How much does St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment cost?

The lowest qualifying investment is USD 250,000 via the Donation route. Government, due-diligence and professional fees are additional. Every figure is confirmed in writing before you commit to anything.

How long does the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship process take?

The Regulations require a decision within 120 to 180 days of the Unit acknowledging a complete application (SRO 20/2024 reg. 21(5)); the CIU's own guidance puts standard processing at 3 to 6 months. The regulations frame the pre-decision stage in terms of approval-in-principle, denial or delay notifications.

Can I include my family in the St Kitts and Nevis application?

The main applicant must be 18 or over. Eligible dependants are: the spouse (defined in the regulations as the partner of the opposite sex by marriage); children under 18; children aged 18 to 25 in full-time attendance at a recognised secondary or tertiary institution and fully supported by the main applicant — that is the age as gazetted in SRO 20/2024 reg. 3, while the CIU's published eligibility criteria show 18 to 30 and an amendment extending the age and replacing the study test with proof of financial dependence was announced in September 2025 but does not appear in the Gazette, so we confirm the rule in writing for any dependant over 25 before filing; children aged 18 or over who are physically or mentally challenged; and parents or parents-in-law aged 55 or over living with and fully supported by the main applicant (the 2024 amendment SRO 43/2024 lowered this age from 65 to 55). Siblings are not eligible. Each dependant must independently pass eligibility and due diligence.

What due diligence does St Kitts and Nevis require?

Enhanced due diligence is mandatory for every applicant and dependant aged 16 and over. Due-diligence fees are US$10,000 for the main applicant and US$7,500 per dependant aged 16 or over, and a non-refundable processing fee of US$250 per applicant is payable on every application (SRO 20/2024 reg. 25). Biometric enrolment has been a mandatory component of every new application since 14 April 2026 and is charged by the CIU at US$2,500 for the main applicant, US$2,000 for a second adult applicant and US$1,300 for each child under 16, with a 10% reduction for enrolments booked and completed between 20 July and 31 December 2026 — two adults and two children under 16 therefore pay US$7,100 in biometric fees. A mandatory interview applies to main applicants (and to dependants aged 16 or over where required), conducted by an independent professional firm or Unit officials, available virtually, in person locally, or at Board-approved locations. Disqualifiers include any criminal record, a pending criminal investigation, prior citizenship or visa denial by a country to which St Kitts has visa-free access (unless since resolved), and bankruptcy within the preceding 10 years. Nationals of Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Iraq, North Korea and Russia are not eligible. Applications may only be filed through a government-Authorised Agent; direct submission is not permitted.

Does St Kitts and Nevis citizenship grant the right to live in the European Union?

No. St Kitts and Nevis citizenship can confer a second passport and visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel, but it grants no right to live, work or settle in the EU and no path to an EU passport. For a European foothold, residence by investment is the direct route.

All citizenship programmes

Citizenship by Investment

St Kitts and Nevis

St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme

St Kitts and Nevis runs the world's oldest citizenship-by-investment programme (since 1984), now governed by the Citizenship by Investment Unit Act, 2024 and the Citizenship by Substantial Investment Regulations, 2024. Four routes are open: the Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC) donation from US$250,000 for a family of up to four, the Public Benefit Option from US$250,000, Developer's Real Estate from US$325,000, and a single-family Private Real Estate home from US$600,000 — with all real-estate routes subject to a 7-year hold. Under the Regulations in force there is no residency, stay, visit or language requirement, though the Government and the CIU have announced a genuine-link and residency reform for 2026 that has not yet been gazetted. Citizenship is for life and hereditary, and the passport gives visa-free access to the Schengen Area and the UK (the USA, Canada and, since 15 June 2026, Ireland require visas). Real-estate and Public Benefit files carry post-approval government fees of US$25,000 for the main applicant and US$15,000 for a spouse (US$10,000 or US$15,000 per dependant), and every new application carries a charged biometric enrolment — both on top of the investment. A decision is due within 120 to 180 days of acknowledgement and standard processing runs 3 to 6 months; all filings must go through a government-Authorised Agent and every applicant 16 and over faces a mandatory interview and enhanced due diligence. This is a premium, well-regulated mobility and Plan-B citizenship rather than a tax-residency relocation play.

