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EU Visa Waiver Continues Insists St Kitts and Nevis
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RIF Trust Responds to the St Kitts and Nevis CIU Chairman’s New Year’s Address
RIF Trust’s Caribbean citizenship specialist is Leila Bagheri. She monitors St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment announcements along with those from the other Eastern Caribbean countries running Citizenship by Investment programs. Bagheri reacts to the CIU Chairman Calvin St Juste‘s recent comments about the EU visa waiver.
Our expert maintains that “Investors want reassurance that benefits will continue to be available. In this case, visa-free access to the Schengen Area.”
“A good news story like this shows why St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment is the world’s oldest surviving CBI program.”
What Calvin St Juste Said About the EU Visa Waiver
In his New Year’s address, the Chairman of the St Kitts and Nevis CIU addressed concerns: “Let me assure you that our visa-free access to the European Union remains secure. ETIAS is not a visa but a travel authorization system being introduced for all visa-exempt countries worldwide. It is designed to enhance travel security and does not affect our visa-free agreements with the EU.”
Calvin St Juste does not take this for granted. His recent appointment has coincided with a new-broom-sweeps-clean approach. St Juste says: “The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Unit, has worked diligently to maintain the integrity of our CBI Programme by adopting the highest international standards in due diligence and transparency. These efforts have ensured that our nation remains a trusted partner to the global community.”
He concludes: “From implementing robust reforms in our Citizenship by Investment Programme to fostering international partnerships that benefit our economy and citizens, 2024 has been a year of growth and progress.”
Comparing Visa-Free Access Across the Eastern Caribbean
The EU visa waiver is not only a right of St Kitts and Nevis nationals. You can also invest in this via the 4 other Caribbean citizenship programs. Yes, you become eligible through Antigua and Barbuda Citizenship by Investment.
Dominica Citizenship by Investment, Grenada Citizenship by Investment, and St Lucia Citizenship by Investment are Schengen Zone avenues too. Our Passport Index will help you choose between the 5 Eastern Caribbean countries. Here “the passport rank combines the number of visa-free, visa-on-arrival, and eVisa countries.”
The strongest Caribbean passport is the St Kitts and Nevis passport. This travel document enables you to visit 102 destinations without a visa and 28 via a visa on arrival. You can enter 36 with an eVisa and 32 with a visa secured in advance.
Next up in our table of power is the Antigua and Barbuda passport. You can travel to 100 countries without a visa and 29 through a visa on arrival. 33 destinations are accessible with an eVisa and 36 require a visa.
A Grenada passport is the world’s 20th strongest travel document. You can enter 95 destinations without a visa and 27 with a visa on arrival. That leaves 38 countries visitable through an eVisa and 38 via a visa.
The 4th most powerful Caribbean passport is the St Lucia passport. This enables you to travel to 94 countries without a visa and 28 with a visa on arrival. 37 destinations are accessible with an eVisa and 39 require a visa.
Our round-up concludes with the Dominica passport. With this travel document, you can visit 91 destinations without a visa and 26 with a visa on arrival. 39 countries require an eVisa and 42 a visa in advance.
How to Choose the Right Caribbean Citizenship by Investment Program
There are other factors to take into account before you commit to one particular program over another. Consult a Citizenship by Investment authority like RIF Trust and we can point out the most family-friendly programs, for example. So, contact us now and we’ll show you how to determine which Caribbean citizenship is right for you.