St. Lucia Citizenship Cost

St. Lucia is a beautiful Caribbean Island. It is a small state right next to South America. The country has a population of up to 186,000 people and is willing to issue citizenship to any foreign individual who can fulfill the requirements. Saint Lucian culture is a mix of African, East Indian, French and English Traditions. The country’s terrain is defined by volcanic land and mountains with fertile valleys.

The government of Saint Lucia manages the economy through the funds they obtain from tourism, agriculture, and foreign investments. The foreign investments include investments from non-citizens who wish to be a citizen of the beautiful Caribbean paradise. The Island has beautiful tourist sites like the St. Lucia’s drive-in volcano and sulfur springs. The Island also has beautiful and endless gold sandy coastlines and beaches.

Benefits of Obtaining a St. Lucia Passport

Foreign citizens who Saint Lucia has successfully accepted have dual citizenship automatically - their foreign home and Saint Lucia. The country is a popular tourist destination with up to 424,000 tourists annually. Other exciting benefits of obtaining citizenship include;

• An opportunity to travel without visas to up to 145 countries around the world including the EU, Singapore, and Hong Kong. 

• There is no requirement to visit Saint Lucia before qualifying or during the application process.

• A strict background check is usually carried out on all applicants.

• Saint Lucia imposes no tax on income from other countries.

• No wealth taxes, inheritance taxes, or capital gains taxes.

• Qualified citizens’ families can enjoy inheritable citizenship.

• The country does not charge taxes on non-residents.

• Applications are usually processed within 3 – 6 months of application.

• Inclusion of dependent children under age 25.

• Inclusion of dependent parents above 65 years who are residing with applicants.

How do I get a St. Lucia Golden Passport?

To obtain Saint Lucia citizenship, it is important to know that only authorized agents are allowed to help the principal applicants with the necessary paperwork and processing of their applications. The authorized agents who prepare applications on behalf of applicants are assessed by the Citizenship by Investment Board (CBIB).

This requirement was necessitated by the legislation, the Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Act, document guidelines issued by the Citizenship by Investment Board, and other document guidelines issued.

Requirements to obtain a St. Lucia Passport

The following are prerequisites for any aspirant to obtain Saint Lucia Citizenship.

1. Applicant must be of a good character.

2. Applicant must have no criminal record.

3. Applicant must be healthy.

4. Applicant’s age must be above 18 years.

5. He/she must pass all the due diligence and background checks.

6. Applicant must be able to fulfill one of the qualifying investments.

7. Applicant must provide all supporting documents – Documents submitted must be submitted in the official language of the country – English.

8. Applicant must pay the required non-refundable processing, due diligence, and administrative fees.

How can I obtain St. Lucia Citizenship?

Saint Lucia Citizenship is not difficult to get if you have the correct information and the right agency working on your behalf. There are different means of obtaining a Saint Lucia citizenship. The most popular means is the Citizenship by Investment Program.

This program was launched in 2014 to generate more means of income for the government. This application process requires strict due diligence on the main applicant and his dependants. The different investment options for obtaining a St. Lucia citizenship through Citizen by Investment Programs are as follows.

• Government Donation to National Economic Fund (NEF) – The National Economic Fund (NEF) was established in 2015 by the Citizen Investment Act to receive donations under the Citizen by Investment Program. The government of Saint Lucia created the Fund to receive financial funding for government-approved projects to help the national development agenda. This fund is usually contributed by High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNIs) interested in relocating or obtaining the citizenship of Saint Lucia.

• Investment in Government Bonds – Applicants and family members may choose to invest in government bonds. The amount invested in the bonds varies with the size of the families. Applicants and qualified citizens must hold the bonds for a minimum of 5 years.

• Real Estate Investment – This is also an investment program in which the principal applicant is allowed to invest in. The applicant is required to execute a sale and buyback agreement of an approved project.

• Contribution toward Enterprise – Otherwise referred to as investing in a business project. Investors may invest in approved enterprise projects, including pharmaceutical products, ports, bridges, roads and highways, research institutions and facilities, agro-processing plants, speciality restaurants, cruise ports and marinas, and offshore universities. Investing in any approved enterprise project creates at least three jobs in the economy.

In addition to the investments option selected, the investor must pay state duties, administrative fee, and due diligence fees. The total cost to the investor depends on the investor’s family members included in the application and their age.

How Much Does it Cost to Become a Citizen of St. Lucia?

