Moving to Saint Kitts and Nevis: Visa, Costs and Steps
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS · EXPATS & NOMADS
Key Facts
- Entry British visitors stay up to six months visa-free; every visitor needs an online travel authorisation (eTA) first.
- Tax No personal income tax; VAT is 17%; EC$2.70 equals US$1, fixed since 1976.
- Work A work permit is requested from abroad, with the employer’s help, and cannot be moved to another employer.
- Residence Nevis offered annual residency for EC$2,700 (US$1,000) until 30 October 2026; no extension is published.
- Citizenship Citizenship by investment starts at US$250,000 for a family of four; decisions take 120 to 180 days.
Moving to Saint Kitts and Nevis starts with a visa-free visit, then a work permit, a residence permit or citizenship by investment. On 2 November 2026 British citizens may stay up to six months without a visa, but every visitor needs an online travel authorisation (eTA).
This guide follows official government pages, with the date of each rule and every fee in Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$) and US$. Our country profile explains the two islands and their place in the Caribbean.
Moving to Saint Kitts and Nevis: Your Three Routes
There are three routes: arrive as a visitor and extend your stay, take a job with a work permit, or buy citizenship by investment. None of them lets you work while you are only a visitor.
Saint Kitts and Nevis is a federation of two islands in the eastern Caribbean, with the capital Basseterre on Saint Kitts. English is the official language, says the national investment promotion agency, and the Eastern Caribbean dollar is its currency.
The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), the currency authority for the region, fixes the dollar at EC$2.70 per US$1. That peg dates from 7 July 1976, so every EC$ figure below converts at the same rate.
Entry Rules and the Online Travel Authorisation
The British foreign ministry says British citizens can stay up to six months without a visa. Every visitor needs an eTA before travel, and the advice was still current on 28 October 2026.
Canada’s government also says tourists need no visa, and both governments advise a passport valid for six months. Canada counts those six months from the day you leave, which is the safer date to use.
The eTA and the online immigration form are filed on the official portal knatravelform.kn, which the government calls the only source for eTAs. A government notice of 12 June 2025 warns that third-party sites charging for eTAs or e-visas are fraudulent.
Service charges are waived for citizens, residents and nationals of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). To stay beyond six months you must apply for an extension at the Immigration Department and pay for it.
Work Permits and Residence Permits
Under section 17 of the Immigration Act, a work permit is only for a specialised position. The applicant must be outside the country when applying, the Ministry of National Security said on 28 September 2020.
The employer must advertise the job locally for three weeks in a row and show it consulted the Labour Department. A permit cannot be moved to another employer, and renewals are due at least two weeks before expiry.
The government work-visa page says your employer in Saint Kitts and Nevis helps with the process, and a consulate issues the visa after approval. The page states no fee and no processing time, so ask the Embassy in Washington, DC or the Consulate General in New York.
On Nevis, the Premier’s Ministry of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), the island’s own government, handles permits. It sits in the Social Security Building, Pinney’s Estate, Charlestown, on +1 869 469-5521, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
On Tuesday 28 July 2026 the NIA extended its one-time Special Annual Residency Status, which costs EC$2,700 (US$1,000). It waives the usual rule of three consecutive work permits, and the new deadline was Friday 30 October 2026.
That deadline has passed, and the NIA has published no new date. It covered people who entered in 2025, people out of status before 2025 and students of three years or more.
Citizenship by Investment: What It Costs
The Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU), the government agency that runs the programme, lists four options. They are the Sustainable Island State Contribution (SISC), the Public Benefit Option, private real estate and developer real estate.
The SISC is a donation of US$250,000 for a main applicant and family of up to four. Each extra child under 18 adds US$25,000, and each extra adult adds US$50,000.
Due diligence fees come on top, at US$10,000 for the main applicant and US$7,500 for each dependant aged 16 or over. The CIU says it will give an answer within 120 to 180 days of acknowledging an application, and you must apply through an authorised agent.
A private condominium share costs from US$325,000, and a single-family home from US$600,000, with a seven-year hold before resale. After approval in principle, the CIU lists further fees of US$25,000 for the main applicant and US$15,000 for a spouse.
The CIU says the SISC has no mandatory travel or residency requirement. From 14 April 2026, everyone who gained citizenship through the programme, children included, must enrol for a new biometric passport by 31 July 2027.
A separate bill would let adults born abroad since 19 September 1983 register as citizens if a parent or grandparent became a citizen at independence. Applications were expected from 2 November 2026, but the fee and papers are set by regulations not yet published.
Tax, Social Security and Property
Saint Kitts and Nevis has no personal income tax, the investment promotion agency says. The Inland Revenue Department lists a standard value-added tax (VAT) rate of 17%, with 5% on certain goods on announced discount days.
Property tax is due each year by 30 June, and payments should quote your Tax Identification Number (TIN). Registration for a TIN and tax accounts runs through the department’s online portal.
Employees aged 16 to 62 and their employers each pay 5% into social security, on wages up to EC$6,500 (US$2,407) a month. Employers also pay 1% for injury cover, 1% for severance and 3% as a housing levy, while the employee’s levy runs from nothing to 10%.
The Inland Revenue Department is the national tax authority, and its contacts are [email protected] and +1 869 465-8485. Ask it for written confirmation of your tax status before you sign a lease or a purchase.
