ST. KITTS & NEVIS

With its breathtaking natural beauty, warm skies and white sandy beaches, St. Kitts & Nevis is one of the most stunning spots in the Caribbean. With the country’s CIP program, investors have the opportunity to wake up there every morning in as little as a few months.

WHY CHOOSE ST. KITTS & NEVIS?

This beautiful two-island nation is blessed with tropical temperatures, clear blue waters and a bustling trade and tourism economy. It is well-connected by direct flights to and from Europe and the U.S., and offers residents and citizens sought-after advantages, such as dual citizenship and tax-free worldwide income. As one of the longest-established programs of its kind, the St. Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment Program offers applicants a host of unique benefits:

• Fast processing within four months.
• Inclusion of dependent children under 30 and dependent parents or grandparents over 55.
• Addition of dependent children under 16, born after citizenship has been granted, to be processed by the Ministry of National Security.
• No physical residency requirements.
• No requirement to travel to St. Kitts & Nevis during the application process.
• No interview, education or managerial experience required.
• Visa-free travel to more than 100 countries, including Schengen member states, the U.K., Hong Kong, Singapore and more.
• No tax on worldwide income.
• St. Kitts & Nevis recognizes dual citizenship, so investors can still benefit from their current passports.

Qualifications

The St. Kitts & Nevis (St. Christopher & Nevis) Citizenship by Investment Program was established in 1984 under the regulations of the 1984 Citizenship Act, Part II, Section 3 (5), which makes it the oldest citizenship by investment program in the world.

To qualify for citizenship in St. Kitts & Nevis, applicants must fulfill one of the investment requirements below in addition to the following criteria:

• Be of outstanding character.
• Hold no criminal record.
• Have excellent health.
• Have a high personal net worth.

INVESTMENT OPTIONS

1. Sustainable Growth Fund

In April 2018, Saint Kitts & Nevis launched a new permanent investment fund to replace the temporary Hurricane Relief Fund set up to address the devastation caused by the 2017 hurricanes in the Caribbean. The new Sustainable Growth Fund is open for donations with the following thresholds:

• US$150,000: Single applicant.
• US$25,000: Spouse.
• US$10,000: Per additional dependent.

In addition, the due diligence fees are as follows:

• US$7,500: Due diligence of main applicant.
• US$4,000: Due diligence for dependent over 16.
• US$4,000: Due diligence for financial sponsor.

2. Real Estate Investments

A. Five-year hold period
Applicants may purchase government-approved property valued at a minimum of US$400,000, or purchase shares valued at the same minimum amount in a real estate development. The investment must be maintained for a minimum of five years.

B. Seven-year hold period
Applicants can make an investment of US$200,000 in a government-approved luxury resort. The investment must be maintained for a minimum of seven years.

In both cases, investors are required to pay additional applicable taxes and fees.

Kittitian Hill Premier Cottage Suites

The Premier Cottage Suites, offered by Arton Capital, are an exclusive selection of four-bedroom suites located within the Kittitian Hill resort. Each shareholder will be entitled to income from the rental pool as well as other exclusive benefits:

• No responsibility for any ongoing costs for five years.
• Free stay at the suites for 14 nights per year.
• Automatic enrollment in Preferred Residences, a membership and exchange program for luxury resort share owners. The program allows shareholders to exchange their usage with other luxury resorts worldwide.
• Available Preferred Share Offer (RPSO) or Buy Back Option, an exclusive product in collaboration between Kittitian Hill resort and Arton Capital that offers applicants the guaranteed option to re-sell the property back to the developer at the nominal purchase value after the five-year holding period.

Redeemable Preferred Share Offer

The Redeemable Preferred Share Offer (RPSO) is an exclusive product with Arton Capital and is commonly referred to as the Buy Back Option. The offer allows applicants to purchase a share of specially appointed Cottage Suites within the development for US$400,000. Applicants renounce any income or dividends from the company in exchange for the guaranteed option to re-sell the property back to the developer after five years. After the five-year holding period, the purchaser will have the following options:

• Redeem their share for the same purchase amount of US$400,000.
• Re-sell their share to a private buyer, who can then also apply for St. Kitts & Nevis citizenship.
• Choose to retain ownership.

Koi Resort and Residences

The alternative for investors is this feature of luxury villas and suites, each with an ocean view. Investors may choose between purchasing on a fractional interest basis and purchasing a unit as a whole. There are many advantages for investors who opt for this alternative:

• Owners considered early buyers will be entitled to a waiver of the Regular Annual Assessments for a period of five years.
• Owners have equal access to all residences within the same category type that is purchased.
• 14 usage days during the high season and 21 usage days during the low season. If a whole unit is purchased, the number of usage days per high season and per low season will increase.

Residency Program

The recently implemented residency program can be an add-on to a citizenship by investment application or it can be a stand-alone route leading to an official tax residency status in Saint Kitts & Nevis. To qualify, applicants must spend a minimum of 2 non-consecutive months per year on the islands and must show a proof of local address either through a purchased property or a 1-year lease for a minimum of US$15,000 per year. Previously processed applicants can also qualify.

Residency Program fees:

• US$25,000: Tax residency card (yearly fee);
• US$10,000: Additional tax residency card for a dependent over 18 (yearly fee);
• US$50,000: Residency fee under the SIDF option;
• US$150,000: Residency fee as a stand-alone program.

Residency fee is not applicable under the Real Estate investment option.

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