For a donation to the National Economic Fund, the Real Estate investment, and the contribution to Enterprise, the starting fee for becoming a citizen is at least $100,000, plus due diligence fees and administrative fees.

These costs can vary from US$100,000 to up to US$500,000, depending on the investment options chosen and the number of accompanying family members. Except for the investment in the government bond, which is more expensive and can vary between US$3,500,000 - US$5,000,000.

The diligence fee can be up to US$7,500 for the main applicant and US$5,000 per dependant. Administrative fees up to US$50,000 and processing fees could be up to US$10,000,

Is Saint Lucia a part of the United States?

The Saint Lucia state is not a part of the United States. Saint Lucia is an island country in the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It is located about 24 miles south of Martinique and some 21 miles northeast of Saint Vincent. The teardrop-shaped Island is a member of the British Commonwealth.

St. Lucia is associated with the United Kingdom but not the United States. However, the St. Lucia state offers United States Citizens its Lucia Citizenship by Investment program if they can afford the minimum investment required. Applicants interested can therefore apply for the St. Lucia golden passport through any available avenues under the Citizenship by Investment Program.

How Long Does it Take to Get Saint Lucia Citizenship?

Usually, from the date of application, it takes up to 3 – 6 months to process the application, after which the principal applicant must make investment contributions and other due diligence fees to become a full citizen finally.

When there are no areas of concern with the application, the application process should not take more than six months. However, some agencies can assure applicants a maximum time of 4 months. It depends on the choice of the principal applicant and the terms of agreement with their agents. The applicants, alongside their families, are usually allowed citizenship if successful.

Is Saint Lucia Passport Powerful?

The St. Lucia citizenship is very desirable because of its high mobility score and high ranking. The Saint Lucia Passport can admit St. Lucian citizens into up to 145 countries through visa free access or visa on arrival access. According to the Passport Ranking Index, the Saint Lucia Passport ranks 31st in terms of travel freedom for its citizens.

The Saint Lucia Passport ranking, compared with other ranked global passports, is calculated by adding up the number of countries that Saint Lucians can enter without a visa. Some of the countries passport holders can visit with free visa access, and visa on arrival include Singapore, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Israel, and the entire European Union.

How can I become a Citizen of St. Lucia?

The following step-by-step guidelines explain how to become a citizen of Saint Lucia through the Citizenship by Investment application.

1. First, choose a licensed and authorised agent to process your applications. The Agent must have been endorsed by the Citizenship by Investment Board. The Authorized Agent is responsible for putting you through the application process. He is also responsible for submitting your documents on your behalf to ensure you are successful.

2. Complete all your application forms and submit them to your agent. Also, provide all necessary supporting documents as requested for the application.

3. All submitted applications are checked strictly by the government to ensure that they pass the due diligence and background checks.

4. If the application passes background checks, the unit will approve the application. The approval is done within 60 - 90 days of applying. Upon approval, a letter is issued to the applicant with detailed instructions on making his investments.

5. The applicant is expected to choose a preferred investment within 60 days of receiving the instruction. He should submit proof of purchasing the qualifying investment and the application fees.

6. Upon receiving the proof of payment, the applicant must submit passport documents and application. The applicant is then issued the certificate of citizenship registration or the Naturalization certificate. He is then granted citizenship of Saint Lucia, and he can receive the Saint Lucian Passport and be recognized as a citizen.

Do you need a passport to go to St. Lucia Island?

Anyone traveling to the beautiful state of Saint Lucia needs a valid passport to enter the country. You will be requested to present a passport valid for at least six months from your country and proof of anticipated departure from the country.

Also, you need a visa to visit Saint Lucia, although some countries can visit Saint Lucia without a visa for a maximum of six weeks only. Some of the countries include Barbados, Jamaica, South Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, Malawi, South Africa, United States of America, Seychelles, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela, among many others.

Can a US Citizen live in St. Lucia?

A Citizen of the United States can stay in Saint Lucia for up to six weeks without a visa. Although the US citizen must have a valid passport of at least six months to be allowed into the country, he must also have proof of return to his originating country.

However, obtaining second citizenship will avail a United States citizen to stay beyond six weeks and travel in and out because of the visa-free access available to the citizens of Saint Lucia.

Other residency options are available to United States citizens who wish to relocate to Saint Lucia. Some of the options include,

• Single Entry Visa – US citizens can stay up to 3 months in St. Lucia with this visa

• Multiple Entry Visa – This visa allows US citizens to live up to one year in St. Lucia. However, citizens will have to apply for a work permit to be able to work in Saint Lucia

• Permanent Residency – After two years of renewing the multiple entry visas or the single-entry visas, it is possible to apply for St. Lucia’s permanent residency.

