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Program History and Reputation
The video explains that St. Kitts and Nevis launched its citizenship by investment program in 1984 and is often described as a long-standing, reputable option.
Video
Is the Saint Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Program Worth It?
December 3, 2023
St Kitts & Nevis citizenship by Investment Program Saint Kitts & Nevis citizenship by Investment was first established in 1984 as a way to boost the economy and attract foreign investment. In the early stages the country had established the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) or an investment in real estate option for citizenship. Over time the program’s success led to its expansion. There are various legislative changes and regulations in place to ensure the integrity and security of the citizenship by investment program. Advantages of being a citizen of Saint Kitts & Nevis include the fact that Saint Kitts & Nevis is politically and economically stable and is a safe country to live in. There is no personal income tax or inheritance tax in the country. “The country's favorable tax policies and economic stability can be advantageous for wealth preservation and asset protection.” As a citizen you have access to education and health care opportunities and have the right to live and work in the country. St Kitts & Nevis is a great place to retire and enjoy life, the atmosphere has relaxed vibes. Provided you are a passport holder you have increased travel opportunities and global mobility which can facilitate travel and business opportunities. Citizenship can be passed down to future generations. Eligibility: To be eligible for St Kitts & Nevis citizenship the main applicant needs to be at least 18 years of age and have a clean background. You must also make the prescribed investment contribution pursuant to the option for citizenship chosen. You cannot have been denied citizenship in any country or denied a visa where St.Kitts & Nevis has visa-free travel and have not been able to subsequently obtain a visa. Family members that can be included for St.Kitts & Nevis citizenship include; the main applicant’s spouse, children under the age of 18, children between the age of 18 and 25 who are in full-time attendance in school (a confirmation of enrollment letter is required), children over 18 who are physically or mentally challenged, parents or grandparents of the main applicant living with and fully supported by the main applicant. Nationalities that are prohibited from doing St.Kitts & Nevis citizenship by investment at this time include; Belarus, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Russia There are different pathways to obtaining St Kitts & Nevis citizenship which include: One option is the The Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC) which was established to help increase local food production, diversify the economy, assist with the transition to green energy, expand social protections and safety. This options requires a non-refundable contribution upon approval for citizenship. Main applicant only: US$250,000 Main applicant and a spouse: US$300,000 Main applicant and one dependant: US$300,000 Main applicant, a spouse and one or two dependants; US$350,000 Main applicant and two or three dependants: US$350,000 Each additional dependant under 18: US$50,000 Each additional dependant aged 18 or over: US$75,000 Due diligence fees apply for all applications Main applicant: US$10,000 Each dependant aged 16 or over: US$7,500 Another options is the Approved Real Estate Option in an approved development starting at US$400,000 (resalable after seven years). On approval in principle the main applicant must also donate US$25,000, the spouse US$15,000, any qualified dependent under 18 is US$10,000 and any qualified dependent over 18 is US$15,000. In addition to these fees, real estate buyers should be aware of purchase costs (mainly compulsory insurance fund contributions and conveyance fees). Due Diligence fees and agent fees apply. Another option is the Private Home Sales option The minimum investment in a condominium unit designated as an Approved Private Home is US$400,000. The minimum investment in a single-family private dwelling home designated as Approved Private Home is US$800,000. Resale: A property purchased under the Private Home Sale Investment Option shall not be resold for a period of at least seven (7) years. Another option is the Public Benefit Option where the main applicant makes a contribution of US$250,000 in a unit of an Approved Public Benefit Project Due diligence fees apply for all applications Main applicant: US$10,000 Each dependant aged 16 or over: US$7,500 On approval in principle the main applicant must also donate US$25,000, the spouse US$15,000, any qualified dependent under 18 is US$10,000 and any qualified dependent over 18 is US$15,000. For detailed cost quotations you can get in contact with me at jennifer@jhmarlin.com A lot of top entrepreneurs such as Roger Ver, Heidi Chakos, Pavel Durov and others have done St.Kitts & Nevis citizenship. Entrepreneurs have a lot of trust in the reputation of the citizenship by investment program and wish to take advantage of the benefits of being a citizen.
What This Video Covers
Key Topics Discussed
02
Benefits of Citizenship
Jennifer discusses travel mobility, the right to live and work in the country, tax-favorable features, safety, schools, and the ability to pass citizenship to eligible family members.
03
Eligibility and Family Members
The video outlines main applicant eligibility, clean background expectations, and categories of dependents that may be included under the program rules described.
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Investment Routes and Due Diligence
The discussion covers contribution, real estate, private home sale, and public benefit-style routes, alongside due diligence and government fee considerations.
05
Documents Required for the Process
The video notes that applicants should expect notarized or apostilled documents, proof of address, bank statements, references, and other due diligence materials.
Video Transcript
Jennifer: to you. It's Jennifer Harding Marlin, a Citizenship by Investment attorney. And today's video is going to talk in detail about the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment program, especially since there have been a lot of recent changes to the program.
