In June 2024, the National Assembly successfully passed the Citizenship by Investment Unit Act, 2024, establishing the Citizenship Unit as a separate body corporate, as opposed to a Government department, operational from 31 July 2024.
The Citizenship Investment Unit (CIU) has perpetual succession, a common seal and the ability to sue and be sued in its corporate name.
Role
CIU play a vital role with these tasks..
- Application receiving, processing and approvals
- Policy changes and regulations to strengthen the schemes
- Approval of real estate projects
- Conduct vetting, due diligence operations and background checks of the applicants.
- Appointing Authorized Agents and marketing agents
- Enact Rules for Marketing and promotion of schemes.
- Recommend approved investor applicants for citizenship to the minister
- Issue Citizenship Certificate
- Notify Passport office to issue passport for approved investors.
- Organize events and conferences globally.
- Provide training and consultation for agents
- Publishing reports and statistics pursuant to the CBI
- Cooperate with third party due diligence providers with vetting of applicants
- Sharing of applicant data with other Citizenship Units in other countries
- Provide a reason for application refusals.
CIU Board
In addition to the Board of Governors, there is a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer as well as Chief Due Diligence and Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer to oversee the Programme.
Since January 2023, the Citizenship Unit has been managed by an appointed Board of Governors, who are in charge of advising the Prime Minister on the operation and activities of the Unit, as well as monitoring and reviewing the development and policies of the Citizenship Programme
Technical Committee
The review of all Citizenship Programme applications is the responsibility of the Technical Committee, who are also in charge of ensuring that all due diligence background checks and spot checks are comprehensively completed on all Citizenship Programme applications.
Continuing International Due Diligence Unit
In a historic session of the National Assembly the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis marked a significant milestone by establishing the Continuing International Due Diligence (CIDD) Unit, operational from 31 July 2024. The inception of the CIDD Unit heralds a new era in the evolution of the Citizenship Programme, building upon
four decades of excellence, consolidation, and enhancement. By integrating ongoing due diligence practices, the CIDD Unit is poised to elevate the programme’s integrity and efficacy to unprecedented levels. The launch of the CIDD Unit underscores St. Kitts and Nevis’ unwavering commitment to excellence.