The St Lucia passport is many things. It is an emblem of national identity and symbol of citizenship. It grants to the holder the privileges of citizenship and belonging to the island nation of St Lucia with its vibrant culture, verdant landscapes, customs, and warm, hospitable people. It is also a travel document that acts as a gateway to opportunities and global accessibility. In this article, we will tell you all you need to know about the St Lucian passport, including its features and characteristics, the advantages of owning it, how to acquire it, and more.
What You Should Know about the St Lucia Passport
The St Lucia passport is a navy booklet, the cover of which is embossed with the country’s coat of arms and the official seal of the government of St Lucia. The coat of arms features, among other symbols, the national bird – the Saint Lucian parrot, the national plant – bamboo, and the country motto – “The Land, The People, The Light.”
Caribbean Community privileges
Also embossed on the cover is the CARICOM seal identifying St Lucia as a member of the Caribbean Community. Officially the Caribbean Community and Common Market, CARICOM is a regional organization of 20 developing nations in the Caribbean that was formed in 1973 to promote political cooperation and economic integration. Membership in CARICOM grants the passport holder freedom of movement among member states, with some restrictions.
St Lucia is also a member of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), an intergovernmental Caribbean group and economic union, the members of which are a subset of CARICOM. Eight of the 11 member countries share a common currency – the Eastern Caribbean Dollar (XCD or EC$), and they enjoy the free movement of people, goods, and capital. Citizens are free to travel, live, and work across borders without any restrictions.
St Lucia passport ranking
St Lucia holds a respectable position on the Global Passport Index, ranking 75th out of 199. The Index is based on three criteria – enhanced mobility, investment, and quality of life. Enhanced mobility carries the most weight, and the St Lucia passport is strong in this area, underscoring its international reputation and usefulness with visa-free access to over 140 countries, including the European Union, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
Passport types
While every citizen is entitled to a passport, the purpose of travel will determine the type of travel document required. St Lucia offers various passport types tailored to citizens’ specific needs:
- Regular: For standard international travel purposes and identification
- Official: Designated for government officials traveling on government business
- Diplomatic: Reserved for diplomats on missions abroad and high-ranking officials
- Emergency: An expedited travel document issued for urgent situations, such as medical emergencies, when a regular passport is not feasible because of time constraints.
Passport validity and renewal
The St Lucia passport is valid for five years. To maintain uninterrupted travel privileges, you are advised to renew in a timely manner to ensure there is a minimum of six months’ validity remaining on your passport.
Calculate the cost of citizenship for you and your family, including all associated fees.
Benefits of the St Lucia Passport
As a citizen of St Lucia, being the holder of a St Lucian passport comes with several advantages:
Generational continuity
The St Lucia passport secures your legacy of citizenship, allowing you to pass it on to future generations. This is due to the right of citizenship by descent, where citizens can pass their citizenship on to their children regardless of where they are born.
Lifestyle enrichment
The beauty of citizenship is it entitles you to live in St Lucia whenever you choose. With that comes access to a good quality of life.
The beautiful, politically and economically stable environment of St Lucia allows residents to enjoy a high-quality lifestyle. At the same time, the low cost of living, infrastructure, and available amenities provide a high standard of living to those who call St Lucia home.
US visa opportunities
St Lucia passport holders are eligible for the US B-1/B-2 tourist and business travel visa as well as the Diversity Immigrant Visa.
Only specific nationalities that have low rates of immigration to the US are eligible to apply for the Diversity Visa, which grants a Green Card to qualified applicants who are selected via a lottery system.
Tax advantages
St Lucia citizens and residents enjoy a favorable tax environment that is conducive to maintaining individual wealth and fostering business growth. The Value Added Tax rate is one of the lowest in the region at 12.5 percent, ensuring a reasonable cost of living.
Additionally, the personal income tax allowance of EC$25,400 provides a buffer since only incomes earned locally in excess of this amount will be taxed.
Tax concessions and exemptions are also accessible to businesses that locate their operations in the Vieux Fort Free Trade Zone where customs duties are waived.
