Saint Lucia Citizenship By Investment: An Excellent Plan B Passport For Americans and Canadians (Especially)

Established in 2015, the Saint Lucia Citizenship By Investment (CBI) program is one of the younger programs of its kind in the Caribbean (Saint Kitts is the oldest).

Offering stunning tropical vistas, year-round sunshine, and a lower cost of living than the likes of Antigua and Saint Kitts and Nevis, the country, and its CBI program, in particular, has increasingly become a preferred option for North Americans.

Situated in the Eastern Caribbean, Saint Lucia has a unique colonial history. It changed hands between the French and British 14 times before finally gaining independence in 1979, and today boasts a rich blend of African, French, and British cultural and culinary influences.

The country has won the title of World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination 14 times – so as exotic Plan B destinations go, it doesn’t get much better than this.

The Saint Lucia CBI program boasts a sterling international reputation, streamlined application process, as well as relatively fast processing times (5-7 months).

And unlike Antigua and Barbuda, which requires CBI applicants to spend at least 5 days every 5 years in the country, Saint Lucia requires no minimum stay as at all (0 days per year).

Plus Saint Lucian citizens are eligible for the USA’s B-1/B-2 Visitor Visa, which has a 10 year validity, and enables both leisure and business travellers to stay in the US for up to 6 months.

Saint Lucia, being a signatory of the recent Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between the 5 Caribbean countries operating CBI programs, also recently increased its minimum Citizenship By Investment contributions – from $100,000 to $240,000.

A signed copy of the Caribbean MoA can be viewed here (opens as PDF).

The program now offers applicants a choice of 3 qualifying investment options to choose from, namely:

  • A donation of at least $240,000 to the Saint Lucia National Economic Fund (NEF)
  • An investment of at least $300,000 in approved real estate projects
  • An investment of at least $250,000 in approved enterprise projects.

It’s no surprise, therefore, that the real estate option – which remains priced from just $300,000 – has become the go-to program option in 2024. (More on the minimum donation and investment requirements for 2025 below).

During the financial year 2021-2022, the program recorded 583 applications. And while reporting for the subsequent financial years have not been released, various program data sources suggest that 2023 has been another record year for Saint Lucia’s CBI program.

Let’s get into the program details below…

KEY COUNTRY FACTS & STATS

Official CBI Program Website: Click Here

Saint Lucia Passport Power: Visa-free travel access to 148* destinations, including the EU, UK, Singapore and Hong Kong (*Including eTA and visa-on-arrival countries)

CARICOM Member Country: Yes

OECS Member Country: Yes

Population: 179,857 (2022)

Capital: Castries

Official Language: English

GDP Per Capita: $19,919 (2022)

Local Time: Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4)

Dual Citizenship Recognized: Yes

Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD)

Tax Benefits: No capital capital gains tax, dividends tax, or inheritance tax for Saint Lucian citizens.

US E-2 Treaty Signatory Country: No

Good to know: Crucially, CBI program contributions are only payable after your citizenship application has been approved.

This page frequently gets found for Google searches like Saint Lucia Citizenship By Investment, Saint Lucia CBI, Saint Lucia Passport By Investment, etc.

WANT A STRONGER PASSPORT THAN THAT OF SAINT LUCIA?

Be sure to check out the Serbian Citizenship By Exception Program as well.

BENEFITS OF GETTING SAINT LUCIAN CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT

Why choose Saint Lucia as part of your Plan B passport portfolio?

Saint Lucia
CBI Investment Options (2025)

Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Program offers a dynamic range of investment opportunities, including:

  • National Economic Fund (NEF) Donations: Priced from $240,000+
  • Investment In Approved Business Investments: Priced from $250,000+
  • Investment In Government Approved Real Estate Projects: Priced from $300,000+

Below we unpack each of these program options in more detail…

National Economic Fund (NEF) Donations:
$240,000+

Overview Pros & Cons

The National Economic Fund (NEF) is a special fund established under Section 33 of the Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Act for the sole purpose of receiving CBI contributions to fund government sponsored projects.

NEF contributions are used to fund government sponsored projects, including public-private partnerships and approved charitable investments.

Acquisition of citizenship under the NEF donation option requires a contribution in the minimum sum of US$240,000 per application.

The primary applicant may include their spouse, unmarried and childless siblings under the age of 18, dependent children under 31 years of age,  as well as dependent parents over 55 years of age, within the application.

