The Pitons rising from the sea at dusk in Saint Lucia

Citizenship · Caribbean

Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment

Q: Is there a minimum stay requirement for Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment?

No residence or visit required. (secondary source) Reported (secondary source, IMI Daily, Sep 2026): Act No. 22 of 2025 requires applicants and qualifying dependants to meet prescribed requirements for residency and genuine link; Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2026 adds a biometric duty but sets no number of days.

Accepting applicationsFrom USD 240,000

Discuss this programme Estimate Family Costs

A Caribbean program offering several investment categories.

Investment from: USD 240,000
Processing: 12–26 months
Family: Spouse, Children, Parents, Siblings
Stay required: To confirm

Decision summary

What do you obtain?: Citizenship, granted directly by the government after approval.
What does your family invest?: USD 240,000 (National Economic Fund, main applicant plus up to three dependants)
What is additional?: Application processing USD 2,000 for the main applicant and USD 1,000 per dependant; due diligence USD 8,000 for the main applicant and USD 5,000 per dependant over 16.
Full wordingHide full wording
Government feesApplication processing fee payable on submission: USD 2,000 main applicant; USD 1,000 per qualifying dependant.Due diligence feesUSD 8,000 main applicant; USD 5,000 per qualifying dependant over 16.Full details below
How long does it take?: About 18 months on average to approval (12 to 26 months), based on late-2025 data.
Must you travel or live there?: No visit required on the programme page, but Act No. 22 of 2025 is reported to require prescribed residency and genuine-link conditions; no number of days has been set.
Full wordingHide full wording
No residence or visit required. Reported: Act No. 22 of 2025 requires applicants and qualifying dependants to meet prescribed requirements for residency and genuine link; Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2026 adds a biometric duty but sets no number of days.Full details below
What is the main drawback?: The investment is made after approval. Bonds stay in the applicant's name for five years; real estate is reported to need a five-year hold.
Full wordingHide full wording
The qualifying investment is made after the application is approved; the official programme page states no payment deadline. National Action Bonds must stay registered in the applicant's name for five years; real estate is reported to require a five-year hold.Full details below
Family inclusion: Spouse, Children, Parents, Siblings · conditions apply
Program status: Operational

Overview

Saint Lucia operates a citizenship by investment program subject to government approval and due diligence.

The figures below are researched and dated. Confirm them with your advisor before any decision.

Passport strength

143destinations without arranging a visa in advance

Visa-free: 112
Visa on arrival: 26
eTA (online authorisation): 5
Visa required (applied for online): 42
Visa required: 41

Key destinations

Schengen areaVisa-free
United KingdomVisa required
United StatesVisa required
CanadaConditional eTA
United Arab EmiratesVisa required (applied for online)
ChinaVisa required
JapanVisa required

A conditional eTA replaces a visa only for air travel, and only if you held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years or hold a valid US non-immigrant visa.

Travel access data as of 22 Oct 2026. Entry rules change often; confirm before you travel. Compare every programme's passport

Who this program may not suit

Taken from the facts recorded on this page. It may not suit you if:

Your budget is below USD 240,000, the minimum recorded investment, before fees and costs.
You may need the money back before the holding period ends: National Action Bonds are non-interest-bearing and must stay registered in the applicant's name for five years from issue.
Your current country does not allow dual citizenship, or takes yours away when you gain another. Check this before you apply.
Your nationality is excluded by the program's rules. Check your nationality

Investment pathways

Investment pathway: National Economic Fund contribution; National Action Bond (held five years); approved real estate project; or approved enterprise project, including the National Infrastructure and Road Improvement Program.
Minimum investment: USD 240,000 (National Economic Fund, main applicant plus up to three dependants)

Checked against official programme sources

Family inclusion

Spouse
Named in the rule
Children
Named in the rule
Parents
Named in the rule
Siblings
Named in the rule

Ages, dependency and other conditions are in the rule below; confirm them for each family member.

Eligible dependents: Spouse, qualifying children, parents of applicant or spouse over 55 who are fully supported, parents of any age with disabilities, and unmarried siblings under 18 with parental consent.

Checked against official programme sources

Application process

1Apply through an Authorised Agent licensed by the Citizenship by Investment Board; direct applications are not accepted, and status updates go only to the agent.
2The agent files the forms and English-language supporting documents; only the non-refundable processing and due diligence fees are payable at submission.
3The applicant and dependants over 16 undergo due diligence by law enforcement and third-party firms; once the file is found compliant, the main applicant completes an interview and identity verification, in person or virtually.
4The Board grants, denies or delays the application for cause; the Unit says this takes about 90 days from when the agent is told the application was accepted for processing.
5After the grant notification, the applicant makes the qualifying investment and submits a signed oath or affirmation of allegiance, sworn before an attorney, Saint Lucian consular officer or notary.
6A Certificate of Registration is issued, and the agent (or another authorised person) applies to the Immigration Department for the Saint Lucian passport.

