Investment property: Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is a volcanic Caribbean island with one of the best-known citizenship by investment programmes, running since 2016.
The property market is a typical resort market: hotel apartments and villas in the north around Rodney Bay and Cap Estate and near Soufrière bay in the south-west, with demand driven by tourism. The Eastern Caribbean dollar is pegged to the US dollar at 2.70, so prices and fees are easy to work out in dollars.
Two ways to buy
| Standard purchase | Purchase under the citizenship programme | |
|---|---|---|
| What you can buy | any property on the market | only a unit in a government-approved tourism project |
| Minimum amount | none | from $300,000 since 2024 |
| Holding period | any | at least 5 years |
| Land licence for a foreigner | required | handled within the programme |
| What it gives | ownership only | Saint Lucia citizenship for the applicant and family |
Alien Landholding Licence
A foreigner buying outside the programme needs an Alien Landholding Licence under the Aliens (Licensing) Act. A certificate of eligibility can be obtained first, then a licence for the specific property. Fees under the 2020 regulations:
| Document | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certificate of eligibility, 1 year | $3,000 |
| Certificate of eligibility, 10 years | $10,000 |
| Licence: up to 1 acre | $2,500 |
| Licence: 1 to 5 acres | $5,000 |
| Licence: 5 to 10 acres | $10,500 |
| Licence: over 10 acres | $20,000 |
The licence must be obtained before title registration, otherwise the deal cannot be completed. Buyer checks include identity documents and source of funds.
Transaction costs
- Buyer's stamp duty - 2% of the price, the same for locals and foreigners.
- Seller's stamp duty depends on residence: a non-resident pays 10% of the price, a resident pays on a sliding scale.
- The buyer's lawyer and title registration are agreed separately, usually a few percent of the price together.
If you will ever sell as a non-resident, the seller's 10% should be built into the return calculation from the start.
We will calculate online the full purchase cost for your budget: taxes, fees and transaction costs.
How a purchase works
- Checking title, survey and property debts at the Land Registry.
- A sale agreement and deposit, usually 10%.
- Obtaining the Alien Landholding Licence or processing under the citizenship programme.
- Payment, stamp duties and title registration.
Common buyer mistakes
- Paying a deposit before checking that the project is on the approved list for the citizenship programme.
- Buying outside the programme without a land licence: title will not be registered.
- Calculating returns without the 10% non-resident seller's stamp duty on a future sale.
- A developer contract without completion deadlines or remedies for delay.
- Expecting any villa on the island to qualify for citizenship, although only approved projects do.
Property and citizenship
Only a unit in an approved project from $300,000, held for 5 years, qualifies for citizenship. Besides property the programme offers a non-refundable contribution to the national fund and other options, and for many families the contribution is simpler: no project to choose and no resale to wait for. We compare the options at full cost for your family before you choose.
What we do
We help decide whether you need property or another programme option. For a purchase we check the project, developer and the resale terms after 5 years, obtain the land licence for a standard purchase, calculate all fees, handle the deal with a local lawyer and run the citizenship application in parallel until the passports are issued.
What we do
- Property shortlist for your investment goal
- Legal due diligence on the property
- End-to-end transaction support
- Ownership structuring (company, trust)
- Property management and letting
See also
Company formation · Business account · Personal account · Country taxes · All country programs
FAQ
Can a foreigner buy property in Saint Lucia?
Does buying property give Saint Lucia citizenship?
What fees apply when buying in Saint Lucia?
How long must programme property be held?
Which is better: property or the fund contribution?
Where do I start with Saint Lucia citizenship through property?
Investing in property in Saint Lucia?
We shortlist properties in Saint Lucia, including in projects approved for citizenship by investment, and vet the developer and documents. Every country is in the searchable catalogue.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
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