Everything You Need to Know About St Lucia Passport

The paperwork and time involved in getting visas when traveling around the world can be overwhelming. It is even more so for holders of lowly ranked passports – this reason and more is why the need for a second passport is gaining a lot of attention.

One of the most popular destinations for people looking to acquire a passport is the Caribbean. This region has opened up the possibility of quickly getting a second home for you and your family.

The St Lucia passport by investment program gives you St Lucia citizenship in exchange for an investment in the country. 

If you’re looking to acquire a second passport but cannot decide on which country to choose, here in this article you’ll see everything about the St Lucia passport. What is required to get the passport, what the passport gets you, and everything in-between.

What Is the Citizenship by Investment Program?

The citizenship by investment program grants interested parties passports and rights of a citizen in exchange for an investment in the country. This investment can vary from donations, investment in real estate and bonds, outright deposits in banks, among others.

This program has become very popular in recent times due to the increasing need to get a second home and enjoy the perks of citizenship.

Why St Lucia?

While you will need a considerably higher amount to get a passport from a European country, the Caribbean offers a more affordable route to second passports. When it comes to affordability no program does it better as St Lucia can boast of having the cheapest program for individuals.

The investment starts at $100,000 and is paid only when your application has been verified and provisionally approved by the authorities.

Apart from its affordability, here are some other reasons why you may want to choose the St Lucia passport:

• Visa-free entry into 130 countries including the UK and Schengen countries.

• No tax on income gotten outside the country, no inheritance tax, and no dividend tax

• No need to visit the country during application and no physical residency requirement

• Addition of dependent children and dependent siblings under 18

• Fast processing time of just 3 months

St Lucia Passport Requirements

Before you can apply or have your application approved for a St Lucia passport, you must have certain requirements. Here are some of the requirements needed to obtain a St Lucia passport:

• Applicants must be over 18 years

• Must have a clean criminal record

• Must pass a background check

• Must be in good health

• Must have an outstanding character

• Must pay a non-refundable due diligence processing fee when applying

• Must make a suitable investment as required by the government

St Lucia Investment Options

As stated earlier, St Lucia offers several investment options for people looking to get a passport through their citizenship by investment program.

Here are the options you can choose from:

1. Donating to St Lucia National Economic Fund (NEF)

Donating into the economic fund is a cheaper route to getting St Lucia investment and may be a more beneficial option if you’re not planning to live in the country. 

Donating a sum of $109,500 which includes processing fees and due diligence fees will get you a St Lucia passport. You may still have to pay local provider fees.

When applying for you and your spouse, it might set you back $155,500 and $167,500 when applying for a family of four.

2. Purchasing the New Covid-19 Relief Bonds

This is a new investment option introduced in 2020 in light of the pandemic. The country was hit hard by the pandemic due to a huge chunk of their income coming from tourism.

For individuals, you’ll need to purchase $250,000 worth of covid-19 bond for a 5-year term. The term and value of bond needed vary with couples and for a family of four.

The bond does not bear interest and would be returned after the term elapses. After which an individual would have to pay a $37,000 passport filing fee.

3. Invest in an Approved St Lucian Business

This is a more expensive option at $3.5 million for sole investors but the profit potential is a strong pull.

4. Buying Real Estate in St Lucia

This is another option you can take to obtain a St Lucian Passport. Buy a government-approved real estate property worth $300,000.

Be wary of this option as the government tends to overprice these properties which will make it very difficult to sell off at a profit.

How to Get a St Lucian Passport

To become a St Lucian citizen and enjoy the benefits that come with it, you need to have completed the application process and made the required investment. Here is a concise guide to getting a St Lucian passport:

• Choose a licensed agent to handle your application

• Complete all application forms

• Get approved by the government

• Choose your investment option and invest within 60 days of approval

• Get your passport

Summary

St Lucia offers the cheapest route to a second passport among other benefits. As you have already seen, getting this passport is straightforward and transparent.