Citizenship of
Saint Kitts and Nevis

The passports issued to new citizens above 16 years of age are valid for 10 years. The passports issued to applicants below 16 years of age are valid for 5 years.

The following documents are required:

• A medical examination certificate and test containing HIV test results (not more than 3 months old).
• Notarized and apostilled copies of the applicants’ foreign passports (This requirement holds for all applicant family members who hold foreign passports.)
• Notarized and apostilled copies of the applicants’ national ID cards, driver's licenses or domestic passports and their notarized translations if necessary. (This requirement holds for all applicant family members who hold such documents.)
• A digital photograph 3.5 by 4.5 centimeters in size (applies to all family members).
• Notarized and apostilled copies of the applicants’ birth certificates and their notarized translations if necessary. (This applies to all applicant family members.)
• Notarized and apostilled copies of the military service cards and their translations if necessary. (This applies to all family members who have done military service.)
• The originals of clean criminal records from every country that the applicants are citizens of, and every country that they have resided in for more than one year over the last ten years, with notarized and apostilled translations. (This applies to all family members who are above 16 years of age.)
• A Letter of Reference or Recommendation from the bank
• A professional recommendation from the main applicant’s employer. In case the applicant is self-employed, a letter of recommendation from a lawyer, a business partner, or an auditor (this requirement applies to main applicants only).
• A proof of address such as a utility bill carrying the investor’s name and the residential address (this requirement applies to investors only).
• A notarized and apostilled copy of the marriage license or the divorce certificate and their notarized translations if necessary.
• Notarized and apostilled copies of university diplomas (this requirement applies to the investor and his/ her spouse only).
• A bank statement for the last twelve months carrying a bank stamp and accompanied by a notarized translation if necessary (this requirement applies to the investor only).
• If the applicant is the owner of a business and it is the source of the capital that is invested in acquiring citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis, the company Registration Certificate and/or the extract from the Company Registry, together with audited accounts. These documents have to be translated into English if necessary.
• If children between 18 and 30 years of age are included in the application for citizenship, a document confirming that they are full time students. In addition, an affidavit confirming that the child(ren) is/ are fully financially dependent on the main applicant is required.

This is not required. The citizenship program does not oblige the applicants to live in St Kitts and Nevis in order to be considered citizens of the country. You do not even have to visit the country to submit the application for citizenship nor to obtain the passport, although of course it is recommended to visit your new country. You can arrange to collect the naturalization certificate and the passport from the immigration agent whose services you use or have it sent by courier. At the same time, citizens of St Kitts and Nevis naturally have the right to live and work in the country for as long as they desire.

If the applicant has had a prison sentence or has been involved in a legal case, the application may be rejected. If the applicant fails to pass the national security checks, the application will be rejected.. If it is discovered that the applicant has provided false or incomplete information or been less than fully transparent when submitting the application documents, the application will be automatically rejected.

If the applicant has been denied a visa to one of the countries that St Kitts and Nevis has visa-free arrangements with, he or she will not be able to acquire citizenship of St Kitts and Nevis until they remedy this situation acquire a visa to the country that has denied it before. (This applies principally to EU countries and UK).

Sometimes the document requirements can be overwhelming. Whilst there is little flexibility, the good news is that each application is reviewed by the government on its merits, with an open mind. If your situation is complicated, an experienced immigration lawyer like the ones we recommend can review your case in detail. Often there might be a way to submit an alternative document that you might not have thought of, or a sworn affidavit explaining the impossibility of obtaining a certain document. There is also an appeals process. Don't give up before you've started - talk to a specialist and they will help you find the best solution within the law. There is no charge for an initial consultation.