Immigration
Immigration Act with the world's oldest citizenship by investment programme
The Immigration Act governs entry and residence federally. CARICOM nationals with a skills certificate may work without a permit and others receive a six-month stay. Saint Kitts and Nevis established the world's first citizenship by investment programme in 1984, now operating through the Sustainable Island State Contribution and approved real estate, and it remains the benchmark against which other regional programmes are measured.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Federal immigration control with CARICOM skills recognition
- Deadline — CARICOM national: six-month definite entry on arrival
- Deadline — Work permit: obtained by the employer before employment begins
- Deadline — Naturalisation by residence: fourteen years of lawful residence
- Deadline — CBI real estate: minimum holding period before resale qualifies again
Governing law
- Immigration Act
- Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship Act 1984
- Citizenship by Investment Regulations
- Caribbean Community Skilled Nationals Act
In practice
Naturalisation by residence requires fourteen years, far longer than neighbouring states, which in practice makes citizenship by investment the only realistic route for most foreign nationals. The programme has been repeatedly restructured in response to international pressure on due diligence and pricing, so current regulations rather than historical descriptions must be relied on.