• Citizenship – A United States Citizen can apply for the passport of Saint Lucia after 7 years of successfully staying permanently in the country.

Can you buy a St. Lucia Passport?

Although it is not possible to outrightly purchase the Saint Lucia passport, intending citizens can convert their funds into investments in the country. Their investments can avail them the opportunity to become a citizen of Saint Lucia.

The country offers a program that allows citizens of other countries to apply for its passport. Prospective applicants can apply for Saint Lucia’s passport by applying through the Citizenship by Investment Programme or by residing in the country for at least seven years.

It is necessary to make a qualifying investment before citizenship is transferred to the applicant if the applicant chooses to apply through the Citizenship by Investment Program. This is also often referred to as Saint Lucia citizenship by donation.

Does St. Lucia Allow Triple Citizenship?

A triple citizen is a situation whereby a particular person is a citizen of three countries. Saint Lucia does not have any restrictions against triple citizenship. However, this is not so common as many countries do not favor this. In such countries, citizens with two citizenship are not considered for further citizenship applications.

While there are different ways of becoming a citizen of a particular country, below are some of the popular means.

• Citizenship by descent

• Citizenship by birth

• Citizenship by marriage

• Citizenship by naturalization

• Citizenship by adoption

• Citizenship by investment

• Citizenship based on ethnicity and religion

• Citizenship by holding an office

In many countries, according to their laws, the acquisition of additional citizenship causes their citizens to lose the existing one. While in St. Lucia, citizens can acquire other citizenship without losing their present citizenship.

What documents are usually required to be submitted to obtain St. Lucia Passport?

It is important to note that only an authorized agent is allowed to process the submissions of the Saint Lucia Citizenship application of intending citizens. Prospective investors are expected to submit some required documents to enhance the process.

General document requirements for the Saint Lucia Investment Programme are:

• An original copy of the applicant’s birth certificate;

• A certified copy of proof of name change (if applicable);

• National identity card of the applicant;

• Permanent residence card;

• Coloured copy of current passport showing applicant’s name, photograph, nationality, date, place of issue, expiry date, passport number, and issuing country;

• Signature of applicant;

• 6 original passport-sized photos of each applicant taken within the last six months;

• Proof of residential address valid within the last 3 months. E.g utility bill showing the address of the applicant or a bank statement showing his full name and address;

• Marriage or divorce certificate;

• Affidavit from spouse or ex-spouse relating to children;

• Affidavit of support for dependents;

• Education certificates and transcripts;

• Professional and academic certificates – dependants over 18 years are expected to submit copies;

• Professional reference letters from professionals (Attorney, Chartered Accountant, or any other profession of similar standing) – valid within 6 months immediately before submitting the application.

Other supporting documents include:

• Certified copies of current and expired visas;

• Police certificate from country of birth, not more than 6 months old;

• Custody of legal guardianship records;

• Statutory declaration of a non-accompanying parent bearing his/her signatures, confirming that he/she has no objections for his offspring to obtain St. Lucia's citizenship – for dependents under 18 years;

• A certified copy of the photo ID of a non-accompanying parent bearing his/her signature.

Documents that are required as supporting documents must be certified and authenticated according to the laws in the originating jurisdiction.

Where documents are translated from another language to English

Since the official language of the St. Lucian state is English, all documents translated to English must be submitted alongside their original copies to ensure that they were translated correctly and there is no potential security risk.

A professional translator must do the translation of such documents and be qualified to act professionally in this capacity. The professional translator must be thorough and faithful to the original document. All the seals, signatures, and texts in the original document must also be translated.

Can the St. Lucia Citizenship Application Get Denied?

Usually, the St. Lucia Citizenship rarely gets denied except in exceptional cases where the applicant must have provided false documents or misleading information. This invariably creates suspicion and results in a breach of the requirements of the process. Here are some likely facts that could result in the denial of the St. Lucia citizenship that applicants could take note of:

• Presenting a falsified health document where the applicant is not sound in health;

• Having a criminal record in the country of origin;

• Failure or inability to execute the investment options chosen by the applicant;

• The applicant did not pass the strict background checks carried out;

• The applicant has been declared bankrupt by a court;

• The applicant has been declared mentally incapacitated by a medical practitioner.