Investment routes

How you qualify.

Donation

USD 250,000

Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC) under regulation 21 — a non-refundable contribution to the Federal Consolidated Fund. US$250,000 covers a main applicant or a family of up to four (main applicant, spouse and up to two dependants). Additional dependants are US$25,000 each (under 18) or US$50,000 each (18 or over). Funds support the Federation's seven Sustainable Island State pillars. This is the fastest route, with no asset to hold or resell. A non-refundable processing fee of US$250 per applicant is payable to the Unit on every application (SRO 20/2024 reg. 25), with due diligence at US$10,000 for the main applicant and US$7,500 for each dependant aged 16 or over.

Real Estate

USD 325,000

hold 84 months

Developer's Real Estate Investment under regulation 20 — a minimum of US$325,000 for a real estate unit (condominium, share or title) in a government-Approved Development. The 2024 amendment (SRO 43/2024) reduced this floor from US$400,000 to US$325,000. The unit cannot be resold until seven (7) years have elapsed after issuance of the formal title document. Government fees are payable to the Unit after approval-in-principle (SRO 20/2024 reg. 26): US$25,000 for the main applicant, US$15,000 for the spouse, US$10,000 for each dependant under 18 and US$15,000 for each dependant aged 18 or over. In addition: US$250 per applicant on filing (reg. 25) and due diligence of US$10,000 for the main applicant and US$7,500 for each dependant aged 16 or over. Adding a spouse or other qualifying dependant after approval-in-principle costs US$30,000; a child under three born after the Certificate of Registration is US$7,500 (reg. 26(e), (g)).

Real Estate

USD 325,000

hold 84 months

Private Real Estate Sale under regulation 22 — purchase of Approved Private Real Estate: a condominium unit or share from US$325,000, or a single-family private dwelling from US$600,000. The 2024 amendment (SRO 43/2024) reduced these floors from US$400,000 and US$800,000 respectively. The property must be held for seven (7) years before resale, counted from the later of the title document date or the owner's Certificate of Registration. The same post-approval government fees apply as on the Developer's Real Estate route (SRO 20/2024 reg. 26): US$25,000 main applicant, US$15,000 spouse, US$10,000 per dependant under 18 and US$15,000 per dependant aged 18 or over, plus US$250 per applicant on filing (reg. 25) and due diligence of US$10,000 / US$7,500.

Donation

USD 250,000

Public Benefit Option (PBO) under regulation 23 — a minimum contribution of US$250,000 paid to the Unit toward a unit of an Approved Public Benefit Project (public-good infrastructure or development on government land, transferred to state ownership, with local employment and skills impact). This is a contribution paid to the Unit rather than an enterprise equity stake (reg. 23(9)): the main applicant's US$25,000 post-approval government fee is deducted from the US$250,000, and the net sum is paid into an irrevocable escrow account for the Approved Public Benefactor (reg. 23(17)). The US$250,000 covers a family of up to four; on the CIU's published schedule each additional dependant is US$25,000 (under 18) or US$50,000 (18 or over). The spouse's US$15,000 and each dependant's US$10,000 (under 18) or US$15,000 (18 or over) post-approval government fee (reg. 26) is payable in addition, with US$250 per applicant on filing (reg. 25) and due diligence of US$10,000 / US$7,500. There is no mandatory holding period for the applicant.

What the passport grants

Global mobility.

The Schengen Area and the United Kingdom without a visa for short stays · not the United States or Canada.

Schengen

Visa-free

short stays in the Schengen Area, up to 90 days within any 180-day period (St Kitts is an EU Annex II nationality); ETIAS pre-authorisation will be required once the EU system goes live. The position hardened in mid-2026: under Regulation (EU) 2025/2441 (in force 30 December 2025), operating an investor-citizenship scheme is now in itself a ground for suspending a country's visa exemption, and the European Commission is reported to have written to the five Caribbean CBI states on 25 June 2026 seeking a phase-out by 1 June 2028 — reportedly with reinforced vetting required by September 2026. We have not seen the letters themselves. No suspension has been enacted to date, and the five governments are seeking a negotiated transition (joint response, Roseau, 10 July 2026) — but a client acquiring this citizenship primarily for Schengen access must treat that benefit as at material risk across the 2026–2028 window.

