Grenada vs St Kitts: Which Citizenship is Better?

Travel visa-free to over 140 countries, including the US and UK.

In a previous post, we looked at the benefits of acquiring a Grenadian citizenship. The Caribbean country offers an advantageous programme known as Citizenship-by-investment. (It’s not unique; so many other countries now, including the US, offer the citizenship-by-investment programme, if not under the same name.)

But with Grenada the programme is exciting: with reasonably affordable investment, you can secure a passport that unlocks the door to travelling visa-free to 140+ countries, including Western Europe and China.

St Kitts and Nevis offers a similar opportunity, and was in fact the first country in the world to come up with the citizenship-by-investment programme.

But what are the differences and similarities, and which country has the better value?

Citizenship by Investment: Grenada vs St Kitts

Investing in the citizenship of either country allows you to travel visa-free to numerous top countries worldwide, such as China, the EU, the UK, and Russia. This is because both countries have formal agreements with these countries which allow their citizens to travel to and fro without hindrance.

Besides this major point, there are a few other advantages:

• Quick application process
• Passports for your entire family
• Certain tax exemptions
• No stay requirements: you are not obliged to remain in the country after acquiring citizenship; you do not even have to set foot in it if you do not want to.

What are the specific advantages of each country?

Grenada

Since 2013, foreign investors – including many Nigerians – have acquired Grenadian passports for themselves and their families in exchange for a minimum investment of $150,000 in the country’s economy. What this means is that they can invest in a business with that amount and acquire a passport for themselves and their dependants. Much later, they can still receive the dividends of the investment they made. Or, like some do, just sell it and recover the money – especially when it’s real estate.

Another important and much desired feature of the Grenadian passport is that it is the only Caribbean passport that offers the opportunity to apply for the E-2 Visa in the US. The E-2 Visa allows you to enter and work in the US, and even gain a permanent residency, by investing a substantial amount of capital in a US business.

Find out more about the Grenadian passport and how to apply for it here.

St Kitts and Nevis

St Kitts and Nevis was the first country in the world to launch the citizenship-by-investment programme. Just like with Grenada, foreigners can invest a minimum of $150,000 in exchange for the country’s citizenship and passport.

But the St Kitts passport ranks higher globally than that of Grenada. What this means is that you are able to access more countries with the St Kitts’ passport – 156 as opposed to 140 for Grenada.

In Summary

Both countries have very similar programmes and charge the same fees. The only major difference is that there are more countries open to you for visa-free travel with a St Kitts and Nevis passport, but with a Grenadian passport you are able to process the US E-2 Visa.

With that in mind, what choice you make depends on what you want. If you wish mainly to travel to multiple countries, then you may consider the St Kitts passport. If, however, you are interested in the US E-2 Visa, as so many people are, then you must go for the Grenadian citizenship.