Many countries in the world offer residence as a route to citizenship. For years, the Canadian Immigrant Investor Program attracted investors worldwide to invest in the country, and in return, after four years of residence, the investors received a Canadian passport. This program is now temporarily closed since 1 July 2012. Other countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States have been offering similar options of residence in exchange for a considerable investment to be held for 5 years.

For many people, the idea of relocating their business and family for a long period of time can be detrimental to their established lifestyles. Yet investors and businessmen need flexibility in respect of their investment opportunities, combined with ease of travel between countries, so that they can close the next big international deal. The trend has changed and the majority of businessmen nowadays seek instead an option that does not require an extended residence period.

Micha-Rose Emmett, Managing Director of CS Global Partners, based in London noted that “It has become increasingly popular for families to seek alternative residence or citizenship solutions due to the financial and political crisis seen around the world. Ultimately, we are all looking for safety and security for our families. Consequently we have seen a growing interest in the St Kitts and Nevis and the Dominican citizenship by investment programs as well as interest in the European residence programs in the United Kingdom, Portugal and Cyprus. However, St Kitts remains the option most often chosen by my clients because of the opportunities it creates.”

At the moment, St Kitts and Nevis and Dominica (Commonwealth) are the only two countries in the world that offer citizenship by investment without any prior residence requirement. Both jurisdictions are small tropical paradises located in the Caribbean and are only a short flight from Florida.

Since 1984, the islands of St Kitts & Nevis, introduced legislation to attract investment to the country, in return for citizenship. As it exists today, the law provides that a foreign investor can acquire citizenship either by investing in real estate or contributing to a public charity. The process usually takes about three months for the citizenship to be processed.

The St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Program is the oldest existing program of its kind and continues to be recognised internationally as one of the most respected economic citizenship programs, which is mainly due to their strict due diligence procedures and tight regulations. Most importantly, the program has been designed to guarantee the highest degree of confidentiality of applicants.

Despite the fact that the applicant is not required to travel to the country, it is worthwhile visiting this lush tropical paradise that is bathed in sunlight all year round. The islands offer both beautiful beaches as well as exotic mountainous scenery. The islands, geographically part of the leeward islands chain of Caribbean islands, is the smallest sovereign state in the Americas in both area and population.

St Kitts and Nevis is about opportunity and is a wonderful place to invest. Moreover, the property marketing is booming as the country’s tourism industry grows. The country has attracted large 5star hotel resorts over the past 5 years and investment returns are attractive.

Micha-Rose Emmett added that “choosing St Kitts and Nevis citizenship is a choice taken by serious investors interested in wealth planning and management. Committing to becoming a citizen of St Kitts is about being part of something positive and transformative.”

At the end of the day, whether businessmen chose St Kitts & Nevis Citizenship by Investment or United Kingdom Investor Visa, the fact remains that seeking another citizenship beyond their countries shores shows no sign of abating because smart businessmen realise that it is always best to diversify. (IPA Service)