St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship Special Offer: the Discount Extended Till 2022

Have you been planning to apply for economic citizenship and a second passport of St. Kitts and Nevis, but keep postponing the first step, because the price seemed too steep? We have great news for you. Until January 2022, participation in the Citizenship by Investment program is available at a solid discount to contributors of special non-refundable donations to the Sustainable Growth Fund. 

Due to the lack of extensive mineral resources and the challenges of exporting agricultural products, most of the small island developing states across the world have to resort to non-conventional and creative solutions in their search for funds needed to replenish the budget.

As a rule, the economies of such countries rely on tourism. In 2020, this ‘bet did not play’. The global tourism industry was hit hard by the pandemic, severe quarantine measures, travel bans, and entry and public gatherings restrictions. In fact, according to the UNWTO assessment, tourism remains among the most affected sectors of all in 2021. Many countries that used to generate and rely on a steady flow of foreign exchange earnings from inbound tourism have suffered job market collapse, export disruptions, and economic crises.

St. Kitts and Nevis, a thriving twin-island Caribbean destination, a popular tourism paradise in the pre-pandemic world, has managed to demonstrate one of the world’s top responses to COVID-19. It even reopened its borders in October 2020. Tourism is slowly rebounding. Fortunately, the local authorities do not have to feel desperate and at the mercy of the situation. Unlike their peers (even in economically advanced countries), the Government officials in St. Kitts and Nevis can rely on the resilient policy and plans established decades ago.   The national program of Citizenship by Investment is more than 30 years old and is the main pillar supporting today’s steady situation in this jurisdiction.

St Kitts and Nevis citizenship special offer and the discount extended until January 1, 2022

In an effort to make the economic citizenship and passport of St. Kitts even more attractive to foreign investors than before, the authorities of St. Kitts and Nevis launched a year ago the promotional campaign for a limited-time special offer.

It allowed applicants to obtain a St. Kitts passport at a substantial discount by making a non-refundable donation to the Sustainable Growth Fund. This offer was developed mainly to attract wealthy families who were eligible for the most substantial discount.

The promotion period terminated on January 1, 2021. The deadline has arrived. Information about the extension of the promotion did not appear. But some market analysts and potential applicants for the St. Kitts passport rightly believed that the program would not be shut. Indeed, as the pandemic was not over and would-be tourists remained trapped in the lockdown at their homes in many countries during the first months of 2021, there were serious reasons for the extension of the limited-time offer or even to re-charge and run the program on a permanent basis.

At the moment, the local authorities chose the first option: after a three-month lull, the official announcement of the extension/resumption of the campaign was published by the Department of Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU). The discount is valid until December 31, 2021 and will allow a family of up to four people to apply for economic citizenship of St. Kitts and Nevis at a cost reduced by almost 25%.

What are the benefits of St. Kitts and Nevis passport and citizenship special offer?

Why do families and individuals need a second citizenship? There are a number of reasons for wealthy individuals to invest in a second passport in the Caribbean or some other region:

1. A second passport is a shield against political, economic, financial mishaps or downturns in the country of origin/residence.
2. A second passport is a pass to visa-free or at least trouble-free international travel.
3. A passport of a neutral and reputable country allows its holder to avoid discrimination and the risk of potentially hostile treatment by government employees and other officials at immigration checkpoints, as well as to avoid becoming a victim of kidnappers and terrorists.
4. Tax planning is a feasible rewarding task for second passport applicants (additional information is available upon request for a free online consultation with our experts).
5. A second passport means you have an option to renounce your current citizenship when needed. Such an opportunity is relevant for citizens of countries that are taxed on worldwide income (taxation based on citizenship).
6. A second passport is a guiding star to your new horizons in banking and investing internationally.

