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Saint Kitts and Nevis passport: Detailed citizenship by investment guide

03 September 2018

In today’s article we will provide a detailed step-by-step guide to procedure of applying for citizenship of Saint Kitts and Nevis in exchange for investment in the Sustainable Growth Fund focusing on most important aspects and peculiarities of application process. Reviewing this information will take 10-15 minutes, however this is the most comprehensive guide which will give you the answers to each question that you might have. Just facts and specifics based on our experience of working with the program.

Stage 1

Preliminary check and signing the contract with Migronis

Duration:1-2 days

What does the applicant do?

Signs a contract with Migronis and pays 50% of the cost of the company’s services (the amount depends on the package of services chosen by the client).

What does the company do?

Reviews the applicant's documents before signing the contract in order to assess the chances and possible risks that may occur during application process. Prepares a contract.

Pay attention

The company’s experts carry out a free-of-charge preliminary check in one day.

Result 1 of stage:

Report on the preliminary check and signed contract.

Stage 2

Preparation of documents

Duration:15–30 days

What does the applicant do?

Provides the company with originals or notarized copies of all necessary documents, and fills out a questionnaire. Also, the investor and all his family members undergo the health examination, as well as get tested for HIV.

What does the company do?

Takes copies of original documents, arranges for their translation, legalization and apostilization. Arranges health examinations and HIV testing. Sends questionnaires to be filled out.

Stage 2 costs

$ 3,000– $ 10,000 expenses for preparation of documents. (the final amount will depend on the number of family members and the documents provided). These costs cover:

  • preparation of documents (obtaining a certificate of no criminal record, translation and legalization / apostillization);
  • passing the health examination and HIV testing.

The St. Kitts and Nevis program provides for the mandatory apostilization of all civil documents. We assist with having the entire package apostilled in 2 days. Certificates of no criminal record Under normal procedure, a certificate of no criminal record is issued within a month, but there is a possibility to speed up the process for an additional fee and receive a certificate within 1 day. When is it preferable to do obtain certificates Some documents (conclusion of health examination, extracts and utility bills) have a “shelf life” of 3-6 months. It is better to obtain them closer to the date of filing.

Result 2 of stage:

The full package of documents was formed according to the checklist, translations and legalization were made. Questionnaires for filling out state forms were sent to the client for signing.

Stage 3

Filling out government application forms

Duration:up to 3 weeks

What does the client do?

Fills out questionnaires (in Russian), information from which is necessary for filling out government forms for the application for a St. Kitts citizenship by investment. Signs government forms filled in by the company and ready for submission.

What does the company do?

Fills out the forms on behalf of the client, organizes and oversees the process of collecting all certificates, their translation and legalization.

Stage 3 costs

From $ 200 expenses for the delivery of a package of documents to Saint Kitts and Nevis (the final cost depends on the weight of the documents).

Verification of translations While preparing the documents of an application for a second citizenship, investors often have recourse to third-party translators who can make mistakes. For this reason, documents often need to be re-translated and apostilled. We check every letter, which allows us to exclude possible errors. This ensures that our customers save significant time and money. The signature on government forms must be notarized or certified by an attorney-at-law (we also assist with this procedure).

Result 3 of stage:

The package of documents is prepared according to a check-list, agreed with the CIU and ready to be sent.

Stage 4

Submission of documents to Saint Kitts and Nevis 3-4 weeks after the start of the process (when the case is fully prepared)

Duration:1-2 days

What does the applicant do?

Pays due diligence fees and government fees.

What does the company do?

Sends a package of documents to St. Kitts and Nevis. Our lawyer in St. Kitts submits the case to the government.

What does the government do?

Accepts documents, issues a written confirmation of the acceptance of the case.

Stage 4 costs

$ 7,500 expenses for due diligence check of the main applicant; $ 4,000 expenses for due diligence of each applicant over 16 years of age (the duration of examination of documents is 90 days); Important! Expenses incurred under the expedited examination procedure:

  • $25,000 per main applicant (including diligence fees)
  • $20,000 per each family member older than 16 years of age (including due diligence fees)
  • $500 passport fee per each applicant older than 16

The personal presence of the applicant when submitting the case is not required. Documents are filed by the agents accredited by the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Result 4 of stage:

Receiving confirmation of acceptance of documents for consideration from CIU. Starting from this date, the 3-month examination period begins. In Saint Kitts and Nevis it is possible to pay for the expedited examination procedure – the term for consideration of documents will be 60 days instead of 90.

