Citizenship by investment in St Lucia- Apply to the St Lucia citizenship by investment program

The Saint Lucia National Economic Fund is commonly utilized for individuals seeking citizenship through investment, whereby a one-time donation is required and non-refundable.

The Fund was created to grant citizenship to St. Lucia through foreign investments. However, there has been no public disclosure about the allocation of funds, leading to controversy.

In any case:

• You’re expected to contribute at least$100,000 if you’re a single applicant.
• Couples will spend$140,000(discounted from the pre-COVID price of $165,000).
• A family of four will spend$150,000(original price: $190,000).
• Each additional dependent will cost you$15,000(original price: 25,000).

Every citizenship by investment in St Lucia application also comes with processing and admin fees: 

• Main applicant will pay$2,000 of processing fees for himself and$1,000per dependent
• Due diligence fees are$7,500 for the main applicant and$5,000 per dependant (over 16 years old)

 The cost of St. Lucia citizenship by donation is $109,500 for one person and $167,500 for a family of four, not including agency fees. The original cost for a family was $217,500.

A permanent change has been made for newborn dependents by the government. Adding a newborn to your application now costs $500 instead of the previous $25,000 administrative fee for additional dependents. This change makes St. Lucia more competitive, especially for applicants with families.

Real estate investment options are commonly available in CBI programs, including in Saint Lucia.

In order to invest in real estate, a minimum of $300,000 is required and properties must come from the pre-approved list.

The list of approved real estate developments available for investment is currently limited due to the recent launch of the program.

When participating in CBI programs that have a pre-approved list of real estate, it is common to invest in a high-end hotel or resort, which may be slightly overpriced.

Ownership of the property requires a minimum of five years.

Please note that there are additional fees, which are higher than those for a donation, in addition to the actual price.

• The principal applicant will have to pay$50,000 in admin fees
• Each qualifying adult dependant will pay$35,000 and$25,000 if the dependant is under 18 years old
• Due diligence fees are$7,500 for the main applicant and$5,000per dependant (over 16 years old)

The cost for a single applicant pursuing the real estate option is $357,500, while a family with two young children would incur a total cost of $437,500.

Investors can obtain St. Lucia citizenship through government bond investment. Due to COVID-19, the St. Lucian government has made changes to this option until December 31, 2021. These changes make it an ideal opportunity for bond investors.

Previously, the investment requirement for St. Lucia citizenship was a minimum of $500,000 in non-interest-bearing bonds held for five years. Now, the requirement has changed to a minimum investment of $250,000 in the COVID Relief Bond, which also has a five-year hold period.

The price for the property has been reduced to $250,000 and the hold period has been extended to six years for a couple applying.

For families consisting of four members, there are two investment options available: a discounted price of $250,000 with a six-year hold period, or a minimum investment of $300,000 with a reduced hold period of five years.

For each additional dependent, there is an added cost of $15,000 (previously $25,000), and the holding period is extended to seven years for additional dependents.

The application fees are higher than the donation route, but they have been discounted.

• An administrative fee of$30,000(previously $50,000) for those buying government bonds. This is now only payable upon approval.
• Due diligence fees are$7,500for the main applicant and$5,000 per dependant (over 16 years old)

This option allows for a $30,000 donation and a $250,000 investment in government bonds with a five-year no-interest term.

If you have cash available, you could save $70,000 in “sunken costs” by parking $250,000 for a while. After five years, you will get your money back unless St. Lucia defaults on bonds. This is a good deal if you have cash that you’re not investing because bank interest rates are low.

Investing in an approved enterprise project is a viable option in St. Lucia due to the government’s efforts to attract foreign capital and create job opportunities.

For sole investors, the required investment amount is $3,500,000. If investing with partners, each individual must contribute a minimum of $1,000,000 and the total investment must be $6,000,000.

Furthermore, there are additional charges to consider.

• A non-refundable admin fee of $50,000 will be charged
• Each qualifying adult dependant will pay$35,000 and$25,000 if the dependant is under 18 years old
• Due diligence fees are$7,500 for the applicant and$5,000 per dependant (over 16 years old)

Investment projects must be pre-approved by the government and can be found on its official website.

The range of projects includes various types of infrastructure such as restaurants, ports, highways, research facilities, and universities.

These are the community and infrastructure projects that are considered most desirable for contributions.