How Much Does St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Cost?
Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC): US$250,000 for the main applicant or a family of up to four, plus US$25,000 for each additional dependant under 18 and US$50,000 for each additional dependant aged 18 or over (CIU, SISC).
Public Benefit Option: US$250,000 for the main applicant or a family of up to four, paid to the Unit for a unit of an Approved Public Benefit Project (CIU, Public Benefit Option).
Approved real estate: at least US$325,000 for a condominium unit or share in an approved development, or US$600,000 for an approved single-family home. Real estate applications also pay post-approval fees of US$25,000 for the main applicant, US$15,000 for a spouse, US$10,000 per dependant under 18 and US$15,000 per dependant 18 or over (CIU, private real estate).
Due diligence on every route: US$10,000 for the main applicant and US$7,500 for each dependant aged 16 or over.
How Long Does the St Kitts CIU Take, and Who Is Interviewed?
Every main applicant is interviewed, virtually or in person, by CIU officials or an independent firm the Unit commissions. Dependants aged 16 or over may also be called. Within 120-180 days of acknowledging an application, the CIU says it will tell you whether the application is approved in principle, denied, or delayed for cause (CIU, SISC). You make the investment only after approval in principle (CIU, application process).
The CIU refuses applicants who have a criminal record, are under criminal investigation, were declared bankrupt in the previous ten years, or were refused a visa by a country St Kitts and Nevis citizens can visit visa-free and have not since obtained one. It does not accept applications from citizens of Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Iraq, North Korea or Russia (CIU, eligibility criteria).
Which Family Members Can a St Kitts Application Include?
The CIU accepts a spouse; children under 18; children aged 18 to 30 in full-time secondary or tertiary education and fully supported by the main applicant; children 18 or over who are physically or mentally challenged; and parents of the main applicant or spouse aged 55 or over who live with and are fully supported by the main applicant (CIU, eligibility criteria).
What Should a St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Lawyer Check?
The agent. The CIU keeps separate lists of Authorised Agents and International Marketing Agents, and only Authorised Agents can submit applications. Check the name against the Authorised Agents list and the CIU's blacklisted agents page.
The seven-year holding period on real estate. Approved real estate sold within seven years does not qualify for a later citizenship application unless the Federal Cabinet is satisfied that substantial further investment went into the unit (CIU, private real estate). Buyers also pay purchase costs, mainly compulsory insurance fund contributions and conveyance fees (CIU, developer real estate).
The payment schedule. Due diligence is paid when the application is submitted; the investment and any post-approval fees are paid only after approval in principle, and those fees differ between the contribution and real estate routes.
How Is Regional Regulation Changing St Kitts CBI?
The five Eastern Caribbean programmes have adopted a region-wide US$200,000 minimum investment. On 23 September 2025 they signed an agreement to create a regional regulator, the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Regulatory Authority (ECCIRA), with biometric collection at interview and stronger residence and genuine-link requirements (OECS, 23 Sep 2025). The St Kitts and Nevis National Assembly passed the ECCIRA Bill on 17 October 2025 (CIU).
The US proclamation of 16 December 2025 restricted visas for nationals of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, citing citizenship by investment without residence. St Kitts and Nevis was not on that list (White House proclamation). If you are weighing those programmes, compare the Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica directories.
