Basseterre, St. Kitts. May 22, 2025. The Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) has confirmed that refunds have been issued to citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, whose applications to the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment Programme were affected by the Government’s 2022 ban on doing business with nationals from those countries.
In a statement released on May 21, the CIU addressed recent claims surrounding the refund process and reaffirmed its commitment to fairness, transparency, and legal compliance. The Unit noted that all eligible applicants who submitted valid banking details have either been refunded or are in the process of receiving their payments.
The ban, implemented in August 2022, followed an earlier suspension in March 2022 in response to escalating geopolitical tensions tied to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The policy affected several applications that were submitted before the formal ban but had not yet completed processing.
“The CIU has consistently processed and facilitated refunds for all applicants who complied with the procedural requirement of submitting valid banking details. The processing of these refunds has involved meticulous audits and stringent compliance checks to ensure adherence to our robust legal and regulatory framework,” the release states.
The CIU noted that within the first six months of transitioning to a statutory body, significant headway was made in evaluating and approving refund claims, underscoring its “unwavering commitment to fairness.”
“St. Kitts and Nevis remains committed to ensuring that all applicants to the Citizenship by Investment Programme—regardless of the outcome of their application—are treated with fairness, dignity, and in accordance with the law. This includes individuals whose applications were rejected or deemed ineligible due to evolving geopolitical considerations, enhanced due diligence findings, or other regulatory grounds,” the statement continued.
In addition to those affected by the Russia-Belarus ban, the CIU reiterated that applicants rendered ineligible due to due diligence concerns or other regulatory grounds are also covered under its transparent refund process.
The CIU also highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the programme’s global reputation. These include routine internal audits, regular policy updates, and timely amendments to align with international standards and evolving geopolitical contexts.
The St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme is regarded as the longest-standing initiative of its kind, with a 40-year history. Recently, in response to concerns about transparency and program management, the St. Kitts and Nevis Labour Party administration implemented sweeping reforms to address any irregularities within the CBI Unit.
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