Jennifer: So the St. Kitts and Nevis, Citizenship by Investment program started in 1984 and the purpose for starting the program was to attract foreign investments to the country in order to boost the economy. When it was first established was the Sugar Investment Diversification Foundation and real estate Options for Citizenship. And since its initial inception, there's been a lot of popularity and a lot of success with the program and so there have been legislative changes as well as regulations in place to maintain the integrity and reputation of the program as St. Kitts and Nevis is recognized as the platinum brand. So by becoming a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis, there are multiple advantages and a lot of time entrepreneurs have chosen to do the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment program. So some of the advantages include that St. Kitts and Nevis is a politically and economically stable country.
Jennifer: It's a really safe place to live. I personally feel very safe in St. Kitts and Nevis. It's a tax favorable country. There's no personal income tax and or inheritance tax. So some people choose to relocate to the country and take advantage of the tax advantages of being a resident of St. Kitts and Nevis for wealth preservation and asset protection purposes. And then you have the right to live and work in the country as a citizen. There are international schools, medical schools, and veterinarian school here. So there's a lot of international persons that do come and spend time in St. Kitts and Nevis. And then with the passport, you have increased mobility and ability to travel for business and leisure and the ability to pass on citizenship to your future children and or a future spouse. And so these are just some of the advantages of becoming a citizen of St.
Jennifer: Kitts and Nevis. So to be eligible for St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship, the main applicant needs to be a minimum age of 18 years of age and must have a clean background. You cannot be denied citizenship of another country. And provided you have been denied a visa to a country where St. Kitts and Nevis has visa-free travel and you haven't been able to reapply and successfully obtain and the application for citizenship includes the spouse of the main applicant. So you do need to be married with a valid marriage certificate. St. Kitts and Nevis does not recognize common law marriage for the purposes of doing the program. You can include children below the age of 18 years of age. Children that are between the ages of 18 and 25 need to be financially dependent on the main applicant and enrolled in school. So you'll need to provide a confirmation of enrollment letter that your children are in school, provided they are in school.
Jennifer: And then you can include parents and grandparents that are above the age of 65 who are financially dependent on the main applicant and who live and are fully supported by the main applicant. So this just gives you an idea of who can be included in an application for St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship. Nationalities that are prohibited from doing St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship, it changes on an ongoing basis, but if you're from Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, Russia, or Belarus, for example, So there are different pathways to obtaining St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment. One of them is making a non-refundable contribution into the Sustainable Island State contribution, which is very new. And it involves a minimum non-refundable investment of U.S. $250,000 for a single applicant, or U.S. $300,000 for a couple, and U.S. $350,000 for a for a family of four.
Jennifer: In addition to the donation, non-refundable donation, there's also due diligence fees of US$10,000 for the main applicant and US$7,500 for anyone who's 16 years of age and older, as well as other fees, including legal agent fees to process the Citizenship by Investment application. There's also the option to invest in government-approved real estate, starting for $400,000 and it's really important that it is in fact government approved for citizenship. In addition to the real estate investment, there is a donation fee of U.S. $25,000 the main applicant, U.S. $15,000 the spouse, U.S. $10,000 for anyone who's 18 years of age and below, and or U.S. $15,000 for anyone who's 18 years of age and older. There's also a private home sales option so you can invest $400,000 into an approved condominium and or $800,000 into a private home.
Jennifer: And these under the real estate option, you cannot sell the real estate for seven years, so you need to maintain the real estate for seven years.
Jennifer: Additionally, there is donation fee and legal fees that are applicable. If you want a cost quote specific to your case, you can get in touch with us at jhmarlin.com. There's also a public goods option for citizenship which operates similarly to the investment donation option under the sustainable island state contribution option. So these are just a quick summary of the costs and what it takes to do Citizenship by Investment. There's quite a lot of documents that are involved. You'll need to get documents and in some cases documents are postaled. You need to provide proof of address where you're living. Provide bank statements, professional reference letters, amongst other documents. And we can provide you a specific list of documents specific to your case when you become a client and are interested in pursuing citizenship. And so there's a lot of top entrepreneurs like Roger Veer from Bitcoin.
Jennifer: com, Heidi Shackos from CryptoTips, and Pavlov, who founded Telegram, who are citizens of St.
Jennifer: Kitts and Nevis, and a lot of top entrepreneurs choose the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment program because of its reputation, and as well because a lot of top entrepreneurs have chosen the program specifically for the benefits of being a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis. St. Kitts and Nevis is a wonderful place to live and visit and spend time in as well. A lot of the times you don't have to come to the country to be able to become a citizen, however it is definitely worth visiting and we hope to see you on the island. Bye for now.
Answers From This Video
Video FAQ
What are the main benefits of St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment?
The video highlights mobility, a politically stable Caribbean home, the right to live and work in St. Kitts and Nevis, and tax-favorable features such as no personal income tax. These benefits should be reviewed against current law and the applicant’s personal circumstances.
Who can be included in a St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship application?
Jennifer discusses spouses, children, and qualifying parents or grandparents under the rules described in the video. Eligibility depends on age, dependency, marital status, and the current program regulations.
What investment routes are discussed for St. Kitts and Nevis?
The video describes contribution and government-approved real estate routes, including private home and public benefit-style options. Current thresholds and hold periods should be confirmed before starting an application.
Does the St. Kitts and Nevis process require due diligence?
Yes. The video emphasizes clean background requirements, due diligence fees, and documentation such as proof of address, bank statements, and professional reference material.