The St.Kitts and Nevis Government has passed a new law, under the Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2026, which was passed by the National Assembly on October 23. It represents a historic change in Citizenship Reform approved for Second and Third Generation Kittitians and Nevisians living abroad.
Citizenship for Descendents
As per the new law, children and grandchildren of Kittitians and Nevisians living overseas can now apply to become citizens of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
What has Changed
The new law closes a gap that has existed since Independence in 1983. Until now, many people born abroad to Kittitian and Nevisian families had no way to claim the citizenship held by their parents or grandparents, particularly where a parent had never registered them as children.
Members of the diaspora have raised this issue for decades, in correspondence, through the Federation’s overseas missions, through diaspora and family associations, and most recently in a petition presented to the National Assembly in 2025.
Two New Routes
The Act opens two new routes for adults born on or after September 19, 1983.
- Route 1 – Those with a grandparent who was born, registered or naturalised in Saint Kitts and Nevis before Independence.
- Route 2 – Those whose mother or father is a citizen, including a parent born in the Federation after 1983.
Family Connections
Applicants will need to show their family connection through birth certificates linking them to their parent or grandparent, together with a valid passport, photographs and police certificates from the countries in which they have lived. As with every application to be registered as a citizen, each one will undergo a security review before a decision is made.
Where to Apply
Applications can be submitted at the Ministry’s Secretariat on Liverpool Row in Basseterre, at the Federal Office in Charlestown, Nevis, or at any Saint Kitts and Nevis embassy, high commission or consulate overseas, which will forward them to Basseterre.
The Ministry of National Security, Citizenship and Immigration began accepting applications on Monday, November 2, 2026.