United Kingdom

Visa-free

for up to 6 months; a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is required for entry.

United States

Visa required

A visa is required; there is no Visa Waiver or ESTA access. A standard US B1/B2 visa must be obtained.

Canada

Visa required

A visa is required for general entry; an eTA is available (air arrivals only) to those who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa within the past 10 years.

The St Kitts and Nevis passport carries wide visa-free and visa-on-arrival access; the named corridors below matter more than any index count, and every published count predates Ireland's withdrawal. Ireland has required a visa since 15 June 2026 for all passport types including diplomatic and service passports, with a transit visa required to pass through an Irish airport. Key strengths are the Schengen Area and the UK (with a UK ETA); the principal gaps are the USA, Canada and now Ireland. No Caribbean Five programme, including St Kitts, has had its Schengen access suspended to date — and the European Commission is reported to have sought a phase-out of all five programmes by 1 June 2028 (letters of 25 June 2026, which we have not seen), having already moved Vanuatu to the visa-required list over its scheme by Regulation (EU) 2025/11 (in force 3 February 2025); the Schengen note above sets out the position in full.

Part of one structure

Still want a European base? Pair it.

A St Kitts and Nevis passport answers what most families come for first: stronger mobility and a considered fallback, secured for life and hereditary. Many families want a European base alongside it — somewhere to hold assets, spend time and give their children options. Those are two different jobs, and we build them as one plan rather than asking you to choose.

We pair the citizenship with an EU residence in a single structure — citizenship, passport and residence, built as one: the passport for mobility and standing, the residence for a euro-denominated base and, held over time, a lawful route to a European future.

Choose your structure

Structure selected: St Kitts and Nevis citizenship only. Add a European base at any time — pick one above to see it quoted as a single structure.

Engage us on St Kitts and Nevis

Leave your details and we come back to you personally — the confirmed current terms, the full costing for your family, and an introduction to vetted, admitted counsel for this programme.

Kestrel Private is a discreet private-client advisory led personally by Andrew J. Taylor, formerly Vice Chairman of Henley & Partners. He has served private clients from more than 30 countries, and at Kestrel you have one senior relationship from initial strategy through implementation.

Eligibility & process

What's involved in St Kitts and Nevis citizenship.

