The passport of Saint Kitts and Nevis is an official document issued to citizens of the country for identification during international travel. Externally, it is similar to passports of other Caribbean nations, featuring a dark blue cover with a gold coat of arms representing the islands' heritage. The biometric passport contains 32 pages and allows visa-free entry to more than 150 countries worldwide. Visa-free destinations include the United Kingdom, Brazil, Singapore, Russia, as well as all European Union member states. You can find a list of visa-free countries on the official government website.
The strength of the passport, its global mobility, the ease of obtaining it, and the business opportunities it offers make it desirable and attract foreigners from around the globe.
How to Obtain a Passport of Saint Kitts and Nevis
To obtain a national identity card, the applicant must demonstrate citizenship, which can be acquired by birth/descent, adoption, naturalization, or through the Citizenship by Investment program.
There are various programs available for obtaining residency in St. Kitts and Nevis, each with its own eligibility criteria. The government currently offers the following options:
- By birth: Regardless of the parents' nationality, children born on the islands automatically have the right to become citizens.
- By descent: Having relatives (parents, grandparents) from St. Kitts and Nevis allows one to apply for a national passport after providing the necessary evidence.
- Through marriage: By marrying a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis and living together for at least three years, a foreigner can apply for residency.
- Through investment: The "Golden Passport" can be obtained by investing at least $250,000 in one of the specified areas — Federal Consolidated Fund, real estate, or public benefit projects.
How to obtain
The situation changed dramatically in April 2023. The government of St Kitts and Nevis accepted the US requirements to ban the granting of citizenship for investment to residents of certain countries. They are now unable to buy St Kitts and Nevis residency along with individual Caribbean countries.
Most applications submitted before March 2023 were retroactively canceled, and the invested funds were not returned. Currently, investors are trying to appeal the decisions and seek refunds for the donations made under previously agreed applications.
Before the introduction of restrictions, the process for obtaining a passport through investment looked like this step by step:
Foreigners are not allowed to apply for residency personally. For this purpose, there are licensed companies listed in the official government registry
The applicant have to prepare, translate, and legalize the required package of documents for themselves and their dependents (if they are included in the application)
A licensed agent submits the document package to the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) for due diligence review. At this stage, it is necessary to pay the corresponding administrative fees
After receiving the preliminary decision, the candidate must meet the financial requirements of the program
After the investment is approved, the applicant receives a letter with the final decision, after which a certificate of citizenship is issued
Application for a passport. The candidate must visit the Passport Office of the Ministry of National Security to submit an application for the issuance of a national identity card
Citizenship Law of Saint Kitts and Nevis
The main legal framework governing citizenship and immigration issues consists of the Citizenship Act of 1984 and the Constitution of 1983. A notable feature is the division of citizenship rights based on the date of independence — September 19, 1983.
For example, before this date, children born on the islands did not automatically acquire citizenship, whereas after this date, citizenship is granted regardless of the parents' nationality. A similar division is applied in each of the residency programs that do not require financial investment.
The legislation of Saint Kitts and Nevis permits dual and multiple citizenships, provided it does not conflict with the requirements of the applicant’s home country. Citizens of some countries are not prohibited from acquiring a passport from this Caribbean nation, but dual citizenship is not granted due to the lack of relevant international agreements.
Documents for a Passport
Before applying for a passport, the applicant must gather the current set of documents. Each residency program has its own specific requirements for the candidate's file. The standard set of personal documents includes the following:
- Valid passport.
- Completed application form.
- Two recent passport-sized photos.
- Original birth certificate.
- Original citizenship certificate.
- Marriage/divorce certificate (if applicable).
- Payment receipts for state fees.
How much does a passport of Saint Kitts and Nevis cost?
The cost of a national identification card will depend on the method of acquisition. If a foreigner obtains the passport without financial investment, the expenses will be limited to administrative fees for processing the application and verifying documents — up to $250. Current rates should be checked with the Passport Office.
The passport purchase program involves significant expenses. The following minimum investment thresholds apply:
- Fund for sustainable growth – from $250,000 per applicant.
- Investments in real estate – from $400,000 plus a government fee of $25,000.
In addition to the total amount of the main investments, it is necessary to add a fee for checking the candidate's reliability of $10,000, attorney fees of up to $6,000, a payment for issuing a passport of $350, additional courier expenses, bank transfers, and document legalization of up to $1,000.