Citizenship by investment in St. Kitts and Nevis is not granted to applicants with a criminal record.
- The Basic Costs of St. Kitts Citizenship by the Donation
- Costing of St. Kitts Citizenship by Property Investment
- Discount on St. Kitts Citizenship Until Mid-January 2021
- Additional fees charged by the state on top of the total cost of the application for St. Kitts citizenship
- The cost of a fast-track application for St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship
- Is the cost of St. Kitts citizenship justified by its advantages?
- Additional Benefits Provided by the Caribbean Jurisdiction.
- Additional information and expert advice for readers who find the cost of obtaining Saint Kitts and Nevis citizenship reasonable
The cost estimates for participation in the economic citizenship program of Saint Kitts and Nevis will help you understand the amount of investment you would need to obtain a second passport for yourself and your kin.
The benefits you can enjoy with a Nevis passport can make your life easy in many ways:
- Nevis citizenship is an open gateway to visa-free travel around the world, international banking, global financial markets, and offshore company formation.
- Considering the zero tax on foreign source income, the highest-degree privacy protection principles, and favorable corporate policies, Nevis is a popular favorable tax haven for non-resident companies.
- Private, corporate, escrow accounts can be opened with banks in Nevis quite easily and in a matter of days.
- Banking in Nevis is an efficient solution based on high-tech customer-friendly services of local banks.
- Bankers are equally loyal to major international corporations and small- and medium-sized business owners.
- Banks play an important part in promoting this Carrebian state as an OFC particularly appealing to owners incorporating offshore trusts and corporations.
- On top of all the above-mentioned virtues, Nevis has set very clear unsophisticated rules and procedures for obtaining a second passport for every family member of the principal applicant.
For more information on opportunities and advantages of setting up companies, opening bank accounts, and life in Nevis, please contact our InternationalWealth experts at the e-address given at the top of this page.
This article is dedicated to the topic of economic citizenship in Nevis. The program of citizenship by investment in Nevis was launched over 25 years and has earned a very positive reputation.
To help you estimate and plan the budget needed to cover all possible costs, our experts share insights and guidelines for a family of four (father, mother, two children) with consideration of the current special offer (reduced basic fees).
If yours is a nuclear family plus some other collateral relatives (grandparents, siblings, cousins), you will also find recommendations on how to calculate the relevant additional costs of your application(s).
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Nevis is an attractive international jurisdiction for setting up international business corporations and trusts. It is as favorable for obtaining a second passport.
Three investment options lead to St.Kitts and Nevis citizenship.
- Option 1: Donation to the Government’s Sustainable Growth Fund (SGF);
- Option 2: Redeemable (in case of the future property sale) 5-year investment of a sole applicant’s funds in a pre-approved real estate construction/development project;
- Option 3: Redeemable (in case of the future property sale) 7-year joint investment of two or more applicants’ funds in a pre-approved real estate construction/development project.
Regardless of the option chosen, the cost of obtaining St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship is justified by several advantages and financial expediency of the transaction. But in most situations, there are also additional costs incurred besides the basic donation or redeemable investment rates.
The Basic Costs of St. Kitts Citizenship by the Donation
The entry threshold is set at $150,000. But the total cost of applying for St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship by donation (in other words, the full amount of the donation to be paid) depends on the application type (individual or joint). Please see the details given in the table below.
The Basic Costs
Applicants The amount of the donation to be paid to the SGF account Example The sole applicant $150,000 Bachelor / spinster The principal applicant filing a joint application with his/her spouse $175,000 (base price $150,000 +surcharge $25,000) Married couple The principal applicant filing a joint application with any additional dependant (except for the spouse/brother/sister), regardless of their age. $160,000 (base price $150,000 +surcharge $10,000) Father and son The principal applicant including in the application any brother/sister (one’s own or the spouse’s) who is single, childless, under 30 years old, financially dependent on the applicant (i.e. relying on the financial support from such person). $170,000 (base price $150,000 +surcharge $20,000) Bachelor with his brother
Thus, the cost of St. Kitts citizenship by a donation to the local authority on behalf of a typical family of 4 (father, mother, son, daughter) is $175,000. If the application includes, for example, the applicant’s father and sister, the price will be $225,000.
Costing of St. Kitts Citizenship by Property Investment
If this option is chosen, the cost of obtaining St. Kitts citizenship starts from $200,000. The final price of this Caribbean second passport granted for the investment in some real estate construction is defined according to the type of the application (individual or joint). Please find the details given in the table below. Data are provided for Option 2 (redeemable investment in some pre-approved property development for 7 years by a couple of applicants (applying jointly).