Business and investment
Tourism is St Lucia’s primary revenue earner and as such, there are copious opportunities to invest in this industry, from real estate, hospitality, and accommodations to auxiliary service provision.
But that’s not all. Manufacturing and agro-processing are given a boost through government subsidies. Meanwhile, in the past three years, global business outsourcing outpaced the others to become the fastest-growing sector in the country.
Global Visa Requirements for St Lucian Passport Holders
Perhaps the leading, most valuable benefit of the St Lucia passport is the visa-free travel opportunities. St Lucians enjoy unrestricted entry to over 140 countries offering an ease of global exploration not afforded to many.
Country Saint Lucia
Albaniae-visa
Algeriavisa required
Andorravisa free (90 days)
Angolavisa free (30 days)
Antigua and Barbudavisa free
Argentinavisa free (90 days)
Armeniae-visa
Australiae-visa
Austriavisa free (90 days)
Azerbaijanvisa required
Bahamasvisa free (90 days)
Bahraine-visa
Bangladeshvisa on arrival
Barbadosvisa free (180 days)
Belarusvisa required
Belgiumvisa free (90 days)
Belizevisa free
Benine-visa
Bhutane-visa
Boliviavisa on arrival
Bosnia and Herzegovinavisa free (90 days)
Botswanavisa free (90 days)
Brazilvisa required
Bruneivisa required
Bulgariavisa free (90 days)
Burkina Fasoe-visa
Burundivisa on arrival
Cambodiavisa on arrival
Cameroone-visa
Canadavisa required
Cabo Verdevisa on arrival
Central African Republicvisa required
Chadvisa required
Chilevisa free (90 days)
Chinavisa required
Colombiavisa free (90 days)
Comorosvisa on arrival
Congovisa required
DR Congoe-visa
Costa Ricavisa free (90 days)
Ivory Coaste-visa
Croatiavisa free (90 days)
Cubavisa free (30 days)
Cyprusvisa free (90 days)
Czech Republicvisa free (90 days)
Denmarkvisa free (90 days)
Djiboutie-visa
Dominicavisa free
Dominican Republicvisa free
Ecuadorvisa free (90 days)
Egyptvisa on arrival
El Salvadorvisa free (90 days)
Equatorial Guineae-visa
Eritreavisa required
Estoniavisa free (90 days)
Swazilandvisa free (30 days)
Ethiopiae-visa
Fijivisa free (120 days)
Finlandvisa free (90 days)
Francevisa free (90 days)
Gabone-visa
Gambiavisa free (90 days)
Georgiae-visa
Germanyvisa free (90 days)
Ghanavisa required
Greecevisa free (90 days)
Grenadavisa free
Guatemalavisa free (90 days)
Guineae-visa
Guinea-Bissauvisa on arrival
Guyanavisa free (90 days)
Haitivisa free (90 days)
Hondurasvisa free (90 days)
Hong Kongvisa free (90 days)
Hungaryvisa free (90 days)
Icelandvisa free (90 days)
Indiae-visa
Indonesiavisa required
Irane-visa
Iraqvisa required
Irelandvisa free (90 days)
Israelvisa free (90 days)
Italyvisa free (90 days)
Jamaicavisa free
Japanvisa required
Jordanvisa on arrival
Kazakhstane-visa
Kenyavisa free (90 days)
Kiribativisa free (90 days)
Kosovovisa free (90 days)
Kuwaitvisa required
Kyrgyzstane-visa
Laovisa on arrival
Latviavisa free (90 days)
Lebanonvisa required
Lesothovisa free (90 days)
Liberiavisa required
Libyavisa required
Liechtensteinvisa free (90 days)
Lithuaniavisa free (90 days)
Luxembourgvisa free (90 days)
Macaovisa on arrival
Madagascarvisa on arrival
Malawivisa free (90 days)
Malaysiavisa free (30 days)
Maldivesvisa on arrival
Malivisa required
Maltavisa free (90 days)
Marshall Islandsvisa required
Mauritaniavisa on arrival
Mauritiusvisa free (90 days)
Mexicovisa required
Micronesiavisa free (30 days)
Moldovavisa free (90 days)
Monacovisa free (90 days)
Mongoliae-visa
Montenegrovisa free (90 days)
Moroccovisa required
Mozambiquevisa on arrival
Myanmarvisa required
