Invest in paradise... everything you need to know about St Lucia CIP

You are in the right place! You citizenship by investment and visa free journey starts here. Let Ark Citizens do the heavy lifting! 

St Lucia Citizenship by Investment

The Helen of the West Indies

Located in the Eastern Caribbean, the beautiful island of St Lucia is known for its picturesque landscape, friendly people and diverse history. Being one of the most fought over landmasses in history, Saint Lucia earned the name “Helen of the West Indies” analogous to “Helen of Troy”, who was considered the most beautiful woman in the world. The island exchanged hands 14 times between the French and British from the 1650s until it was won by the British in 1814. The island’s former French legacy remains engrained in its culture and is evidenced in its food, language (most locals speak “creole” which is also known as “broken French”) and in the names of many places on the island.

Saint Lucia became an independent state of the Commonwealth of Nations on 22nd February 1979 and retains Queen Elizabeth II as its ceremonial Head of State. Politically, the island is a parliamentary democracy and enjoys a stable political climate. Saint Lucia is also a full and participating member of the Caribbean Community (“CARICOM”), the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (“OECS”) and La Francophonie. 

The tourism industry is the main revenue source with a greater reliance being recently placed on offshore banking and the financial services. Saint Lucia also ranks 8th in Latin America and the Caribbean in the Doing Business Report published by the World Bank in 2015. 

Saint Lucian citizenship allows for visa free travel to over 140 countries to include EU Schengen countries, the UK, and Hong Kong.

St Lucia Citizenship by Investment Program

Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Program was formally established in December 2015 through the passage of Act No. 14 of 2015, the Citizenship by Investment Act on 24th August 2015. The main premise of the Act is to enable individuals and qualifying dependents to acquire citizenship of Saint Lucia by registration following a qualifying investment as highlighted below.

Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) is a statutory body established with overall responsibility for the governing and regulation of Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP).

Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment program seeks to attract individuals of good character and integrity interested in establishing citizenship and residency in St Lucia through economic investment. Therefore, to qualify for citizenship, the principal applicant and qualifying dependents (where applicable) must undergo mandatory compliance and due diligence background checks along with a minimum qualifying investment in one or more of the following areas:

Investment Options

Qualifying Investment Options

Government Bonds
Real Estate Projects
National Economic Fund
Enterprise Projects

St Lucia Citizenship by Investment Qualifying Investment Options

Government Bonds

St Lucia Citizenship by investment  is possible through buying US$ 500,000 non-interest bearing Government bonds, locked in for 5 years

  • Applicant applying alone: US$250,000
  • Applicant applying with spouse: US$265,000
  • Applicant applying with spouse and up to two (4) other qualifying dependents: US$300,000
  • Each additional qualifying dependent: US$25,000

Non-refundable administration fees for buying Government bonds:

Principal applicant: US $50,000

Each qualifying dependent: US $35,000 (18 years of age and over)

Each qualifying dependent: US $25,000  (under 18 years of age)


Due diligence fees

Principal applicant: US $7,500

Each qualifying dependent (Over 16 years of age): US $5,000

Government of Saint Lucia’s Bonds are issued under the National Savings and Development Bonds Act Ch.15.25 of 2005 of the Revised Laws of Saint Lucia.  Once an application for citizenship has been approved, the applicant must make their purchase of the non-interest bearing Government bonds through the Debt and Investment Unit in the Ministry of Finance.

The applicant would be provided with a Bond Certificate within 21 calendar days. A certified copy of the Bond Certificate must be submitted to the Unit as proof of having made the qualifying investment. Upon receipt of the Bond Certificate, the Unit shall process the issuance of a Citizenship Certificate.

 

National Economic Fund

Saint Lucia National Economic Fund is a special fund established under Section 33 of the St Lucia Citizenship by Investment Act for the sole purpose of receiving qualifying investments of cash for funding government sponsored projects.

Investors are required to pay $100,000 one-time for the fund against lifetime St Lucia citizenship. Donation to the fund is the cheapest, fastest and easiest investment for citizenship in Saint Lucia.

  • Applicant applying alone: US$100,000
  • Applicant applying with spouse: US$140,000
  • Applicant applying with spouse and up to two (2) other qualifying dependents: US$150,000
  • Each additional qualifying dependent, of any age: US$25,000


Non-refundable processing fees

Principal applicant: US $2000

Each qualifying dependent: US $1000

Due diligence fees

Principal applicant: US $7,500

Each qualifying dependent (Over 16 years of age): US $5,000

Real Estate Projects

The Real Estate projects can also be considered and added to the approved list by the Cabinet of Ministers. The approved real estate projects  generally  fall into two broad categories, such as:

Luxury branded hotels and resorts – these are considered hotels and resorts which feature sophisticated, upscale amenities and luxury / super luxury accommodations and offer 4 or 5 star equivalent services as established by the international hospitality criteria.

Upscale boutique properties should meet the following criteria: 

  • Located in a unique setting
  • Characterized by hands-on, personal service with a high staff to guest ratio
  • Small and intimate with 20 – 70 rooms
  • Upscale with sophisticated accommodation standards

As  long as the real estate project is approved it becomes eligible for the qualifying investments from applicants of the St Lucia Citizenship by Investment Program.

Non-refundable administration fees under real estate investment:

Principal applicant: US $30,000

Each qualifying dependent: US $25,000 (18 years of age and over)

Each qualifying dependent: US $15,000  (under 18 years of age)

Due diligence fees

Principal applicant: US $7,500

Each qualifying dependent (Over 16 years of age): US $5,000

Enterprise Projects

The Cabinet of Ministers will consider enterprise projects to be included on the approved list for the Citizenship by Investment Program in St Lucia . Approved enterprise projects fall into seven (7) broad categories:

  1. Specialty Restaurants
  2. Cruise ports and marinas
  3. Agro-processing plants
  4. Pharmaceutical products
  5. Ports, bridges, roads and highways
  6. Research institutions and facilities
  7. Offshore universities


Option 1 – A sole applicant.

  • A minimum investment of US$3,500,000


Option 2 – More than one applicant (joint venture)

  • A minimum investment of US$ 6,000,000 with each applicant contributing no less than US$1,000,000


Non-refundable administration fees under Enterprise investment:

Principal applicant: US $50,000

Each qualifying dependent: US $35,000 (18 years of age and over)

Each qualifying dependent: US $25,000 (under 18 years of age)

Due diligence fees

Principal applicant: US $7,500

Each qualifying dependent (Over 16 years of age): US $5,000