The Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is the government authority responsible for all matters related to citizenship by investment. The program aims to attract foreign investors of good character who can make a substantial contribution to the country and comply with strict guidelines under the relevant law and regulations.

To qualify for citizenship in St. Kitts and Nevis under its Citizenship-by-Investment Program, applicants can choose to make a one-time contribution to the Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF).

The following are the contribution requirements for the SGF:

1. Single applicant: US$150,000 non-refundable contribution
2. Main applicant with up to three dependents (e.g. spouse and two children): US$195,000 non-refundable contribution
3. Additional dependents of any age: US$10,000

To add a sibling of the main applicant, the following additional costs apply:

1. SGF donation: US$20,000 per sibling
2. Real estate: US$40,000 per sibling

Applicants must also pay non-refundable due diligence and processing fees upon submission of an application. These fees are US$7,500 for the main applicant and US$4,000 for each dependent over 16 years of age.

To obtain citizenship in St. Kitts and Nevis, applicants can invest in pre-approved real estate projects with a minimum value of US$200,000 (resalable after 7 years) or US$400,000 (resalable after 5 years) per main applicant. Accompanying family members require additional fees.

Upon application, due diligence and processing fees must be paid, amounting to US$7,500 for the main applicant and US$4,000 for each dependent over 16 years old.

If approved, the government fees are as follows:

1. Main applicant: US$35,047.
2. Spouse: US$20,047.
3. Any other qualified dependent: US$10,047.

Real estate buyers should also be aware of purchase costs, such as insurance fund contributions and conveyance fees. St. Kitts and Nevis’ real estate market has grown due to new developments, such as the Park Hyatt, Aman Resort, Four Seasons Resort, and Marriott Hotel.

Over 70% of real estate sales are linked to the citizenship by investment program. Rental yields range from 4.9% to 5.3%, and prices start at $420,000 for 1.5 bedroom condos and houses and $750,000 for 3-bedroom condo houses, averaging $3020 per sq.m.

The Citizenship by Investment Program allows for the sale of approved private homes for a two-year period starting from November 1st, 2020. However, the property must be held for a minimum of 5 years and cannot be resold for citizenship purposes.

The following are the requirements for a qualifying property:

1. The appraised value of the home must be over USD 400,000.00
2. The property must be owned by the vendor through a certificate of title
3. The value of the land is not included in determining the value of the home
4. A single-family home cannot be converted to apartments or condominiums or divided for sale under the Citizenship by Investment Programme
5. Apartment buildings or multiple buildings on the same piece of land must be sold as one unit and cannot be divided
6. The use of shares is prohibited

Regarding resale, a property purchased under the Private Home plan cannot be sold for at least 5 years and will not qualify for use in a subsequent Citizenship by Investment application. Moreover, all sales of private property are subject to Real Estate government fees.

The Public Benefit Option is a fourth form of investment under the Citizenship by Investment Program. The Public Benefit Option will provide the Government with the means of achieving its capital investment goals without having to endure the drawbacks associated with the use of its existing limited resources or taking additional debt.

Any investor who wishes to develop a project which brings substantial benefit to the people of St Kitts and Nevis can apply to the CIU to be designated as an Approved Public Benefactor. They can then apply for their projects to be designated as Approved Public Benefit Projects qualified for sale under this investment option. Approved Public Benefit Projects designated by the CIU will not only maximize local employment but also embark upon programs including the transfer of technology and capacity building.

Under the Public Benefit Option, the following requirements apply:

Each main applicant is required to make a minimum investment of US$175,000 in a unit of an Approved Public Benefits Project, to be paid to the relevant Approved Public Benefactor.

Due Diligence fees:

1. Main applicant: US$7,500
2. Each dependant aged 16 or above: US$4,000

Post-approval Application Fees:

The following post-approval application fees apply to all non-accelerated applications under the Public Benefit Option: 

1. Main applicant: US$25,000
2. Spouse of the main applicant: US$15,000
3. Each dependant under 18 years of age: US$10,000
4. Each dependant aged 18 or over: US$15,000

St Kitts is the only country in the Caribbean that offers an accelerated processing option for its Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program for a fee. This option is called the Accelerated Application Process (AAP) and was approved by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis in October 2016.

The AAP allows for applications to be processed within a 60-day period, which is significantly faster than the standard processing time. However, applicants who use the AAP must still meet all mandatory criteria and submit the necessary supporting documents to apply for citizenship by investment.

Applicants who use the AAP will receive an accelerated treatment from the Citizenship by Investment Unit, Due Diligence Providers, and the St. Kitts and Nevis Passport Office. As an added bonus, this process also includes the application and processing of the St. Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis passport.

Using the AAP can result in an application being completed within 60 days, and in some cases as early as 45 days.

The AAP process fees are inclusive of Due Diligence Fees and are as follows:

1. Main Applicant: US$25,000.00
2. Dependent above 16 years: US$20,000.00

In addition to the AAP processing fees, there is an additional fee of US$500.00 per person applicable for the processing of the St. Kitts and Nevis Passport for any dependents under the age of 16 years.

However, applicants from certain countries are not eligible for the AAP due to the extended turn-around time of third-party due diligence contributors. These countries include:

1. Republic of Iraq
2. Republic of Yemen
3. Federal Republic of Nigeria