15.05.03 Special
offer For Asian, Middle East and
other applicants with poor visa-free travel
opportunity wishing to live and
work in Europe: easy immigration and relocation in
Switzerland. more
24.03.04 Special
offer For citizens with poor visa-free travel opportunity
wishing to reside in European Union. more
St.
Kitts &
Nevis Through History. Economy
Overview.
First
settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an
associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967.
The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to
secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved
independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a
referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of
the two-thirds majority needed.
Sugar was the
traditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts
economy until the 1970s. Although the crop
still dominates the agricultural sector,
activities such as tourism,
export- oriented manufacturing, and offshore
banking have assumed larger roles in
the economy. As tourism revenues
are now the chief source of the
islands' foreign exchange, a decline
in stopover tourist arrivals following
the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks has eroded government
finances. The opening of a 1,000+
bed Marriott hotel in February 2003
is expected to bring in much-needed
revenue.
St Kitts
& Nevis is an independent English speaking island
state situated in the northern part of the Leeward
Islands in the eastern Caribbean. The Federation is made
up of two islands, St. Kitts and the smaller Nevis,
which are separated by a channel two miles wide. It is a
former British colony and a member of the Commonwealth
of Nations (British Commonwealth) as well as the United
Nations, Caricom, and other international
organisations.
St. Kitts
& Nevis has a pleasant climate, particularly during
the cool months from December to March. Humidity is
relatively low, and constant northeast trade winds keep
the islands cool.
St. Kitts is
23 miles long and 5 miles across at its widest,
encompassing an area of 68 square miles. Nevis, the
smaller island, lies to the south and is approximately 7
miles in diameter, covering a total of 36 square miles.
The two islands support a population of about 45,000, of
which about 9,000 live on the island of Nevis. Like no
other islands in the Caribbean except Dominica, St.
Kitts & Nevis embody a kind of lush tropical
paradise usually associated with the South Pacific. The
atmosphere here is a blend of sunlight, sea air and
abundant vegetation. At the center of St. Kitts stands
the spectacular, cloud-fringed peak of Mount Liamuiga
(pronounced Lee-a-mweega), a dormant volcano covered by
dense tropical forest.
St. Kitts
& Nevis offers good opportunities for investors and
manufacturers. The workforce is well- educated, English
speaking and friendly. Other advantages include tax
breaks of up to 15 years, repatriation of profits and
the possibility of tax-free entry of produced goods into
the US market. Substantial European import benefits also
apply.
The Government of St. Kitts &
Nevis has introduced extensive legislation to attract
financial services business to the island. Since 1984
there is also an attractive Citizenship-by- Investment Programme
in operation. However, due to a separate real estate investment
requirement in addition to government fees, this programme
is relatively expensive and, as a consequence,
also more exclusive. However, St. Kitts &
Nevis is a very attractive place to own real
estate, and there are some excellent
real estate developments that are approved
under the citizenship programme. Furthermore, the St.
Kitts & Nevis passport is very well regarded
as only relatively few passports have been issued under
this citizenship-by-investment programme. Therefore, depending on the
applicant’s individual circumstances, the St. Kitts
& Nevis citizenship-by-investment programme is a
very attractive option.
Administrative
divisions.
14 parishes;
Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point,
Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint
James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John
Figtree, Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint
Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas
Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island, Trinity Palmetto
Point.
St.
Kitts & Nevis Citizenship
by Investment. Background and Legal
Considerations.
Citizenship Programme of St.
Christopher (St. Kitts) and Nevis was established in
1984, which makes this the longest established Economic
Citizenship Programme. Citizenship can only be acquired
through an investment in designated real estate; a
limited quota of real estate available for investment
has been set by the Government. Regulations regarding
Economic Citizenship are contained in Section 3 (5) of
the Citizenship Act, 1984. The terms and conditions
governing the Citizenship-by- Investment Programme are
contained in the Government's policy
guidelines.
Requirements.
In addition
to standard documentary requirements (passports,
birth and marriage certificates, police clearance, etc.)
it is necessary that the applicant makes contribution
to the Government of St. Kitts & Nevis, which takes the
form of a non-refundable cash payment of US$35,000 for
a single applicant plus US$15,000 for each dependent.
In addition, the applicant must invest in designated
real estate. To qualify for citizenship of St.Kitts
& Nevis, the Government requires an investment in
real estate of at least US$250,000. In addition to this,
there are professional and due diligence fees, which
depend on the number of persons included in an
application.
These
requirements make the programme relatively expensive but
at the same time also more exclusive. However, St. Kitts
& Nevis is a very attractive place to own real
estate, and there are some excellent real estate
developments that are approved under the citizenship
programme. Furthermore, the St. Kitts & Nevis
passport is very well regarded as only relatively few
passports have been issued under the
citizenship-by-investment programme. As a result, St.
Kitts & Nevis passport holders, unlike Belize,
Dominica or Grenada passport holders for example, enjoy
a passport with more visa-free travel (St. Kitts &
Nevis passport holders still have visa-free access to
Canada for example) and an excellent reputation.
Therefore, depending on the applicant's individual
circumstances, the St. Kitts & Nevis
citizenship-by-investment programme is a very attractive
option.
Procedure.
We
will assist you in finding suitable real estate for
purchase and will prepare and lodge your application
with the Government. After purchase of the real estate
and approval of your citizenship application (normally 4
to 8 weeks) citizenship documents and passports are
issued. As with other citizenship programmes, there is a
thorough background check. However, applicants are not
required to go to St. Kitts & Nevis as there is no
interview required. Of course it is advisable to
personally select the real estate in which you invest,
however if you do not have the time to travel there the
entire procedure can be completed without your physical
presence being required, which is a further,
considerable advantage of this programme. Citizens of
St. Kitts and Nevis are allowed to hold dual
citizenship, and the acquisition of citizenship is not
reported to other countries.
Benefits.
As
a citizen of St. Kitts & Nevis you can live and work
in St. Kitts & Nevis at any time, and as
Commonwealth citizen you will enjoy special rights and
privileges in the United Kingdom. You are not liable to
taxation in St. Kitts & Nevis on any income earned
outside of the country. Most importantly, the St. Kitts
& Nevis passport enjoys an excellent, untainted
reputation, and offers the most comprehensive visa-free
travel of all economic citizenship passports: you will
be able to travel on your St. Kitts & Nevis passport
without visa to more than 90 countries, including the
United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, and many
others. Finally, owning real estate in St. Kitts &
Nevis, two of the most attractive islands in the
Caribbean, is a good investment that you can use for
your vacation, as a pied-a-terre, for future retirement
or to generate rental income.
As
we handle all applications ourselves and do not use any
intermediaries, our clients can rely on us for utmost
confidentiality and efficiency. We are the leading
company in this field, with an international presence in
key jurisdictions worldwide.
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