Family inclusion: The main applicant must be 18 or over. Eligible dependants are: the spouse (defined in the regulations as the partner of the opposite sex by marriage); children under 18; children aged 18 to 25 in full-time attendance at a recognised secondary or tertiary institution and fully supported by the main applicant — that is the age as gazetted in SRO 20/2024 reg. 3, while the CIU's published eligibility criteria show 18 to 30 and an amendment extending the age and replacing the study test with proof of financial dependence was announced in September 2025 but does not appear in the Gazette, so we confirm the rule in writing for any dependant over 25 before filing; children aged 18 or over who are physically or mentally challenged; and parents or parents-in-law aged 55 or over living with and fully supported by the main applicant (the 2024 amendment SRO 43/2024 lowered this age from 65 to 55). Siblings are not eligible. Each dependant must independently pass eligibility and due diligence.
Due diligence: Enhanced due diligence is mandatory for every applicant and dependant aged 16 and over. Due-diligence fees are US$10,000 for the main applicant and US$7,500 per dependant aged 16 or over, and a non-refundable processing fee of US$250 per applicant is payable on every application (SRO 20/2024 reg. 25). Biometric enrolment has been a mandatory component of every new application since 14 April 2026 and is charged by the CIU at US$2,500 for the main applicant, US$2,000 for a second adult applicant and US$1,300 for each child under 16, with a 10% reduction for enrolments booked and completed between 20 July and 31 December 2026 — two adults and two children under 16 therefore pay US$7,100 in biometric fees. A mandatory interview applies to main applicants (and to dependants aged 16 or over where required), conducted by an independent professional firm or Unit officials, available virtually, in person locally, or at Board-approved locations. Disqualifiers include any criminal record, a pending criminal investigation, prior citizenship or visa denial by a country to which St Kitts has visa-free access (unless since resolved), and bankruptcy within the preceding 10 years. Nationals of Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Iraq, North Korea and Russia are not eligible. Applications may only be filed through a government-Authorised Agent; direct submission is not permitted.
Timeline: The Regulations require a decision within 120 to 180 days of the Unit acknowledging a complete application (SRO 20/2024 reg. 21(5)); the CIU's own guidance puts standard processing at 3 to 6 months. The regulations frame the pre-decision stage in terms of approval-in-principle, denial or delay notifications.
Physical presence: Under the Regulations in force there is no residency requirement, no minimum stay and no requirement to live in St Kitts and Nevis to obtain or keep citizenship; citizenship is for life and hereditary, and there is no language test. That is announced to be changing: the CIU's Chairman Update of December 2025 sets out a mandatory genuine-link requirement built on structured physical presence and residency, and the Government announced on 8 January 2026 a residency feature for investors together with global biometric collection and a transition during 2026 away from contribution-based routes. No implementing regulation had been gazetted as at 23 August 2026, so nothing has changed for a file lodged today, and we confirm the terms that will apply to your file in writing with the CIU at engagement. A mandatory in-person biometric enrolment (fingerprints, digital facial image and digital signature; approximately 15-30 minutes) is required at officially designated biometric collection locations. Applicants do not have to travel to St Kitts: the centres now operating are St Kitts, Dubai, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Ottawa, Toronto, London, Abu Dhabi and the Washington D.C. area, with Lagos, Jeddah and Singapore opening from 1 August 2026 and Iraq announced. Biometric enrolment must be completed in person and cannot be delegated to a third party. A mandatory interview also applies. Existing CBI passport holders should note the biometric transition announced by the CIU: passports issued before 14 April 2026 cease to be accepted for international travel after 31 July 2027 unless the holder completes biometric enrolment — citizenship itself is unaffected, and we confirm the applicable transition rules in writing at engagement.
Tax: St Kitts and Nevis levies no personal income tax, no capital-gains tax, no wealth tax, no gift tax and no inheritance or estate tax on individuals. Citizenship alone does not create tax residency, and there is no requirement to relocate or pay local tax to hold the passport. The Federation participates in the OECD Common Reporting Standard (CRS) for automatic exchange of financial-account information, so citizenship does not affect reporting obligations in one's country of tax residence.

Key provisions

World's oldest CBI programme, established 1984 under Part II s.3(5) of the Citizenship Act, 1984.
Four routes: SISC contribution (from US$250,000), Public Benefit Option (from US$250,000), Developer's Real Estate (from US$325,000), and Private Real Estate (single-family home from US$600,000).
SISC US$250,000 base covers a family of up to four; SISC has no asset to hold or resell, making it the fastest and simplest route.
All real-estate routes carry a mandatory 7-year minimum holding period before the asset can be resold under the Programme.
Real-estate and Public Benefit routes carry post-approval government fees under SRO 20/2024 reg. 26 — US$25,000 main applicant, US$15,000 spouse, US$10,000 per dependant under 18, US$15,000 per dependant 18 or over — plus US$250 per applicant on filing (reg. 25); these sit on top of the investment.
Biometric enrolment is mandatory for every new application from 14 April 2026 and is charged: US$2,500 for the main applicant, US$2,000 for a second adult applicant and US$1,300 for each child under 16.
Investment thresholds reflect the 2024 OECS/Caribbean Memorandum of Agreement harmonising a US$200,000 floor across the Eastern Caribbean; St Kitts sets its donation and PBO floors at US$250,000 and real estate at US$325,000.
Governance modernised in 2024: CIU established as a statutory body corporate under the Citizenship by Investment Unit Act, 2024, with operating rules in the Citizenship by Substantial Investment Regulations, 2024 (SRO 20/2024, amended by SRO 43/2024).
Mandatory interviews and enhanced due diligence for all applicants 16 and over; six nationalities are ineligible.
No residency, stay, visit or language requirement under the Regulations in force; citizenship is lifelong and passes to descendants. The CIU (December 2025) and the Government (8 January 2026) have announced a mandatory genuine-link and residency requirement and a transition away from contribution routes — announced, not yet gazetted.
Applications must be filed through a government-Authorised Agent; direct filing is prohibited.
Regional and EU pressure is now concrete: the ECCIRA agreement (signed 18 September 2025) creates an Eastern Caribbean CBI regulator expected operational from September 2026, and the European Commission is reported to have written on 25 June 2026 seeking a phase-out of the five Caribbean programmes by 1 June 2028 (we have not seen the letters) — programme terms are moving, and we confirm the position in force at engagement.

