Citizenship by Investment Programme

The Citizenship by Investment Programme (CBI) of Saint Kitts and Nevis is the world's oldest citizenship-by-investment programme, established in 1984. It grants full citizenship and a passport to foreign nationals who make a qualifying economic contribution to the country. The passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 150 countries and territories, including the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Hong Kong. There is no requirement to reside in or visit Saint Kitts and Nevis before, during, or after the application process. The programme is administered by the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), a statutory corporation that operates under a Board of Governors reporting to the Prime Minister.

The programme offers four routes:

• Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC): Non-refundable contribution of USD 250,000 for a single applicant or family of up to four persons. Additional dependants under 18 cost USD 25,000 each; those aged 18 or over cost USD 50,000 each.
• Approved Development Real Estate: Minimum USD 325,000 in an approved development (condominiums or fractional shares), with a 7-year mandatory holding period before resale.
• Private Real Estate Investment: Minimum USD 325,000 for a condominium unit or share in an approved private real estate development, or USD 600,000 for a single-family private dwelling. A 7-year holding period applies.
• Public Benefit Option (PBO): USD 250,000 investment in a unit of an approved public benefit project, plus post-approval state fees of USD 25,000 (main applicant), USD 15,000 (spouse), and USD 10,000–15,000 per dependant.

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Outstanding character and clean criminal record
• Must pass health requirements, including an HIV test
• Proof of the lawful source of investment funds
• Applications must be submitted through an authorised agent — direct applications to the CIU are not accepted
• Nationals of Afghanistan, Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Iran, and Iraq are ineligible; residents of Ukraine are also excluded
• Dual citizenship is permitted — applicants are not required to renounce their existing citizenship

• Completed application forms (C1, C2, C3, C4)
• Two original birth certificates per applicant
• Valid passport (certified copy)
• Police clearance certificates from country of citizenship and any country of residence for more than one year in the past 10 years (not older than 6 months; children under 16 exempt)
• Medical certificate including HIV test (not older than 3 months)
• Coloured passport photographs
• Proof of address
• Source of funds documentation and 12 months of bank statements
• Two professional reference letters (banker, lawyer, or chartered accountant, each less than 3 months old)
• Marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Certified translations and apostilles for all non-English documents

All applications must be submitted through an authorised agent listed on the official CIU website. The agent assists with completing the application forms, gathering documents, and submitting the full package to the CIU.

The CIU conducts comprehensive due diligence through independent professional firms, covering criminal records, financial background, and source-of-funds verification. All main applicants must attend a mandatory interview, conducted virtually or in person. Dependants aged 16 or over may also be called for interview.

Upon approval in principle, the investment must be completed within 90 days, after which the certificate of citizenship and passport are issued. Processing typically takes 90–180 days from submission.

Fees include: due diligence fee of USD 10,000 (main applicant) and USD 7,500 (each dependant aged 16 or over); application form fee of USD 250 per person; and passport issuance of USD 361 per adult. Accelerated (premium) due diligence is available at USD 20,000 for the main applicant.

The following dependants may be included in the application: a legally married spouse; children under the age of 30; and parents or grandparents aged 55 or older. Post-citizenship, additional family members may be added at USD 10,000 per child or USD 30,000 per spouse. Each dependant aged 16 or over is subject to a due diligence fee and may be required to attend an interview.

Saint Kitts and Nevis does not impose personal income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, gift tax, or wealth tax. Tax residency applies only to individuals who spend more than 183 days per year in the country. There are no ongoing tax filing obligations solely from holding citizenship.

There is no minimum residency requirement to maintain citizenship. The CIU operates a Continuing International Due Diligence (CIDD) unit that monitors citizens post-approval. Citizenship can be revoked if it was obtained by fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of material facts. Real estate purchased under the CBI programme cannot be reused by a subsequent buyer for a new citizenship application.

Note: The government has announced plans to introduce a physical residency requirement of approximately 30 days as part of a programme restructuring expected in 2026.