Stage 5

Examination of the case, verification of documents.

Duration:45 - 90 days

What does the applicant do?

Contributes a donation to the Sustainable Growth Fund. Pays the rest of the cost of Migronis' services.

What does the company do?

Sends additional notifications to the client - confirmation letters from the Citizenship by Investment Unit. After the completion of the due diligence procedure the company sends the investor a positive decision on the grant of citizenship and instructions on making a donation to the government fund.

What does the government do?

Examines documents, carries out the due diligence procedure. At each stage of examination sends to the applicant confirmation letters (transition to the second stage, approval of the petition).

Stage 5 costs

$ 150,000-195,000 expenses for payment of a non-refundable contribution ($ 150,000 – for one applicant, $ 195,000 – for a family of 4); Payment for Migronis’ services (the remaining 50% or 100% depending on the selected package).

The payment of the investment amount is made only upon approval of the petition by the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The full amount must be transferred from the personal account of the investor or the company in which the investor is the beneficiary. This rule applies to all Caribbean countries.

Result 5 of stage:

Receiving the letter of approval of the petition.

Stage 6

Grant of citizenship

Duration:up to 1 month

What does the applicant do?

Pays fees for issuance of a passport and a certificate of naturalization.

What does the company do?

Follows up payment of invoices by the client.

Stage 6 costs

$ 350 per applicant payment of the passport fee for each applicant;

Result 6 of stage:

Obtaining certificates of naturalization and passport.

Difficulties in obtaining a citizenship of Saint Kitts and Nevis and solutions thereto

  • The applicant must file a certificate of no criminal record from his native country, as well as from any country in which the applicant has resided for more than 1 year in the past 10 years.

    Solution:

    We help to obtain certificates of no criminal record not only in home country but also in all other countries where the client has residency. In our practice, apart from the CIS countries, there have been cases of obtaining certificates from Switzerland, Israel, England, the United States, Spain, Italy, Poland, Latvia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries.

  • When filling out state forms, translators may make minor spelling mistakes. Correction of mistakes takes time and money.

    Solution:

    We independently prepare a case, translate and legalize documents, so the case is prepared quickly and without errors, and thereafter successfully passes the examination at the Citizenship by Investment Unit.

  • During the due diligence procedure, there may be delays in receiving notifications from the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis. The government issues decisions with delays or requests additional documents. This happens in 1 of 10 cases.

    Solution:

    You initially provide a full package of documents. Also, delays may occur during periods of high demand for citizenship, for example, in times when special offers are valid.

  • St. Kitts and Nevis passport is valid for 10 years. After a ten-year period, it must be renewed. The renewal procedure takes up to 7 days - the passport form, the original passport, a copy of the certificate of naturalization are submitted and the passport fee is paid.

    Solution:

    We will remind you about the necessity to renew your passport six months prior the expiration date, and we will arrange for a replacement without visiting the island and taking active actions by the applicant. The process takes from one to two weeks.

Expert recommendation

“In 2017, the St. Kitts and Nevis passport program has won the title of “World’s Most Innovative Investment Immigration Program” at the Global Citizen ceremony. Launched in 1984, it is the oldest program in the world. To date, it is considered one of the most accessible for families of 4 people. Owing to such a long history of operation, all processes have been worked out and thought out to the last detail, and the procedure itself is simple and transparent. Passport holders receive a visa-free access to 151 countries of the world, along with social and political security, tax preferences and complete confidentiality. Any person eligible for the program can obtain a Caribbean citizenship. At the same time, it is important to understand that the final result and the speed of consideration of the case depend on the accuracy and completeness of the submitted documents.”

Conclusions

16,544 investors already enjoy the benefits of St. Kitts and Nevis passport

  • Visa-free or visa on arrival regime with more than 151 countries
  • Possibility to get long-term visas to the USA and Canada
  • No taxes imposed on global income, dividends, wealth and inheritance
  • All family members can obtain citizenship within 3-5 months

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