It must be noted, however, that government and due diligence fees will be payable per each individual based on their age.

PROS: The NEF donation-based route is the fastest route to apply for Saint Lucian citizenship.

CONS: This is a sunk-cost option, which, at $240,000, is less appealing than a recoupable investment of $300,000.

MINIMUM CONTRIBUTIONS (2025):

  • Primary Applicant With Up To 3 Qualifying Dependents: $240,000
  • Each Additional Dependent (Under 18): $10,000
  • Each Additional Dependent (Over 18): $20,000
  • Newborn child of a citizen who is 12 months of age or below: US$ 5,000
  • Spouse Of A Citizen: $35,000
  • Qualifying Dependents Other Than A Spouse: 25,000

Government Approved Enterprise Project Investments: $250,000+

Overview Pros & Cons

There has been some controversy regarding a number of the government-approved (and retroactively approved) enterprise projects, and hence this is not an option we typically present to our clients.

Again, given that the NEF donation route’s pricing has recently doubled, we now generally favor the real estate route.

PROS: For applicants intent on investing in an approved Saint Lucian enterprise, outside of the context of a CBI application, this option can make a lot of sense.

CONS: Project due diligence can slow down the overall CBI application process..

MINIMUM CONTRIBUTIONS

An investment of $250,000, plus applicable administrative and due diligence fees, is required for an applicant with up to three qualifying dependents.

Additional dependents can be added subject to payment of additional administrative and due diligence fees.

Approved Real Estate Investments:
$300,000+

Overview Pros & Cons

For most international CBI applicants, real estate is an obvious choice. But in the Caribbean, where the minimum CBI donations started at just $100,000 until very recently, applicants have historically favored the donation based route.

But now, with the minimum Saint Lucia NEF donation amount starting at $240,000, more applicants are opting for the real estate option instead.

Properties must be purchased in a government approved project, and the minimum property value must be $300,000.

These properties must be held for at least five years, unless an alternate officially approved property is purchased ahead of the first property’s sale.

NOTE: We have access to the best Saint Lucian CBI property projects, presented by top-tier local and regional property developers.

PROS: Better value for money – a $300,000 real estate investment offering potential growth, vs a sunk cost of at least $240,000.

CONS: CBI applicants have to guard against paying overinflated prices for off-plan properties.

Property based CBI applications can take longer than the donation based route (although we have access to real estate options that process in the same amount of time).

Not all applicants may wish to own property in a remote island location.

MINIMUM PROPERTY PRICE: $300,000+

PROCESSING FEES:

  • Single Applicant: $30,000
  • Married Couple: $45,000 (i.e. $15,000 for the spouse)
  • Each Additional Dependent Over 18: $10,000
  • Each Additional Dependent Under 18: $5,000

Saint Lucia Citizenship By Investment vs
Serbian Citizenship By Exception

Key Program Aspects Saint Lucia Citizenship By Investment (CBI) Program Serbian Discretionary Citizenship By Investment Program
Minimum Capital Requirement From $240,000+ From €250,000+
Application Approving Entity CIU Serbian Government, President, or Prime Minister
Current Application Process Duration 5-7 months 3-4 months
Local Language Proficiency Requirement No No
Minimum In-Country Presence Requirements 0 Days Per Year None
Non-Refundable Citizenship By Donation Option Yes Yes (if approved)
Full Citizenship Conferred Yes  Yes
Names of new CBI citizens publicly published by host government No No
Dual Citizenship Status Recognized By Host Country? Yes Yes (for Citizenship By Exception applicants).

The Saint Lucia Citizenship By Investment
Application Process (Real Estate Option)

Why Choose To Work With Us?

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THE SAINT LUCIA CBI EXPERTS

Let our seasoned legal team in Castries, Saint Lucia, guide you through every step of the CBI process.

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HIGHLY RESPECTED FIRM

If you’re looking for a Saint Lucian immigration law firm with impeccable credentials, then look no further.

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WE GO THE EXTRA MILE

Our team on the ground takes great pride in making clients’ application journey as fast and seamless as possible.

Secure your Saint Lucia Citizenship By Investment in just 5-7 months with confidence and ease. Donations priced from $240,000. Properties priced from $300,000. Contact us now to get started today.

Simply complete the below form and one of our program experts will contact you with more information.