The St. Lucia Citizenship by Investment Program

If you are interested in the newest and arguably the best-positioned citizenship by investment program in the Caribbean, you need to consider Saint Lucia. Your key investments in Saint Lucia will pave way for Saint Lucia citizenship and a passport to the world.

WHAT MAKES SAINT LUCIA EXCEPTIONAL?

Over the years, St. Lucia has acquired decades of rich experience in economic, tourism and immigration activities from its Caribbean neighbors of St. Vincent, Grenada, and Martinique. You can see the evidence in the efficient Citizenship investment programs for investors. The Citizenship by Investment Board in its commitment to transparency and development, hand-picks only the best practices from the most committed investors to ensure that every party gets nothing but the best.

The commitment goes further to include the provision of unrivaled advantages to the investors which in turn benefits the country and its people.

Interestingly, Saint Lucia recognizes and accepts dual citizenship, which investors will find beneficial in business expansion and tax relief. 

The benefits include:

• Fast visa processing under three months.
• Inclusion of dependent children under 25.
• Inclusion of dependent parents above 65 who are currently residing with the applicant.
• Inclusion of mentally or physically challenged dependent children and/or parents.
• No physical residency requirements.
• No requirement to travel to Saint Lucia during the application process.
• No interview, education or managerial experience required.
• Visa-free travel to more than 100 countries, including Hong Kong, Singapore, the UK, and Europe’s Schengen Area.
• No tax on worldwide income.

QUALIFICATIONS

The Citizenship by Investment Program of Saint Lucia came into existence in 2015 under the regulations of the Citizenship by Investment Bill 2015. It is the newest addition to the CIP programs in the Caribbean region.

Saint Lucia has masterfully positioned its Citizenship Investment Program to benefit the global elite. This is achieved by limiting visa application numbers and raising the overall requirements. Therefore, to qualify for citizenship in Saint Lucia, applicants must fulfill one of the following investment requirements below as well as these criteria:

• Be of outstanding character.
• Hold no criminal record.
• Have excellent health.

INVESTMENT OPTIONS

1. National Economic Fund Contribution

High net worth individuals may choose to make a financial contribution to the NEF organization using one of these prescribed contribution levels.

• US$100,000: Single applicant.
• US$140,000: Main applicant with spouse.
• US$150,000: Family with up to 3 dependents (spouse + 2 children).
• US$25,000: Each additional dependent.
• US$30,000: Administrative fees.

2. Real Estate Investment

To be eligible, applicants may choose to purchase property valued at a minimum of US$300,000 in a pre-approved real estate development area. Such applicant must own and maintain the property in question for a minimum of five years. Bear in mind however that you still have to pay property registration, processing fees and taxes in addition to the property purchase.

3. Government Bond Investment

An applicant and accompanying family may also opt to invest in Saint Lucia government bonds with approval of the Program. As an investor, you must hold that bond for at least five years. The size of the family will determine the bond amount you must invest in.

• US$500,000: Single applicant
• US$535,000: Main applicant and spouse
• US$550,000: Family with up to 3 dependents (spouse + 2 children)
• US$25,000: Each additional dependent

There is an administration fee of US$50,000 per government bond option attached to the application.

4. Enterprise Project Investment

An applicant may choose to invest a minimum of US$3.5 million in an approved enterprise project and create at least three jobs in the country. To make it easier for investors, two applicants may share an investment of US$6 million and create six jobs to qualify. Note that approved enterprise projects must fall under one of the following categories: 

• Specialty restaurants, 
• Cruise ports and marinas, 
• Agro-processing plants, 
• Pharmaceutical products, 
• Ports, bridges, roads and highways, 
• Research institutions and facilities, or offshore universities.

 For your information, Arton Capital is an authorized marketing agent appointed by the government to promote Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Program. This organization is responsible for the countries in the MENA region, as well as other countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Malta, Pakistan and Turkey.

5. Covid-19 Relief Bond (Limited Time Offer)

When investors invest in Saint Lucia’s bond, they qualify for the citizenship and after the prescribed time, are guaranteed the return on investment as well.

The Limited Time Offer is as follows:

US$250,000: 

• Single applicant, 5-year hold period 
• Applicant with 1 dependent, 6-year hold 
• Applicant with up to 4 dependents, 7-year hold.

US$300,000: 

• Applicant with up to 4 dependents, 5-year hold.
• Up to 4 additional dependents can be added at US$ 15,000 per person. 

Thankfully, processing fees have been waived; however, there is a fund administration fee of US$30,000 which investors must pay.

Should you have any questions, or if you would like a detailed breakdown of the exact costs for your family, kindly contact us and we will be delighted to help you.