A recent leaked memo from the United States State Department has placed St. Kitts and Nevis, along with three other Eastern Caribbean nations, under heightened scrutiny over their citizenship by investment (CBI) programmes. This move raises significant concerns regarding visa application restrictions and the future travel mobility of citizens from these countries.
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia—key players in the Caribbean’s CBI sector—are among 36 countries worldwide now facing potential US visa bans or other travel limitations, the memo reveals. The list also includes 25 African nations and multiple countries in Central Asia and the Pacific, marking one of the broadest expansions of US travel restrictions in recent history.
While the government of St. Kitts and Nevis has yet to confirm the memo’s authenticity or any official communication from the US, officials previously highlighted ongoing dialogue with American authorities. In earlier statements, the government reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and comprehensive reform of its CBI programme in line with international standards.
This development comes amid intensified US immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has already imposed full or partial entry bans on multiple countries citing national security concerns. Regional leaders from the Eastern Caribbean, including representatives from St. Kitts and Nevis, have engaged with US officials such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address concerns over CBI policies, focusing on enhanced due diligence and transparency.
US authorities’ chief concern centers on the lack of meaningful residency requirements in many Caribbean CBI schemes, potentially allowing “citizenship of convenience” that may bypass US security checks. The memo also references alleged “anti-American activity” by nationals of some listed countries and governance challenges within certain jurisdictions.
The State Department has given the flagged countries a 60-day deadline to submit action plans detailing steps to meet security, vetting, and reporting benchmarks. Failure to comply could result in full or partial travel bans. However, diplomatic options exist, including agreements to accept deported third-country nationals or “safe third country” arrangements, which may help ease sanctions.
Although the White House has not officially responded to the leak, the announcement has triggered concern among Caribbean governments and diaspora communities worldwide. The expanded watchlist and tight compliance timeline represent a pivotal moment for the Caribbean’s CBI industry—a crucial economic pillar now under intense international scrutiny.
In response, Eastern Caribbean nations have accelerated efforts to harmonize their CBI practices. Since early 2023, initiatives include unified application frameworks, mandatory interviews for applicants, data sharing on denied candidates, and stronger involvement of financial intelligence units in vetting procedures.
As the compliance deadline nears and US immigration policies continue to provoke debate domestically, global attention is focused on the future of the Caribbean’s citizenship by investment programs and the thousands of families relying on them for economic security.
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