Namibiavisa required
Nauruvisa required
Nepalvisa on arrival
Netherlandsvisa free (90 days)
New Zealandvisa required
Nicaraguavisa free (90 days)
Nigervisa required
Nigeriae-visa
North Koreavisa required
North Macedoniavisa required
Norwayvisa free (90 days)
Omane-visa
Pakistane-visa
Palauvisa on arrival
Palestinevisa free
Panamavisa free (90 days)
Papua New Guineae-visa
Paraguayvisa required
Peruvisa free (180 days)
Philippinesvisa free (30 days)
Polandvisa free (90 days)
Portugalvisa free (90 days)
Qatarvisa required
Romaniavisa free (90 days)
Russiavisa required
Rwandavisa on arrival
Saint Kitts and Nevisvisa free
Samoavisa on arrival
San Marinovisa free (90 days)
Sao Tome and Principee-visa
Saudi Arabiavisa required
Senegalvisa on arrival
Serbiavisa required
Seychellesvisa free (90 days)
Sierra Leonevisa on arrival
Singaporevisa free (30 days)
Slovakiavisa free (90 days)
Sloveniavisa free (90 days)
Solomon Islandsvisa on arrival
Somaliavisa on arrival
South Africavisa required
South Koreae-visa
South Sudane-visa
Spainvisa free (90 days)
Sri Lankae-visa
Saint Vincent and the Grenadinesvisa free
Sudanvisa required
Surinamevisa free (180 days)
Swedenvisa free (90 days)
Switzerlandvisa free (90 days)
Syriavisa required
Taiwanvisa free (30 days)
Tajikistane-visa
Tanzaniavisa free (90 days)
Thailande-visa
Timor-Lestevisa on arrival
Togovisa on arrival
Tongavisa on arrival
Trinidad and Tobagovisa free
Tunisiavisa free (90 days)
Turkmenistanvisa required
Tuvaluvisa on arrival
Turkeyvisa on arrival
Ugandae-visa
Ukrainevisa required
United Arab Emiratesvisa required
United Kingdomvisa free (180 days)
United Statesvisa required
Uruguayvisa required
Uzbekistanvisa free (30 days)
Vanuatuvisa free (30 days)
Vaticanvisa free (90 days)
Venezuelavisa free (90 days)
Vietname-visa
Yemenvisa required
Zambiavisa free (90 days)
Zimbabwevisa free (90 days)
Afghanistanvisa required
Take a look at our St Lucia Citizenship Ultimate Guide by local experts
How to Obtain a St Lucia Passport
Obtaining a St Lucia passport begins with citizenship since this is the one condition under which one becomes eligible to own one. There are a few avenues to acquiring citizenship:
- St Lucia citizenship by descent or birth: Citizenship is a birthright to anyone born on the island. It is inherited if one is born to at least one St Lucian parent anywhere else in the world.
- St Lucia citizenship by naturalization: Non-nationals who have been resident in St Lucia for a minimum of seven years are eligible to apply for citizenship by naturalization. They must satisfy certain criteria and demonstrate a commitment to maintain their residency.
- St Lucia citizenship by marriage: An individual who is married to a citizen of St Lucia and has resided in St Lucia for seven years or more can apply to be registered as a citizen.
- St Lucia citizenship by investment: Individuals who desire citizenship but do not fall into any of the above categories may apply for citizenship by investment (CBI). St Lucia introduced a CBI program in 2015, giving qualified investors the opportunity to acquire a passport in exchange for an investment into the country’s development.
Applying for a St Lucia Passport
Once you have St Lucia citizenship, you are entitled to a St Lucia passport that is valid for five years. Citizens living outside St Lucia must submit their applications to the nearest St Lucia consulate for processing. Those residing in St Lucia must apply in person at the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Immigration Department.