Banking and Daily Money
SKNA National Bank, the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank, asks every applicant for two government IDs and proof of address from the last three months. Non-nationals also need a Social Security letter or card, a job letter and proof of ties, such as a work permit.
Applicants with US ties add a completed W-9 tax form, and a US-dollar account can be opened from US$200. The Bank of Nevis has its head office on Main Street, Charlestown, and publishes a schedule of rates and charges on its site.
Because the dollar is pegged, a price of EC$270 is always US$100. Local prices therefore convert to US dollars without exchange-rate swings.
Health Care and Safety
The Joseph N France General Hospital on Saint Kitts and the Alexandra Hospital in Charlestown on Nevis are the main public hospitals. The British foreign ministry warns that treatment is expensive and serious cases may need evacuation.
Canada’s government adds that providers often ask for payment up front and that care is strongest at the main hospital on Saint Kitts. Both advise insurance that covers evacuation and hospital stays, and construction of a new Joseph N France hospital began in December 2025.
The British foreign ministry reports murder, armed robbery and sexual assault, and advises avoiding isolated areas and beaches after dark. Canada says taxis have no meters, so agree the fare first.
The hurricane season runs from June to November, and the emergency number for police is 911. Mount Liamuiga on Saint Kitts is a potentially active volcano, and earthquakes are a risk.
Driving, Schools and Shipping
Visitors with a valid foreign licence can buy a temporary licence from the Inland Revenue Department or an authorised car rental agency. It costs EC$62.50 (US$23) for three months or EC$125 (US$46) for one year, and you need two IDs including your passport.
A local licence is EC$187.50 (US$69) for three years. Confirm the price at the counter, because fees can change.
The government’s Back-to-School Voucher pays EC$250 (US$93) per child into the JAD digital wallet, from 17 August to 31 December 2026. It requires enrolment in a registered school, and the announcement does not say whether non-citizens qualify.
Duty-free concessions on the government site are for returning nationals who lived abroad for at least ten continuous years. No rule for the household goods of non-nationals is stated, so ask customs in writing before you ship.
Your First 90 Days
Before you fly, get your eTA on the official portal, check your passport dates and buy insurance with evacuation cover. In the first month, confirm your permit with the Immigration Department or the NIA and register for a TIN.
In the second month, open a bank account and add a temporary driving licence if you will drive. By day 90, review your costs, renew any three-month licence and decide whether a longer route such as citizenship is worth the price.
What It Means for US Readers
Costs convert simply, because EC$2.70 always equals US$1, and the citizenship programme prices its options in US$ directly. The absence of personal income tax is a local rule and does not change what you owe in your home country.
US citizens should check the official portal for their eTA and permitted stay before booking. Neighbouring islands are covered in our country profiles of Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Lucia.
What Is Not Known
The official eTA fee, the work-permit fee and the processing times of the Immigration Department are not known. The Public Benefit Option and developer real estate amounts are also not covered in this guide.
It is not known whether the NIA will reopen the Special Annual Residency Status after 30 October 2026. The fee for the descendants’ route, average rents, and the customs rule for non-nationals’ household goods are also unknown.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a visa to enter Saint Kitts and Nevis?
British citizens can stay up to six months without a visa, and Canada says tourists need none. Every visitor needs an eTA from the official portal knatravelform.kn first.
Can I work on a visitor entry?
No, working without a permit is illegal. A work permit must be requested from outside the country, and your employer must advertise the job locally for three weeks.
How much does citizenship by investment cost in 2026?
The donation route costs US$250,000 for a family of up to four, plus due diligence fees of US$10,000 for the main applicant. Real estate starts at US$325,000 for a condominium share.
Is there income tax in Saint Kitts and Nevis?
There is no personal income tax, says the national investment promotion agency. VAT is 17%, and property tax is due each year by 30 June.
Can I drive with my home licence?
You need a temporary licence at EC$62.50 (US$23) for three months or EC$125 (US$46) for a year. Apply at the Inland Revenue Department or an authorised rental agency.
Do I need health insurance?
It is strongly advised, because the British and Canadian governments both urge cover for evacuation and hospital stays. Treatment is expensive, and providers often ask for payment up front.
Sources: UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, travel advice: entry requirements, current at 28 October 2026; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, travel advice: health, current at 2 November 2026; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, travel advice: safety and security, current at 2 November 2026; Government of Canada, travel advice for Saint Kitts and Nevis, updated 26 May 2026; Saint Kitts and Nevis Electronic Border Management System (eTA portal), 2 November 2026; Government Information Service, eTA channels advisory, 12 June 2025; Ministry of National Security, work permit procedures, 28 September 2020; Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis, work visa procurement, 2026; Nevis Island Administration, Special Annual Residency deadline, 28 July 2026; Citizenship by Investment Unit, Sustainable Island State Contribution, 2 November 2026; Citizenship by Investment Unit, private real estate option, page modified 16 February 2026; Government Information Service, Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2026, 23 October 2026; Government Information Service, citizenship reform for descendants, 15 September 2026; Inland Revenue Department, taxes and VAT, 2 November 2026; Inland Revenue Department, driver’s licence fees, 2 November 2026; St Kitts Investment Promotion Agency, why invest, 2 November 2026; St Kitts Investment Promotion Agency, FAQ, 2 November 2026; Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, EC dollar peg, 2025; Government Information Service, Back-to-School Voucher, 17 August 2026; Government Information Service, new Joseph N France General Hospital, 12 December 2025; Bank of Nevis, 2 November 2026.
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