Property
Title by Registration Act with separate Nevis land administration
Land title is registered under the Title by Registration Act, with the register conclusive as to ownership. Land is a matter on which the Nevis Island Administration has competence, so Nevis land administration and its alien landholding policy operate separately from Saint Kitts. Non-nationals require an alien land holding licence in either island, and property purchase is a qualifying route under the citizenship by investment programme.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Registered title; Nevis administers its own land matters
- Deadline — Alien land holding licence: obtained before completion
- Deadline — Registration of transfer: priority runs from registration
- Deadline — Stamp duty: paid on registration of the transfer
Governing law
- Title by Registration Act
- Alien Land Holding Regulation Act
- Nevis land administration ordinances
- Land Acquisition Act
In practice
The federal structure means a Nevis purchase must be checked against Nevis requirements and licences rather than the Basseterre process, and the two islands have at times applied different policies to foreign acquisition. Citizenship by investment real estate purchases carry a minimum holding period before resale, which should be built into any exit plan.