Caribbean citizenship by investment
St Kitts and Nevis
One contribution covers a family of up to four, and the passport travels without a visa to the Schengen area and the UK.
From USD 250,000Government minimum. Agent and professional fees are additional.
Information checked 4 October 2026
- From
- USD 250,000
- Processing
- 120 to 180 days from acknowledgment to a decision in principle
- Residence
- None in force; announced, but waits for the regional regulator
- Interview
- Every main applicant, and dependants aged 16 and over
- Schengen
- Visa-free short stays
- UK
- No visa; ETA needed
Overview
The programme at a glance
St Kitts and Nevis prices its main contribution by household: from USD 250,000, the Sustainable Island State Contribution covers a family of up to four. Property routes are also available, with a seven-year hold.
It is also the programme most openly planning to change. Its unit has announced a move towards a genuine-link test, but none of that is law yet.
Benefits
What it offers, and what to weigh
Advantages
- One contribution covers a family of up to four.
- No visit visa for the UK, and none for short Schengen stays.
- The US Treasury's FinCEN withdrew its 2014 advisory on the programme in February 2026.
Worth knowing
- Property must be held for seven years, the longest hold of the five Caribbean programmes.
- An announced shift to residency- and participation-based routes could change the terms for new applicants.
- Every new applicant enrols biometrics in person, in St Kitts or at an overseas centre.
Travel and the passport
A St Kitts and Nevis passport is visa-exempt for short Schengen stays and needs no UK visit visa, only an electronic travel authorisation. The 2025 US proclamation does not name the country.
Eligibility
Who can apply
Citizens of six countries are refused outright: Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Iraq, North Korea and Russia, “for reasons of national security and public safety”. Unlike Dominica and Antigua, there is no residence-based exception for Iranian applicants.
Not accepted: Russia, Belarus, Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea.
Family
Who can be included
Spouse, children 18 to 29 if supported, and parents
Since January 2026 an adult child qualifies only if aged 18 to 29, unmarried and substantially supported. Grandparents are not in the regulatory definition of a dependant. A baby born while the file is open can be added.
Process
How the application runs
Applications reach the unit only through an authorised agent; the list is public. Within 120 to 180 days of acknowledging a file, the unit says whether it is approved in principle, refused or delayed for cause. The contribution or purchase follows within 90 days, and since September 2026 the passport is produced at biometric enrolment, four to six weeks later.
An authorised agent files the application with the due diligence fees.
Within 120 to 180 days the unit decides: approval in principle, refusal or delay for cause.
Within 90 days of approval, the contribution is paid or the purchase completed.
Biometrics are enrolled in person and the passport is produced in the same step.
UAE residents: print the document checklist before your consultation.
Announced for 2026, not yet in force
In its December 2025 update the unit's chairman said the programme would begin a transition away from contribution-based pathways during 2026. The same update described a mandatory genuine-link requirement covering physical presence, economic activity and investment, and listed a residency pathway as the first of four priorities for the year.
By late September 2026 none of this had become law: the regional framework, and with it any residence requirement, takes effect only when the regulator is operating and all member states agree a start date. Treat these as statements of intent.
Updates
What's changed
- 1 Sep 2026: biometric enrolment integrated with passport production; passport cost included in upfront portal payment; 4-6 week production lead time
- Feb 2026: US FinCEN rescinded its 2014 advisory (FIN-2014-A004) on the St Kitts and Nevis CBI programme
- 14 Jan 2026: US suspended immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries incl. St Kitts and Nevis; non-immigrant visas unaffected
- 2026: interview rule for dependants hardened in CIU guidance — Jan 2026 brochure 'may at the discretion'; Sept 2026 brochure 'are required' for dependants 16+
Questions people ask
Do I have to live in St Kitts and Nevis?
Not at present. The unit has announced a residency pathway and a genuine-link requirement, and says any residence rule will start only once the regional regulator is operating and member states agree a date.
Which nationalities cannot apply?
Citizens of Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Iraq, North Korea and Russia, according to the unit's eligibility criteria.
Do I need to travel for biometrics?
Biometrics are taken in person, either in St Kitts or at one of the overseas centres the unit designates. Since September 2026 the passport is produced in the same step.