Costing
Applicants The amount of the donation to be paid to the SGF account Example The sole applicant $235,050 (base price $200,000 +surcharge per applicant $35,050)* Bachelor / spinster The principal applicant filing a joint application with his/her spouse $255,100 (base price $200,000 +surcharge per applicant $35,050 +surcharge for the spouse $20,050)* Married couple The principal applicant filing a joint application with any additional dependant (except for the spouse/brother/sister), regardless of their age. $245,100 (base price $200,000 +surcharge for the principal applicant $35,050 +surcharge for a dependant $10,050)* Father and son The principal applicant including in the application any brother/sister (one’s own or the spouse’s) who is single, childless, under 30 years old, financially dependent on the applicant (i.e. relying on the financial support from such person). $275 050 (base price $200,000 +surcharge for the principal applicant $35 050 +surcharge for brother/sister $40,000)* Bachelor with his brother
*The surcharge (the state duty) is payable only upon official approval of the applicant and his/her dependants obtained from the competent authorities
Consequently, the cost of St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship (obtained by buying some property) for a typical family of 4 people (e.g., father, mother, son, daughter) will be $275,200. If the application features, for example, the applicant’s mother and brother, the total price will be $325,250.
If the applicant agrees to the growth of the base price up to $400,000 (option 3), he has the right to reduce the period of compulsory ownership of the real estate. The withdrawal from the investment project in such a case is allowed after 5 years. While the base value increases, the surcharges remain the same.
Please note: It is only allowed to invest in the construction and development projects approved by the local officials, including condominiums and villas that are already in operation, or shares in hotel complexes.
Have you chosen this option? The team of InternationalWealth experts and associates of the portal in Nevis offer their help in arranging the asset management services if you intend to apply for a second passport and rent out your property. You are welcome to request the experts’ free consultation right now by writing to the e-address given above this article.
Discount on St. Kitts Citizenship Until Mid-January 2021
Due to the current promotional offer (expiring on January 2021), the cost of St. Kitts citizenship by donation (to the SGF state fund) the discounted fee for a married couple or a typical family of 3 or 4 members (father, mother, one child or two children) has dropped from $195k to $150k (by 23% / $45k).
The applicant’s parent/spouse can be included in the (joint) family application instead of the child/spouse on the same terms. Estimations of the reduced fee for obtaining St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship by a donation to the local government are given in the table below.
| Applicants | Value before the discount | Discounted value (valid till mid-January 2021) |
| The sole applicant | $150k | $150k |
| The principal applicant with his/her spouse | $175k | $150k |
| The principal applicant with his/her spous / child / children / parents | $190k | $150k |
For adding a brother/sister to the family application for citizenship by the donation to the Sustainable Growth Fund you will have to pay (before the special offer expires) the same discounted fee of $20,000.
If an applicant seeks a second passport by investment in some real estate construction/development project, the discount is also available. The stamp duty on the purchase of the property is temporarily reduced (for the period of the special offer) from 10% to 2.5% of the transaction closing price.
Are you interested in this discount? You should hurry up. Only the most agile applicants will receive the discount. Remember to prepare a package of the required documents in advance. It normally takes at least half a month to compile the package of all documents, plus a week to send the papers by the delivery service and transfer the dues to this Caribbean jurisdiction authorities (see below).
Just go for it now. Get in touch with our experts as soon as possible to make sure you have enough time to file your application. You just cannot miss this chance.
Additional fees charged by the state on top of the total cost of the application for St. Kitts citizenship
When applying for a Caribbean second passport, the applicant and dependants are additionally required to pay non-refundable fees for the legal screening/ processing of the application (in addition to the basic costs charged for the citizenship by investment). These fees are shown in the table below:
| Applicant(s) | The fee payable |
| The principal applicant | 7,500 $ |
| Any dependant of the principal applicant who has reached the age of 16, including the spouse/child/father/mother/ brother/sister | 4,000 $ |
Besides, you will have to pay a fee of $250 for any participating applicant. In addition to the state fees for security check and processing of the application, there is a fee charged for services of a hired accredited agent assisting in migration matters (who represents the interests of the applicant and dependants in the procedures related to the issue of the family set of passports).
Thus, the total cost of St. Kitts citizenship by a donation to the local authority on behalf of a typical 4-member family (e.g. father, mother, and 2 minors (under 16), will be $186,500, including the additional fees. If the application includes, for example, the applicant’s mother and sister, the price will grow up to $194,500.
The cost of a fast-track application for St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship
Nevis is the only Caribbean country that issues a passport and citizenship by investment within two months. This option is available at an optional surcharge. In the standard case, the process takes from three to six months.
The Accelerated Application Process (AAP service) is available to expedite the procedures. According to the AAP terms, the applicant is guaranteed the citizenship certificate plus the passport within 60 days from the date of the application package submission. The financial terms and conditions of this fast track service are presented in the table below.
| Applicant(s) | The fee payable |
| The principal applicant | $25k |
| Any dependant of the main applicant who has reached his or her 16th birthday, including spouse/child/father/mother/brother/sister | $20k |
In addition to the Government fees, the optional AAP service fee is charged in the amount of $0.5k per person for a second passport of the Caribbean jurisdiction. This refers to the principal applicant and any his/her dependant, regardless of age.
Is the cost of St. Kitts citizenship justified by its advantages?
While estimating the feasibility of investing in a Caribbean passport, many clients would like to understand whether the costs of obtaining St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship are justified by its benefits.
First, a Nevis passport can quickly help with arrangements for international travel.
Second, it can be instrumental in further applications for a third country residence permit.