Documents you'll provide

Valid national passport (certified copy)
Birth certificate
Police clearance certificate / certificate of no criminal record from each country of residence
Proof of residential address
Medical certificate (including, where applicable, HIV test)
Documentary proof of source of funds for the investment
Official CIU application forms (Form C1 / government forms issued under the Regulations) completed via an Authorised Agent
Passport-style photographs and signed and witnessed application affidavits
Evidence of relationship for each dependant (marriage certificate, birth certificates, proof of full-time education or financial dependency, proof of parent or grandparent age and support)
Evidence of the qualifying investment (SISC/PBO contribution agreement, or real-estate sale-and-purchase agreement with the Approved Development or property)

Legal basis & source documents

The governing law — in our library.

Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship Act, Cap. 1.05 (citizenship by registration granted under section 3(5); regulation-making power under section 15), the statute originally enacted in 1984. Operating rules are set out in the Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship by Substantial Investment Regulations, 2024 (Statutory Rules and Orders No. 20 of 2024, published 8 July 2024 in Extra-Ordinary Gazette No. 37 of 2024), which repealed SRO No. 26 of 2023, as amended by the Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship by Substantial Investment (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (SRO No. 43 of 2024, published 25 October 2024 in Extra-Ordinary Gazette No. 66 of 2024). The Citizenship by Investment Unit Act, 2024 (Act No. 11 of 2024) established the CIU as a separate statutory body corporate with a Board of Governors. · Administered by Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), Federation of Saint Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis.

Citizenship by Substantial Investment Regulations, 2024 (principal regulations) — SRO No. 20 of 2024

Regulation · held by Kestrel

Citizenship by Substantial Investment (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 — SRO No. 43 of 2024 (Extra-Ordinary Gazette No. 66 of 2024, 25 Oct 2024)

Regulation · held by Kestrel

Citizenship by Investment Unit Act, 2024 (Act No. 11 of 2024) — statute establishing the CIU as a body corporate

Law · held by Kestrel

Official CIU Government Notices / Statutory Rules and Orders index (source of all gazetted CBI instruments)

Policy · held by Kestrel

Official St Kitts and Nevis CIU Programme Brochure 2024 (consolidated routes, fees and process)

Guideline · held by Kestrel

SISC contribution thresholds and fee schedule (official CIU page)

Fee Schedule · held by Kestrel

Investment options overview and minimums (official CIU page)

Guideline · held by Kestrel

Eligibility criteria for main applicant and dependants (official CIU page)

Guideline · held by Kestrel

Application process, required documents and timeline (official CIU page)

Guideline · held by Kestrel

List of government-Authorised Agents (mandatory filing channel)

Policy · held by Kestrel

Documents marked “held by Kestrel” are mirrored on our own servers from the official source, so the reference is always available.

Common questions

St Kitts and Nevis, answered.