Steps and timings can change; your advisor confirms the current process before you apply.

Indicative timelines

Indicative processing timeframe: About 18 months on average to approval (12 to 26 months), based on late-2025 data.

Checked against official programme sources

Investment and fees

Qualifying investment amounts and government fees are always shown separately. We do not publish single "total price" figures, as the total depends on family composition and circumstances.

Estimate for your family

Spouse

Children0

Parents0

Investment for your family: USD 240,000; National Economic Fund
Known total so far: USD 250,000; 2 cost items not yet included

Children are counted as 10 and parents as 60 unless you enter ages in the calculator. Full breakdown and ages

Qualifying investment

National Economic Fund: USD 240,000
Approved enterprise project: USD 250,000
National Action Bond: USD 300,000
Approved real estate (from): USD 300,000

Government & due diligence fees

Bonds administrative fee: USD 50,000
Application fee (main applicant): USD 2,000
Due diligence — main applicant: USD 8,000

Government fees: Application processing fee payable on submission: USD 2,000 main applicant; USD 1,000 per qualifying dependant.
Due diligence fees: USD 8,000 main applicant; USD 5,000 per qualifying dependant over 16.
Estimated additional costs: National Economic Fund: USD 10,000 per additional dependant under 18, USD 20,000 aged 18+. National Action Bond: USD 50,000 non-refundable administration fee. Real estate route: administration fees from USD 30,000 (applicant alone). Enterprise route: administration fees from USD 15,000. Large enterprise projects: USD 3.5 million individually or USD 6 million jointly.
Investment holding period: National Action Bonds are non-interest-bearing and must stay registered in the applicant's name for five years from issue.

Checked against official programme sources

Residence requirements

Investment holding period

At least 5 years, as recorded: National Action Bonds are non-interest-bearing and must stay registered in the applicant's name for five years from issue.

Residence requirements: No residence or visit required. Reported: Act No. 22 of 2025 requires applicants and qualifying dependants to meet prescribed requirements for residency and genuine link; Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2026 adds a biometric duty but sets no number of days.
Renewal requirements: Not applicable — citizenship.
Potential route to citizenship: Not applicable — citizenship is granted directly.

Checked against official programme sources

Due diligence and documentation

Applicants and included dependants undergo background and source-of-funds checks by the relevant authority. Documentation requirements are confirmed during preparation — no documents are needed for an initial consultation.

Recent changes

23 Sept 2026
Saint Lucia's residency and genuine-link conditions
Saint Lucia's Act No. 22 of 2025 requires applicants and qualifying dependants to meet prescribed requirements for residency and genuine link. Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2026 adds a biometric duty but sets no number of days.

All programme changes

Considerations, limitations and risks

Important restrictions

The qualifying investment is made after the application is approved; the official programme page states no payment deadline. National Action Bonds must stay registered in the applicant's name for five years; real estate is reported to require a five-year hold.

Applications are decided by the relevant government authority; approval is never automatic.
Enhanced due diligence on the applicant, dependants and source of funds applies.
Program terms, thresholds and fees are subject to change by legislation.
Second citizenship may have tax, reporting or dual-nationality implications in your home country.

Status and authority

Operational status: Operational
Official government authority: Citizenship by Investment Unit, Saint Lucia
Nationality restrictions: Applications from Russian and Belarusian nationals have been suspended since March 2022. Iranian applicants are reported to be refused.
To be confirmed: Legal basis

Programme rules change; your advisor confirms every figure before you commit.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Saint Lucia program currently open?

Program availability is confirmed during verification. Please speak with an advisor for the current status.

What is the minimum investment for Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment?

USD 240,000 (National Economic Fund, main applicant plus up to three dependants)

Can my family be included?

Spouse, qualifying children, parents of applicant or spouse over 55 who are fully supported, parents of any age with disabilities, and unmarried siblings under 18 with parental consent.

Is there a minimum stay requirement for Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment?

No residence or visit required. Reported: Act No. 22 of 2025 requires applicants and qualifying dependants to meet prescribed requirements for residency and genuine link; Statutory Instrument No. 57 of 2026 adds a biometric duty but sets no number of days.

How long does the process take?

About 18 months on average to approval (12 to 26 months), based on late-2025 data.