St Kitts and Nevis Citizenship for the Family: Spouse, Children up to 30 and Parents

Most of my clients do not apply alone. With St Kitts this is good news, because the programme is generous to families: the base contribution covers four people and the number of dependants is not limited. But every category has its own conditions, and it is better to know them before the file is prepared.

Who can be included

Family member	Conditions
Spouse	A registered marriage. BRIDGES notes that the law of the Federation recognises a partner of the opposite sex as a spouse
Children under 18	Included with the parents, children from previous marriages too
Children 18 to 30	Fully supported by the main applicant, the file is submitted before the child turns 30
Adult children with disabilities	Physical or mental disability, no age limit
Parents aged 55 and over	Parents of the applicant or of the spouse, living with and fully supported by the applicant
Brothers and sisters	Not included

A note on children over 18

The CIU eligibility page still describes children aged 18 to 30 as being in full-time study at a secondary or tertiary institution and fully supported by the main applicant. BRIDGES reports that in current practice the full-time study requirement has been removed and financial dependency itself is confirmed. Because the two sources differ, I confirm the wording with the authorised agent on the date of filing and, where a child studies, prepare proof of study anyway.

What each person costs

Under SISC the $250,000 covers the main applicant and up to three dependants. From the fifth person each dependant aged 18 and over adds $50,000 and each child under 18 adds $25,000. With the $325,000 property option the investment does not depend on the family size.

Due diligence is charged on everyone from 16 years old: $7,500 for each dependant, on top of $10,000 for the main applicant. From the age of 16 a child also provides a police certificate. The full arithmetic is in my guide to costs and fees.

Why I include everyone from the start

The CIU charges extra for additions after approval: $30,000 to add a spouse or another qualifying dependant after the main applicant’s approval in principle, plus the standard fees. A parent who reaches 55 while the file is being processed can be added for a fee. But dependants who were already eligible and were left out cannot use the post-citizenship addition route later, only a separate sponsored application.

Children born later

A child born after citizenship is granted is registered by descent, with no new investment. The CIU fee for adding a child under three born after the certificate of registration is $7,500, plus the standard fees. Each child also needs a biometric passport, and children enrol their biometrics in line with age-appropriate standards.

Four generations in one file

BRIDGES describes a case in which four generations of one family were included in a single St Kitts application. This is possible because the programme has no limit on dependants. What decides the outcome is not the number of people but how well each one’s documents and links to the main applicant are proved.

My practical advice

• Draw the family tree before you choose the option. For five people or more, calculate both SISC and property.
• Collect the evidence of financial dependency for adult children and parents early: bank transfers, a shared address, a declaration.
• Check how your current country treats dual citizenship for each family member separately.

The BRIDGES article on St Kitts citizenship for the family has more examples. Travel and biometrics are in my guide to the passport, biometrics and residency. Last checked 21 October 2026.