St. Kitts Citizenship by Investment Program Gains in Popularity

In 1984, the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis established an economic citizenship program, the Citizenship by Investment Program of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, to encourage resort development, stimulate the growth of the tourist industry and attract investors.  The Citizenship by Investment Program of St. Kitts and Nevis is one of only a handful of existing programs of its kind in the world.

Foreign investors become eligible to apply for Economic Citizenship by making a qualifying investment in a designated real estate project, and Christophe Harbour is an approved project of the Citizenship by Investment Program of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. In addition, while qualifying real estate investments under the Citizenship by Investment Program are generally required to be developed parcels, Christophe Harbour has obtained approval for a limited number of undeveloped parcels to qualify as approved investments. While the Federation’s program requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background check, approval for economic citizenship usually takes only about 12 weeks.

Benefits of Economic Citizenship

Economic Citizenship is not a requirement for purchasing real estate at Christophe Harbour; however, the associated benefits may be far reaching, especially during financially unstable times.  Depending upon the laws of one’s home country, having citizenship in another country may be advantageous for purposes of tax planning, personal security and general convenience.  Economic Citizenship does not include voting rights, but does currently entitle the recipient to receive a St. Kitts and Nevis passport and other benefits described below. 

Other key benefits currently include^*:

• Citizenship for life, for applicant and all eligible family members.
• St. Kitts currently has no taxes on personal income, net worth, sales, capital gains, gifts, wealth or inheritance (including for full-time residents).
• Dual-citizenship is permitted by St. Kitts, allowing successful applicants to maintain citizenship in their home country (unless not permitted by home country).  Note that certain countries may require their citizens to apply for dual-citizen status in the home country prior to applying for a second citizenship.
• Full-residency status with the right to work in St. Kitts and Nevis and no permanent residence requirement.
• Passports have 10-year validity for adults; 5-year validity for children under 16 years of age; all passport holders have the right to renew as citizens.
• Visa-free travel to 80+ countries, including: Canada, Switzerland, the entire European Union and most British Commonwealth member countries.
• Potential preferential treatment in the United Kingdom (e.g., children may enter the UK to study without obtaining a student visa and may work in the UK for two years after studying without a work permit).

Please let us know if this is of interest, and we can provide additional details and referrals for St. Kitts attorneys who can assist in the approval process. For more information, please visit www.skbFinancialServices.com.

For more information on this and other benefits of ownership at Christophe Harbour, please visit us at http://www.christopheharbour.com/#real_estate/request_information.

^*     Investment criteria and economic citizenship benefits are subject to change at any time by the Government.  Prospective purchasers are advised to consult with a St. Kitts attorney to determine the minimum investment that may apply to their eligibility, the Government fees they will be required to pay, and the current benefits of economic citizenship. In addition, prospective purchasers are advised to consult with an attorney in their home country regarding the benefits and restrictions with respect to applying for economic citizenship in St. Kitts.