In St. Kitts and Nevis, approved property buys a passport, not a residence card

Buy approved property: citizenship in months

You apply through an authorized agent on the CIU's list, never directly. The CIU approves you in principle first, and you buy after that. Expect interviews and biometrics for everyone 16 and older, plus close questions about where your money came from. Once approved, you're a citizen for life and keep your U.S. passport. The property can't be sold for seven years.

Buy any home, then apply for a residence permit

Outside the program, a foreign buyer needs an Alien Landholding Licence, which a 2014 government guide prices at 10% of the land's value, and stamp duty on transfers runs 6% to 10%. After that, you live here on a permit. A Nevis real estate firm lists temporary residency at about $222 a year (EC$600). It needs a medical certificate with a TB skin test, it doesn't let you work, and you renew it every year.

Retirees 62 and older have a permanent route, according to that firm and an August 2026 news report: own a home worth at least US$350,000 for seven years, then pay about $1,480 in fees (EC$200 to apply plus EC$3,800 on approval). The Immigration Act allows permanent residence for retirees with enough means to support themselves, and for people with seven years of residence and substantial assets. We couldn't find these figures on a government page, so get them confirmed in writing.

The math for two

A couple buying in an approved development starts at $367,500: $325,000 for the property, a $25,000 application fee, and due diligence of $10,000 plus $7,500. Agent and legal fees come on top and vary by firm. The fee comes from a January 2026 regulation; the CIU's real estate pages still show older per-person fees, so get a written quote.

Adult children count as dependents only if they're 18 to 29, unmarried and mainly supported by you. Each extra dependent past four adds $25,000 under 18 or $50,000 at 18 and over.

Who this fits, and who it doesn't

It fits an investor who wants a second passport and a place to use it, with money that can sit in property for seven years. It's a poor fit if you want to stretch a pension: the CIU still lists a $250,000 contribution route with no property, and living here on a permit costs far less up front.

Taxes and healthcare

There's no personal income tax here, and property tax runs 0.2% to 0.3% of market value. The IRS still taxes you on worldwide income and wants your foreign bank accounts reported. The U.S. State Department says local medical facilities don't meet U.S. standards and encourages evacuation insurance, so price that in.