August 3, 2021
For the fifth consecutive year, St Kitts and Nevis has topped rankings for offering the strongest passport amongst all Caribbean nations that offer Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programmes. According to data from the International Air Transport Association, holders of the St Kitts and Nevis passport can travel to 157 countries. Despite the pandemic, citizens of the dual-island nation can travel to more countries than last year.
Aside from offering the strongest Caribbean CBI passport, St Kitts and Nevis also outranked other countries that offer the programme, including Montenegro, Turkey and Vanuatu. Globally, St Kitts and Nevis was classified as the world’s 24th strongest passport, surpassing larger and more developed nations.
“We are proud to hold the position of the strongest citizenship by investment passport in the Caribbean for the fifth consecutive year,” said Les Khan, CEO of St Kitts and Nevis’ Citizenship by Investment Unit. “It once again underlines the strong offering of the St Kitts and Nevis passport and Citizen By Investment programme, as well as recognising our ability to be agile and to adapt and innovate. This year, for example, introducing new alternative investment options, digitalising applications during the COVID-19 pandemic, and introducing a limited time offer, whilst continuing to apply the highest standards of due diligence.”
As travel restrictions begin to ease and countries across the globe begin to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination programmes, it is even more crucial that globally-minded individuals are not left behind due to the bureaucratic hassle of applying for visas coupled with discriminatory immigration policies. African businessmen and women hold some of the world’s weakest passports, with Nigeria offering access to only 46 countries visa-free, Ghana 64, and Kenya 72.
“For those who hope to hit the ground running in the post-pandemic era, a strong passport and citizenship will make all the difference in conducting business efficiently and accessing global markets,” said Micha Emmett, CEO of CS Global Partners.
St Kitts and Nevis’ CBI Programme has been a popular route to achieving greater travel freedom and business opportunities. Introduced in 1984, the programme is the world’s longest-standing and is internationally renowned as a ‘Platinum Standard’ brand. Those who make a qualifying investment into the programme’s Sustainable Growth Fund and pass the necessary security checks earn the right to live, work and study in the nation along with increased global mobility. Additionally, they gain alternative business prospects in a country with close ties to economic centres like the US and the UK.
Families of up to four can also take advantage of a limited time offer under the SGF which grants citizenship for $150,000 rather than the previous $195,000.