The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme is one of the main pillars of the economic development of St. Kitts and Nevis and has generated substantial benefit to the people of the nation over the years. As pioneers of the CBI industry, St. Kitts and Nevis remains a top destination for those seeking alternative citizenship from a trusted and reputable country. The twin-island Federation launched the CBI Programme in 1984 and it has since been consistently ranked as one of the world’s best citizenship investment programmes.
The CIU is committed to strengthening the CBI Programme and has prioritised the reform of the CBI Programme which aims to further enhance its integrity and competitiveness. At the heart of SKN CBI programme is a commitment to strict due diligence, exceptional service delivery and innovation, whilst ensuring compliance with national legislation and international standards.
Six Core Principles
The SKN CBI program is firmly rooted in six key principles:
- Transparency: We will ensure that our processes and decisions are clear and accessible to all stakeholders.
- Communication: We believe in open dialogue with our investors and stakeholders. Your insights and feedback are invaluable as we strive to deliver consistently exceptional service.
- Good Governance: Upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability is paramount. We are dedicated to ensuring that our operations reflect these values.
- Transformation: We are committed to meeting the changing needs of our clients and the global market, transforming our operations to deliver speed and efficiency while embracing innovation.
- Global Leadership: St. Kitts and Nevis will continue to set the benchmark in the Citizenship by Investment landscape. We will leverage our strengths to lead the way and inspire confidence in our premier Programme internationally.
- Sustainability: Our future depends on our ability to preserve and protect our natural and cultural heritage. We are dedicated to implementing sustainable practices that benefit our citizens, investors, stakeholders, and our environment.
Each of these principles is integral to delivering with excellence in everything we do, with a focus on professionalism and outstanding customer service.
– Mr. St. Juste, Chairman of CBI Board
The operation of SKN CBI programme is overseen by Unit, Board, Committee and CIDD.
The Citizenship by Investment Unit
In June 2024, the National Assembly successfully passed the Citizenship by Investment Unit Act, 2024, establishing the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) as a separate corporate body, opposed to a Government department, operational from 31 July 2024. The CIU will have perpetual succession, a common seal and the ability to sue and be sued in its corporate name. In addition to the Board of Governors, there will also be a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer as well as Chief Due Diligence & Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer to oversee the Programme.
The Citizenship by Investment Board
Following the enactment of the Citizenship by Investment Unit Act of 2024, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis officially appointed a Board of Governors on 26 July 2024. The Unit is a statutory body, reporting to the Prime Minister and National Assembly. The Chairperson and five members of the Board of Governors will be responsible for overseeing the operations and governance of the newly formed Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) as a statutory corporation. Beyond working closely with the Unit’s executive team, the Board will be responsible for reviewing investment proposals that are submitted to ascertain that any proposed Citizenship by Investment (CBI) project is financially sound and beneficial to the nation. The Board of Governors is also responsible for investigating any complaints about the Unit’s activities.
CBI Technical Committee
The review of all CBI applications is the responsibility of the Technical Committee, who are also in charge of ensuring that all due diligence background checks and spot checks are comprehensively completed on all CBI applications.
Continuing International Due Diligence (CIDD) Unit
In a historic session of the National Assembly the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis marked a significant milestone by establishing the Continuing International Due Diligence (CIDD) Unit, operational from 31 July 2024 to monitor economic citizens worldwide. The inception of the CIDD Unit heralds a new era in the evolution of the CBI Programme, building upon four decades of excellence, consolidation, and enhancement. By integrating ongoing due diligence practices, the CIDD Unit is poised to elevate the programme’s integrity and efficacy to unprecedented levels.
The CIDD Unit will provide additional layer of security to mitigate and address any risks associated with St. Kitts and Nevis citizens who obtained their citizenship via the CBI programme. CIDD unit will be headquartered in Europe and will be responsible for conducting continuing due diligence on economic citizens worldwide. It will ensure that citizens holding passports issued by St. Kitts and Nevis and residing and working internationally, abide by the laws of the countries in which they reside and visit, and that they respect the international laws as well. [It will] alert the Ministry of National Security of St. Kitts and Nevis citizens who are being investigated for committing or have been arrested and/or charged with financial or other crimes internationally. In addition, the unit will liaise with and report to international law enforcement, anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing agencies when St. Kitts and Nevis citizens are being investigated for committing or have been arrested and/or charged with financial or other crimes internationally. It will also be responsible for retrieving passports issued by St. Kitts and Nevis which have been cancelled by the Ministry of National pursuant to the Passport and Travel Document Act Principle 5 of the US-Caribbean roundtable on CBI.
The launch of the CIDD Unit underscores St. Kitts and Nevis’ unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and responsible citizenship practices, setting a new benchmark for global citizenship programmes worldwide.
– Prime Minister Dr. Drew