The St. Kitts passport is one of the most appropriate vehicles for effective attainment of the above tasks due to the following circumstances:

1. This jurisdiction maintains a stable political and economic system and has never experienced popular unrest. Local citizens are friendly and willing to help new neighbors.
2. The lucky holders of the St. Kitts passport enjoy the privilege of free travel across the Schengen borders and are free to travel to 156 countries/territories without a visa / with a post-entry visa / with an e-visa. You will not need a visa to visit the UK.
3. This Caribbean jurisdiction is politically neutral, while being a respected member of the international community,  a member of the UN, the British Commonwealth of Nations, and a number of other authoritative organizations.
4. If the holder of a St. Kitts passport decides to move to a Caribbean island state, become its fiscal resident, such a person will no longer have to put up with the need to pay individual income tax. Besides, this jurisdiction has no taxes on gifts, inheritances, or capital gains.
5. A second St. Kitts passport is issued very easily and quickly. Applicants will not be required to visit this Caribbean country to apply. It can be done remotely. There are no rules requiring applicants to reside in a Caribbean state to retain the St. Kitts passport. There is an expedited processing option that allows applicants to obtain a St. Kitts passport within 45 days (see details below).
6. The St. Kitts passport allows the holder to reside, work as an employee, or conduct business in other countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Today, CARICOM includes 15 member countries. This identification document can also be used when opening bank accounts in third countries.

Dependents of the principal applicant for St. Kitts and Nevis passport

• It is allowed to include in the application for citizenship and passport of St. Kitts not only the investor (the principal applicant) but also family members who are financially dependent on the latter. One application can cover children under the age of 30 and parents over 55 plus unmarried dependent siblings of the main candidate who are under the age of 30 and childless.
• When applying for dependent children over 18 but under 30 years old, one needs to submit the documented proof that such children are not married and are financially dependent on the main candidate.
• Citizenship is allowed to be passed on to future generations by inheritance.

Sponsorship

It is possible to sponsor applicants. An immediate relative has the right to provide the necessary finances to the applicant for a St. Kitts and Nevis passport. Plus, the civil marriage partner can sponsor another civil marriage partner. Please note that additional information is available on request.

Fast-track processing of applications for  St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship

An individual is entitled to obtain a St. Kitts & Nevis passport within three to six months period from the date of submitting the application. This deadline is standard. However, if you make an additional payment, you will be able to speed up the application process and get a St. Kitts passport in about 45 days.

The value of St. Kitts and Nevis passports for travelers is steadily growing

The investor’s St. Kitts & Nevis passport is not unique when it comes to economic citizenship programs maintained across the world. In the Caribbean alone, there are several different options for obtaining economic citizenship. In particular, the relevant products are additionally offered by the Commonwealth of Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, Antigua & Barbuda. Their strong competitor is the Pacific jurisdiction of Vanuatu.

A brief comparison of the number of countries offering visa-free access for CARICOM and Vanuatu passports (visa-free access, from 2006 to 2020). Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

The main advantage of St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship is the largest and ever-growing number of visa-free destinations open for St. Kitts and Nevis nationals. This Caribbean jurisdiction remains a leader in expanding the list of visa-free destinations, which helps to make the St. Kitts passport one of the most effective, valuable, and popular in the Caribbean.

Over the past 5 years, the Government of St. Kitts has signed visa waiver agreements (introduction of visa-on-arrival / e-visa regime) with 26 countries, including Northern Macedonia, and established official diplomatic relations with 37 other states. The establishment of diplomatic relations is the first step towards negotiations on the visa waiver.

The visa-free regime and the introduction of visa-free travel for tourism, business, and family purposes play an important role in the promotion of tourism and business development. Important: the duration of the period of stay of a St. Kitts and Nevis passport holder in another country varies from state to state, depending on the provisions of the concluded agreement.

The list of countries that have concluded a visa liberalization/cancellation agreement with this Caribbean jurisdiction includes, among other things, the following States: Ghana, Indonesia, the Republic of Belarus, Montenegro, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, Georgia, the Marshall Islands, North Macedonia, and San Marino.

The St. Kitts Government additionally offers protection and consular services to travelers with St. Kitts and Nevis passports through a large network of diplomatic missions around the world. For example, diplomatic missions of this jurisdiction are located in the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and other countries. Citizens are free to use their services, for example, when renewing identification documents.

Who can help you use St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship special offer and get a passport at a discount?

You will not be able to get a St. Kitts passport at a discount on your own! Local authorities do not accept applications directly from candidates. This is for some justified reasons, including the efforts to reduce corruption risks. The application is submitted through a licensed immigration agent hired by the candidate.

The InternationalWealth team has partnered with licensed immigration service providers to support participants in the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment program.