St Kitts Citizenship program is ranked 4th among the countries with the citizenship by investment programs, in the recently released Henley Passport Index 2018.
In the same report St Kitts ranks first among all other Caribbean CIPs in the caribbean. St Kitts is the oldest and respected CIPs in the Caribbean with its inception in 1984. St Kitts and Nevis is the birthplace of CIP.
St Kitts PM Harris said … As CIPs proliferate across the globe, we urge the world to remember where it all began – right here in St. Kitts and Nevis in 1984
Austria ranks first, Malta second and Cyprus third among the number of visa free destinations.
- Austria – 186 visa free countries
- Malta – 182 countries
- Cyprus – 171 countries
- St Kitts and Nevis – 151
- Antigua and Barbuda – 149
- St Lucia – 142
- Grenada – 141
- Dominica – 136
Austria and Malta are the only countries that have visa waiver with US and Canada. ESTA registration required prior to travel to US and Canada.
Citizenship by Investment
As the world economy has become increasingly globalized, the need for greater visa-free access has grown steadily. Across the economic spectrum, individuals want to transcend the constraints imposed on them by their country of origin and access business, financial, career, and lifestyle opportunities on a global scale.
Wealthy individuals in particular are more cosmopolitan and transnational today than ever before, with roots, networks, assets, properties, and even citizenship spanning multiple countries. In many ways, global connectivity has become an indispensable feature of wealth creation and wealth preservation, and its value will only grow as regional volatility and instability increase.
The complexities and imbalances within contemporary international relations mean that citizens in many countries encounter onerous visa restrictions and barriers to entry when it comes to traveling abroad. Even individuals with strong passports need to obtain visas for certain countries or may be denied entry altogether because of trade sanctions or cultural or political tensions. In general, the process of applying for a visa is laborious and inconvenient.
Alternative citizenship represents the most direct route to global mobility, connectivity, and access. Individuals who have multiple passports benefit from each country’s best practices and are less vulnerable to its risks and shortcomings.
‘Caribbean countries are catching up to their North American neighbors in terms of annual visa-free growth’, said Dr. Suzette Haughton, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of the West Indies
As of 2018, the following countries have active CIPs with the investment minimum eligible for citizenship.
- St Kitts & Nevis: $150,000
- Dominica: $100,000
- Cyprus: €2 million
- Malta: €1.1 million
- Antigua and Barbuda: $100,000
- Grenada: $150,000
- Saint Lucia: $100,000
- Vanuatu: $150,000
- Moldova: $100,000
