Saint Lucia Switching to Electronic Passports, Prices Announced

The Saint Lucia government is in the process of substituting machine-readable passports for electronic ones. This is obligatory for both native and economic citizens. The International Wealth readers and subscribers with citizenship by investment in Saint Lucia should hasten to exchange theirs. Those about to invest in Caribbean citizenship will get an electronic passport from the outset. 

Saint Lucia electronic passport price announced

According to the official government statement released by local media, on July 25, 2022, the Caribbean jurisdiction will embark upon issuing new electronic passports to substitute the currently used machine-readable ones.

The passport fee will make XCD 250 (250 East Caribbean dollars). The identification document Caribbean citizens receive in return shall be valid for 5 years. The authorities resolved to set about issuing electronic passports and reconsidering passport fees following the cabinet meeting on July 11.

The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs together with the Immigration Department, the Border Control Agency, and the Canadian Bank Note Company Limited (CBN) from Canada, issuing banknotes and producing ID document forms ordered by various governments.

The Saint Lucia electronic passport is produced with the latest anti-counterfeiting technologies to meet current international standards. The passport comes with a microchip in the upper part of the booklet cover. Its inside pages for visas and other notes depict unique Saint Lucia landscapes.

In 2007, the country’s government resolved to support the global trend towards machine-readable passports. In March that year, the local Immigration Department started issuing the above ID documents.

Now the time has come to substitute them for electronic ones, recognized as more reliable ID documents by industry experts. A number of CARICOM member states (Saint Lucia is also a member of the community) have already switched from machine-readable passports to electronic ones. We are referring, inter alia, to the Caribbean countries granting citizenship by investment. Over 1 billion travelers all over the world use electronic passports for their international trips.

Below you will find prices for the you will need when you make up your mind to receive a new Saint Lucia passport:

• passport issuance per se – XCD 250
• passport exchange or replacement before expiry (e.g., when no more pages for visas and other marks are available) – XCD 300
• urgency or emergency fee (will remain unchanged) – XCD 50
• Collective Travel Documents issuance – XCD 75
• issuance of identity documents to residence permit or long-term residence status holders (will remain unchanged) – XCD 50
• residence permit extension for up to 30 days – XCD 200
• express photo – XCD 10
• certification and special notes – XCD 20.

How much will a Saint Lucia electronic passport cost non-citizens?

A machine-readable Saint Lucia passport may be exchanged for an electronic one and a new electronic passport may be issued, where no exchange is necessary if a Caribbean citizen files a corresponding application. Those with no Saint Lucia citizenship aren’t entitled to a local passport.

Applicants for the local economic citizenship program may get an electronic passport valid for 5 years together with their citizenship status. The above program boasts liberal terms. Procedures provided therein may be performed online within 3 to 6 months. 

Launched in 2016, the Saint Lucia citizenship by investment program is among the newest ones in the  Caribbean. The local government established a special Citizenship by Investment Board therefor. The Board monitors all procedures and cash flows, and implements various marketing projects.

An investor may apply for an alternative citizenship if they comply with any of the financial terms below:

• Non-refundable donation to the National Economic Fund. The Fund spends its money on the country’s social and economic development, providing for school, healthcare facility, road, and social housing construction and improvement. The minimum donation amount stipulated by the legislation makes USD 100,000.
• Investment in resort complexes and spa hotels pre-approved by the government, with a 5-year holding period and the USD 300,000 minimum investment amount.
• Purchase of Saint Lucia government bonds totaling USD 250,000 and above (the price is relevant till December 31, 2022, and will grow twice after the said date). The securities will be redeemed after the mandatory 5-, 6-, or 7-year holding period expires. The length thereof varies depending on the investment amount and the number of citizenship applicants per application.
• Business investment of USD 1,000,000 in the pre-approved company, with a 5-year holding period.

The country’s investment immigration scheme uses effective and reliable background checks for each applicant. When checking the applicants’ bio data and screening unreliable candidates, the Saint Lucia government cooperates with various regional governments and international organizations.

The local citizenship by investment program is among the most transparent in the industry, while the country’s government grants both investors and international partners access to information detailing the contributed funds’ use.

Below, you will find the list of actions necessary to apply for Saint Lucia citizenship:

• Step 1: choose and hire a licensed industry agent (you may only submit your application through such agent, direct communication with government officials is prohibited)
• Step 2: go through the vetting procedure carried out by the agent
• Step 3: gather the necessary supporting documents and fill in your application
• Step 4: submit your citizenship by investment application to the authorities that will perform the necessary checks and either approve or deny it with cogent reasons
• Step 5: invest funds or make a donation if your application is accepted, appeal the decision if it is denied (e.g., by submitting the missing documents).
• Step 6: receive your citizenship certificate and passport.

Caribbean citizenship as a backup plan with multiple new opportunities

You already have the necessary information about the cost of Saint Lucia economic citizenship, and true, it is rather significant. Is a Caribbean passport worth the money? The answer is positive for applicants in need of the benefits below:

• visa-free access to Schengen countries and Great Britain
• speedy immigration procedures
• opportunity to become one step closer to the prestigious global citizen status
• simple procedures to get dual citizenship
• asset portfolio diversification and effective wealth management
• citizenship prospects for the whole family
• tax benefits (no wealth, gift, inheritance, or capital gain taxes)
• simplified banking arrangements (due to the fact the investor’s toxic home country passport has been substituted for the Caribbean neutral one boasting an unblemished reputation).

With the current politically unstable situation globally, an opportunity to have a backup plan of living in a safe Caribbean country is the main Saint Lucia investment scheme bonus, experts believe. Even more so, that the country is among the best spa regions on the planet. A chance to spend their lives in a safe and secure environment is appealing to many immigrant investors.

The mankind is facing unprecedented uncertainties, and prudent high net worth individuals are searching for safe and stable states to move to without any delay if the situation in their country of residence or citizenship deteriorates rapidly. Saint Lucia economic citizenship is the right choice under the circumstances.

Saint Lucia is a small and mountainous island in the Eastern Caribbean, 35 km to the south of Martinique and 40 km to the north of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is a part of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean.

The tiny island country is among the most breathtaking and popular tourist places in the world. The majestic Pitons mountains, refreshing waterfalls, impressive hiking trails, awesome beaches, and exclusive restaurants can’t but capture travelers’ attention.

The local cuisine was influenced by the French, the West Indian, and the British ones. Saint Lucia is famous for its regional delicacies, with lobsters and bouillon among them. It is a great place for those who fancy new dishes and indigenous culinary traditions. With its seafood, organic fruit and vegetables, the island’s traditional cuisine is both unique and enjoyable.

The country is about to create its own regional coffee brand. With its popularity, the brand is expected to fuel a tourist boom.  The local government has recently completed negotiations with a major investor wishing to reopen coffee production in the country. The investor is ready to create a coffee plantation of over 13,000 coffee plants in Saint Lucia by 2024.

Not many are aware that in the late 18th century, Saint Lucia and Martinique produced over a half of all coffee consumed in Europe. In the 1st half of the 19th century, the country boasted multiple coffee plantations. The latter had success due to their rich volcanic soils.

Expert assistance for CBI program applicants wishing to get their Saint Lucia electronic passports

With its picturesque mountains, marvelous seashore, and captivating historical sites, the country is favored by multiple guests and tourist crowds. Many of them decide to get citizenship by investment in Saint Lucia later on. Visiting the Caribbean country is not a must to get citizenship therein. You are welcome to make the tropical paradise your new home using the International Wealth services.