How much does St Kitts and Nevis citizenship by investment cost?: The lowest qualifying investment is USD 250,000 via the Donation route. Government, due-diligence and professional fees are additional. Every figure is confirmed in writing before you commit to anything.
How long does the St Kitts and Nevis citizenship process take?: The Regulations require a decision within 120 to 180 days of the Unit acknowledging a complete application (SRO 20/2024 reg. 21(5)); the CIU's own guidance puts standard processing at 3 to 6 months. The regulations frame the pre-decision stage in terms of approval-in-principle, denial or delay notifications.
Does the St Kitts and Nevis passport allow visa-free travel to the Schengen Area?: Visa-free short stays in the Schengen Area, up to 90 days within any 180-day period (St Kitts is an EU Annex II nationality); ETIAS pre-authorisation will be required once the EU system goes live. The position hardened in mid-2026: under Regulation (EU) 2025/2441 (in force 30 December 2025), operating an investor-citizenship scheme is now in itself a ground for suspending a country's visa exemption, and the European Commission is reported to have written to the five Caribbean CBI states on 25 June 2026 seeking a phase-out by 1 June 2028 — reportedly with reinforced vetting required by September 2026. We have not seen the letters themselves. No suspension has been enacted to date, and the five governments are seeking a negotiated transition (joint response, Roseau, 10 July 2026) — but a client acquiring this citizenship primarily for Schengen access must treat that benefit as at material risk across the 2026–2028 window.
Can I include my family in the St Kitts and Nevis application?: The main applicant must be 18 or over. Eligible dependants are: the spouse (defined in the regulations as the partner of the opposite sex by marriage); children under 18; children aged 18 to 25 in full-time attendance at a recognised secondary or tertiary institution and fully supported by the main applicant — that is the age as gazetted in SRO 20/2024 reg. 3, while the CIU's published eligibility criteria show 18 to 30 and an amendment extending the age and replacing the study test with proof of financial dependence was announced in September 2025 but does not appear in the Gazette, so we confirm the rule in writing for any dependant over 25 before filing; children aged 18 or over who are physically or mentally challenged; and parents or parents-in-law aged 55 or over living with and fully supported by the main applicant (the 2024 amendment SRO 43/2024 lowered this age from 65 to 55). Siblings are not eligible. Each dependant must independently pass eligibility and due diligence.
What due diligence does St Kitts and Nevis require?: Enhanced due diligence is mandatory for every applicant and dependant aged 16 and over. Due-diligence fees are US$10,000 for the main applicant and US$7,500 per dependant aged 16 or over, and a non-refundable processing fee of US$250 per applicant is payable on every application (SRO 20/2024 reg. 25). Biometric enrolment has been a mandatory component of every new application since 14 April 2026 and is charged by the CIU at US$2,500 for the main applicant, US$2,000 for a second adult applicant and US$1,300 for each child under 16, with a 10% reduction for enrolments booked and completed between 20 July and 31 December 2026 — two adults and two children under 16 therefore pay US$7,100 in biometric fees. A mandatory interview applies to main applicants (and to dependants aged 16 or over where required), conducted by an independent professional firm or Unit officials, available virtually, in person locally, or at Board-approved locations. Disqualifiers include any criminal record, a pending criminal investigation, prior citizenship or visa denial by a country to which St Kitts has visa-free access (unless since resolved), and bankruptcy within the preceding 10 years. Nationals of Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Iraq, North Korea and Russia are not eligible. Applications may only be filed through a government-Authorised Agent; direct submission is not permitted.
Does St Kitts and Nevis citizenship grant the right to live in the European Union?: No. St Kitts and Nevis citizenship can confer a second passport and visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel, but it grants no right to live, work or settle in the EU and no path to an EU passport. For a European foothold, residence by investment is the direct route.

Official sources

General guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Figures are verified to 2026 against official primary sources, and eligibility, thresholds and timelines are confirmed in writing before you commit to anything.

Timing

The programme you apply under is the one that exists on the day you file.

For residence applications, we generally plan on approximately two to three months to approval and three to six months from instruction to residence card.

Citizenship applications vary more widely. A straightforward application may receive approval within approximately three months, but six to nine months to passport issuance is a more prudent planning assumption.

Programme rules, government fees and processing times can change. We therefore reconfirm the applicable terms immediately before an application is filed.

Neither approval nor timing can be guaranteed.

If St Kitts and Nevis is the route you want, we can start your file.

A first conversation, not a commitment. Tell us who would be included and what you already hold, and we come back with the route, the confirmed terms and the timeline for St Kitts and Nevis — or tell you honestly if another programme fits you better.