Documents required
- A St Lucia national identification card for applicants 18 and over
- Birth certificate
- Change of name document (if applicable)
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Proof of citizenship document
- Completed St Lucia Passport Application Form
- Recent passport photos not older than six months
Application process
The application form must be filled out and signed by the applicant as well as a recommender, an individual who knows the applicant and belongs to a profession specified in the application instructions. The recommender must also sign the back of one of the passport photos.
Once completed, the form along with the photos and relevant fees and documents must be submitted to the Immigration Department in Castries. The processing time is 14 working days, with express processing available at an additional cost.
CBI passport application process step-by-step
The citizenship by investment program provides an accelerated pathway to St Lucian citizenship and the St Lucia passport. The general application process is as follows:
- Confirm eligibility for St Lucia citizenship by investment
- Select investment route – National Economic Fund, real estate, business investment, or government bonds
- Contact Authorized Agent and complete application forms (as provided) and gather required documents
- Authorized agent submits the application to the CBI Unit on your behalf
- CBI Committee (CBIC) conducts due diligence checks
- Receive approval from the CBI Committee
- Make investment and submit proof to the Committee
- CBIC issues Certificate of Registration as proof of citizenship
- Receive passport
Get in touch with a Citizenship by Investment Specialist
Our team of industry-leading experts will help you with everything from filing your immigration application to providing professional legal and tax advice. We are wholly committed to your success.
Benefits of St Lucia Passport by Investment
- Family inclusivity: Citizenship benefits can be extended to eligible members of your immediate family as well as parents and siblings.
- Dual citizenship: You can enjoy the privilege of holding multiple citizenships since St Lucia recognizes dual citizenship.
- No residency requirement: As a citizen, you can exercise your right to live in St Lucia or elsewhere. During the CBI process, you are not required to visit or stay in St Lucia for any length of time to maintain your passport or status as a citizen.
St Lucia in Pictures
Why work with Global Citizen Solutions?
- Global approach by local experts. We are corporate members of the Investment Migration Council, with local expertise in all five Caribbean citizenship programs.
- 100 percent approval rate. We have never had a case rejected and will offer you an initial free-of-charge due diligence assessment before signing any contract.
- Independent service and full transparency. We will present to you all the investment options available, and all expenses will be discussed in advance, with no hidden fees.
- An all-encompassing solution. A multidisciplinary team of immigration lawyers, investment specialists, and tax experts will take into consideration all your and your family's mobility, tax, and lifestyle needs.
- Confidential service and secure data management. All private data is stored within a GDPR-compliant database on a secure SSL-encrypted server.
Get in touch with a Caribbean Citizenship by Investment specialist
Frequently Asked Questions about the St Lucia Passport
You can acquire a St Lucia passport by becoming a citizen by birth, descent, naturalization, registration, marriage, or investment.
Ranked 75th on the Global Passport Index, the St Lucia passport is quite strong, offering visa-free access to over 140 countries around the world.
Yes, once you fulfill the eligibility requirements, which include holding an eligible nationality, being age 18 or above, having a clean criminal record and good health, passing a detailed background check, demonstrating outstanding character, and making the required investment.
The cost of obtaining St Lucia citizenship through the CBI program varies depending on the chosen investment route, which could be contributions to the National Economic Fund, real estate investment, business investment, or purchase of government bonds. It also depends on whether it is an application for a single applicant or if family members are included. The minimum qualifying investment for a single applicant or family of up to four is $240,000.
Saint Lucia passport ranking is 75th in terms of travel freedom. The list of visa-free countries for Saint Lucia citizens includes the Schengen area, the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel.
Saint Lucia doesn’t have any residence or visitation requirements.
No, Saint Lucia is an independent state, since 1979. It is part of the Commonwealth of Nations, organization that includes the UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries that where part of the British Empire.
How to become a citizen of Saint Lucia depends on the route you take. Generally speaking, you can get a St Lucia passport by applying to the St Lucia Citizenship by Investment Program. Make an investment of at least $240,000 in either the National Economic Fund, pre-approved real estate, enterprise investment, or in government bonds.
The passport application takes as little as three months.
