Costs (in USD)
Contribution
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One time charitable donation to the SIDF for a family of four - $300,000 (for a single applicant, cost would be $250,000, family of 6 would be $350,000 and family of 8 would be $450,000)
Government Fees:
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Per person (regardless of age) - $50,000
Due Diligence Fees (Non Refundable)
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Per person (regardless of age) - $7,500
Passport Fees
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Per passport - $350
Sub Total: $531,400 (for a family of four - father, mother, one child (aged 12-17) and one child (aged 18-25)
Lawyer fees (for processing)
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$20,000
Bank charges
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$500
CM services fees
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CM services - $1200
Grand Total: $553,100 (for a family of four - father, mother, one child (aged 12-17) and one child (aged 18-25)
*Please note costs will differ depending on number and age of family members
B. Real Estate Investment
To qualify for citizenship under the real estate option, the government requires a minimum of USD $400,000 investment in an approved real estate project, plus payment of necessary government, due diligence and other service fees.
You can buy villas or apartments or luxury condos, provided you satisfy the minimum investment. The real estate option is expensive, but it is a recoverable investment after 5 years (you are only allowed to sell after this period. And, it also qualifies the next buyer for citizenship).
The average processing time is 4-6 months if property is purchased from a developer that meets all criteria for efficient processing of citizenship applications.
For more information on real estate investments in St. Kitts and Nevis, please contact us.
Next Steps
If you are interested in learning more about our St. Kitts and Nevis program or applying, please contact us by clicking here.
Special Notes
We offer a very specialised and private service for this program. One of our staff will personally go to St. Kitts and Nevis both to submit your application, to pick up your passports and deliver them by hand to you.