Saint Lucia Citizenship By Investment Program
Saint Lucia has a vibrant and growing economy and is among the best places to invest in the Caribbean. The island boasts of beautiful locales and even the culture and people are welcoming. The Island is considered to have the best citizenship by investment program in the Caribbean. Saint Lucia authorities are open to investments that will generate economic growth and prosperity, and create jobs and business opportunities for their people. The citizenship by investment program allows the applicants, their spouse, children, and parents to apply for citizenship and offers great benefits for business expansion.
Saint Lucia recognizes dual citizenship, which can give you an advantage on business expansion and tax relief among other benefits:
- The whole process takes not more than three months
- Applicants do not need to physically reside in Saint Lucia
- It is not compulsory to Saint Lucia during the application process
- There is no requirement of any interview
- No education requirement
- No managerial experience needed
- One can travel visa-free to more than 120 countries, including the Schengen Zone, the U.K. and Hong Kong
- No tax on worldwide income
Qualifications:
The Program offers many benefits to the applicants that meet the requirements and qualify. To qualify for citizenship in Antigua and Barbuda, applicants need to fulfill one of the investment requirements outlined under in the Investment Options section, in addition to the following criteria. The applicant must
- Be of outstanding character
- Hold no criminal record
- Be in good health
- Have a high personal net worth
INVESTMENT OPTIONS
Being proactive in facilitating investors, the Government has adopted the Citizenship-by-Investment Program as one of the mechanisms to promote economic growth, attract developments, increase the inflows of foreign direct investment in the country, support the development of infrastructure, and provide for sustainable future.
There are four types of investment that qualify an individual for citizenship under the St Lucia Citizenship by Investment Program.
1. Contribution to the National Economic Fund (NEF)
This can be done by making a donation as mentioned below:
- Single applicant – US$100,000
- Main applicant with spouse – US$165,000
- Family with up to 3 dependents (spouse + 2 children) – US$190,000
- Each additional dependent – US$25,000
2. Real Estate Investment
The property purchased must equal a minimum of US$ 300,000 in a pre-approved real estate development area. The investment must be maintained for a minimum of 5 years. Property registration, processing fees and taxes must be paid in addition to the property purchase.
3. Enterprise Project Investment
There is option to invest not less than US$3.5 million in some approved enterprise project and lead to creation of at least three jobs. A shared investment of US$6 million and creation of six jobs can also be done by two applicants. Approved Enterprise projects include roads and highways, ports, bridges, specialty restaurants, agro-processing plants, pharmaceutical products, cruise ports and marinas, research institutions and facilities, or offshore universities.
4. Investment in Government Bonds
Applicant can make investment in government bonds for at least five years. The investment amount is dependent on number of family members.
- Single applicant – US$500,000
- Main applicant with spouse – US$535,000
- Family with up to 3 dependents (spouse + 2 children) – US$550,000
- Each additional dependent – US$25,000
An administration fee of US $50,000 is charged per application for investing in Saint Lucia government bonds.
