St. Lucia

St. Lucia

Facts About Country

St. Lucia has the newest and arguably the best-positioned citizen by investment program in the Caribbean. Vibrant, discerning and alluring, Saint Lucia offers all the tropical benefits of the region while remaining exclusive, authentic and engaging.

Advantages of Citizenship

-Fast processing within 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 the Schengen Zone, the U.K. and Hong Kong.
-No tax on worldwide income.

Qualifications

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

Requirements/ Obligations

-Purchase of real estate with a minimum value of USD 300,000 from an approved real estate development, which must be held for a minimum period of five years
-Participation in an approved Enterprise Project (as set out in the regulations) with a minimum contribution of USD 3.5 million
-A non-refundable contribution to the National Economic Fund (NEF) of USD 100,000 (for a single applicant)
-Investment in non-interest bearing government bonds, which must be held for five years. The minimum investment requirement for a main applicant is USD 500,000

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Golden Visa Numbers Infographic (7)

Process:

-The Citizenship by Investment Board (CIB), which provides oversight to a dedicated Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), will consider an application for citizenship and the outcome may either be to grant, to deny or to delay for cause.
-Average process time is 3 months
-The principal applicant must make the qualifying investment within 60 calendar days after notice of approval of their application.
-In the case of an investment in an approved real estate or enterprise project, the principal applicant must pay the government administrative fees due within 60 full days after notice of approval of their application.
-A successful applicant shall sign the oath or affirmation of allegiance before an attorney-at-law, Consular Officer of Saint Lucia, Honorary Consul of Saint Lucia, Notary Royal or Notary Public.

Options:

National Economic Fund Contribution:

-High net worth individuals may choose to make a monetary contribution to the NEF organization via one of the prescribed contribution levels:
-US$100,000: Single applicant.
-US$165,000: Main applicant with spouse.
-US$190,000: Family with up to 3 dependents (spouse + 2 children).
-US$25,000: Each additional dependent.

Real Estate Investment:

-Applicants may purchase property valued at a minimum of US$300,000 in a pre-approved real estate development area. The property must be owned and maintained for a minimum of five years. Property registration, processing fees and taxes must be paid in addition to the property purchase.

Government Bond Investment:

-Upon approval an applicant and accompanying family may opt to invest in Saint Lucia government bonds, which must be held for five years. The bond amount will vary depending on the size of the family:
-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.
-The government bond option carries an administration fee of US$50,000 per application.

Enterprise Project Investment:

-Applicants may invest a minimum of US$3.5 million in an approved enterprise project and create at least three jobs. Two applicants may share an investment of US$6 million and create six jobs to qualify. 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.
-Appointed by the government, Arton Capital is an authorized marketing agent for the promotion of Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Program and is responsible for the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Palestine (West Bank and Gaza), Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.