Residency And Biometric Reforms To CBI Programme
BASSETERRE: The Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis is introducing two new reforms to the country’s Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme as it continues to strengthen the security of the programme and attract reputable and creditable investors.
The first measure will see the implementation of a residency feature for investors, while the second provides for the collection of biometric data from potential citizens around the world. The new measures were announced by Prime Minister, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, during the Roundtable engagement with members of the press on Thursday, January 08, 2026.
“We are serious when we say that we will make sure that we do what we have to do to put this CBI Programme in good standing,” said Dr. Drew.
The new measures are among a series of major changes that were implemented since 2022, when Dr. Drew was elected as Prime Minister. The government proactively sought to repair the reputation of the CBI programme, which was mired in reports of underselling and other troubling factors. International organisations and countries expressed serious concerns about practices within the programme.
“We have taken strict measures [by] increasing the minimum investment; strengthened further our due diligence, making sure that the processes are transparent; we have shifted our CBI Unit to become a statutory body to have proper oversight, [and] now we are making two more significant advancements,” the prime minister stated.
Additionally, Saint Kitts and Nevis led efforts to establish the Eastern Caribbean Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Regulatory Framework that protects and modernises the vital economic sector. The framework established a shared regulatory authority among participating Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) members, modelled on the cooperative structure of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.