Third, the advantage is particularly obvious in case a candidate is planning to move permanently abroad but prefers not to use in the application process the passport of his home country because of, for example, the ‘toxicity’ of this document. Successful candidates can just move to the island of Nevis and St. Kitts.
Fourth, the applicants will not have to visit the Caribbean region to apply for a second passport of Nevis, as the entire process can be completed remotely. However, to coordinate and expedite the application, you should use the services of one of the approved intermediaries on the island. Such agents may include, for example, the experienced local associates of the InternationalWealth expert team.
Fifth, Nevis passports are issued to anyone, even if the applicant has never resided in the jurisdiction.
Moreover, there are other advantages including the following ones:
- visa-free access to more than 150 countries, including virtually the entire continental Europe, the UK, the Asian financial hub of Hong Kong, the Russian Federation, Ukraine
- fast processing time: the approval is usually available within 45-60 days in case of the fast track process or within 90-120 days of standard processing
- inclusion of dependant children under 30 years of age in the application
- inclusion of dependant parents over 55 years of age
- possibility to transfer citizenship to children.
Additional Benefits Provided by the Caribbean Jurisdiction.
Nevis offers several advantages as an international business center. The VAT (just like other indirect taxes) is NOT levied by local authorities on Nevis International Business Corporation (IBC). There is also NO personal income tax (a quite relevant perk for fiscal residents), NO capital gains tax, NO wealth tax, NO donation, and No inheritance tax.
Advantages of business entities’ incorporation in Nevis:
IBC (International Business Corporation)
- It is allowed to be run by the sole director (either a physical or a legal person)
- It is incorporated within 24-48 hours
- It is easy to start and maintain (promoting a high level of confidentiality and cost-effectiveness)
- It is possible to legalize documents in the UAE through the Consulate of St. Kitts in Dubai
- Certificates of a Good Standing (or reputation) can be notarized and apostilled within 24 hours.
LLC (the equivalent of a Limited Liability Company)
- It is a legal entity with its rights and duties that differ from the rights and duties of its managers and participants, while it is liable for its debts and obligations
- It may be used for any legal purpose, such as to finance transactions in the U.S. and outside the U.S., to acquire and own some real estate, to manufacture some products, and to apply investment instruments in international trusts
- It is incorporated within 24-48 hours
- Foreign LLCs can be transformed into Nevis LLCs through a simple transformation scheme
- Foreign entities may be transformed into Nevis LLCs after being reengineered in Nevis.
PTC (Private Trust Company)
- No license is required to work as a trustee (for private family relationships)
- It can be registered within 24-48 hours and have a sole director (either a physical or legal person)
- It can be registered to the name of the target trust/founder
- It can have on the PTC board a representative of a subsidiary, whose privileges can not be transferred to the parent company
- It can rather easily, whenever it is necessary, change the board members and, therefore, effective guardians.
Nevis International Trust
- It takes 24-48 hours to register
- It can not be declared invalid, contested, or defective as a result of any rules of forced inheritance established in the place of permanent or temporary residence, current registration, incorporation, or establishment of the parent structure
- There are no rules against the perpetual nature of such a trust (in other words, a Nevis-based international trust can exist eternally)
- Decisions of foreign courts are not immediately enforceable in Nevis. Any civil claim for recovery of assets must be filed with the courts of Nevis
- A deposit of $100,000 must be paid before creditor action can be taken.
Multiform Foundation
- It allows asset protection and succession planning
- It can be used for property planning, charity, project financing, and special investment holding agreements
- It takes the form of a fund, company, trust, or partnership
- It permits the transformation/consolidation/unification of structures within the Multifunctional Nevis Fund.
Additional information and expert advice for readers who find the cost of obtaining Saint Kitts and Nevis citizenship reasonable
Nevis offers an attractive program of migration by investment. If you need more information regarding the cost of obtaining St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship or other issues, please contact the InternationalWealth portal experts right now. We guarantee complete confidentiality + a free personalized consultation.
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How can I become a citizen of St. Kitts?
Pay the required fees (from $186,500 for a family of 4 members, including father, mother, and a couple of minors) and fulfill some additional conditions. As a principal applicant, you need to be at least 18 years old. To apply for citizenship, you will need to successfully obtain a visa from the same country in which you were denied a visa (if it has happened to you). This refers to the countries with which Nevis has a visa-free agreement. Prepare certified proof of their lack of a criminal record. Please note: citizenship is at the discretion of the Nevis government.
Is the St. Kitts passport worth the requested price?
The most important criterion when assessing the quality of a passport is the number of visa-free countries that its holders can visit. For example, citizens of the United States and Canada enjoy visa-free travel to two hundred countries, which makes the respective passports very valuable. The passport of St. Kitts and Nevis opens visa-free access to about one and a half hundred countries, including Great Britain, the Schengen countries, and Russia.
What money is used in Nevis?
The official currency of Nevis is the Eastern Caribbean dollar (or $EC). It is a regional currency, widely used in St. Kitts and Nevis and several other states in the region, which makes it similar to the euro. East Caribbean dollars can be obtained at any bank. Most places accept U.S. dollars, but you will get change in the $EC. Most hotels, restaurants, and large stores accept credit cards, but this option is rarely available in local stores.
