Saint Lucia’s Government Responds to the UK Visa-Free Suspension: Protecting the Citizenship by Investment Programme

Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and Deputy Prime Minister Ernest Hilaire publicly dismissed claims that the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme was the alleged cause of the United Kingdom’s decision to remove visa-free entry for the island.

Statements made March 10, at different times, amounted to Castries’ most detailed response to London’s announcement.

Pierre: The issue is compliance, not the CBI programme

At a press conference, Pierre said the UK High Commissioner personally delivered a letter from Mike Tapp, the UK Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.

In the letter, the key reason given was the rise in asylum claims by people arriving on Saint Lucian passports. According to the Prime Minister, the document stated that the UK had «recorded a significant increase» in cases where Saint Lucian citizens first enter as tourists and then apply for asylum.

Pierre stressed that this was about the conduct of individual travellers, not a systemic problem. He urged Saint Lucians not to overstay in the UK and the United States, calling it «something we can control».

On the CBI programme itself, the Prime Minister was unequivocal: «Saint Lucia has no intention of winding down the CIP. We will do everything to strengthen it.»

Hilaire: UK data does not distinguish the source of citizenship

Speaking the same day in the National Assembly, Hilaire went further. He said it was wrong to give the impression that it is Saint Lucia’s CBI programme that is behind the problem cited by the UK.

He said that in the UK data he referenced, there is no distinction between citizens by birth and those who obtained citizenship through investment.

As presented by the Deputy Prime Minister, 342 asylum applications from Saint Lucian citizens were filed since 2022, out of a total of roughly 106,000 applications. In the government’s view, this represents «a very small proportion», and authorities have no evidence that the increase is directly tied to the CBI programme.

Hilaire also claimed that Castries has repeatedly requested from the UK detailed information about potential misuse of Saint Lucia passports, but that, in his words, no responses were forthcoming.

«We have asked again and again for relevant data on any issues related to CIP. If citizens who obtained citizenship use Saint Lucia passports to request asylum or to work illegally in the UK — send us the data», he said in the chamber.

Why the government’s position appears to clash with London’s rationale

Hilaire’s assertion that the introduction of visa requirements is not linked to the CBI programme is difficult to reconcile with the UK’s stated logic. In a Explanatory Memorandum to the Statement of Changes in the Immigration Rules (HC 1691), published on March 5, a separate section is devoted to Saint Lucia’s citizenship by investment programme.

In section 5.24, the memorandum describes citizenship by investment as «by its nature falling into a higher-risk category.» The document acknowledges steps Saint Lucia has taken over the past year to reduce risks, but it says the UK still faces «unassessed risks» linked to «the historical sale of large volumes of citizenship (and the associated passports)».

The memorandum further notes that between 2023–2024 the programme received around 5,642 applications, representing a 423% year-on-year increase. According to the UK, this rise «directly coincided» with more cases where people later identified while trying to use Saint Lucia passports to access the UK were either flagged when applying for asylum or caught when working illegally.

The Tapp letter, read by Pierre at the press conference, effectively repeats this line. The UK minister said the incidents «highlighted the risks» for people buying Saint Lucia citizenship and coming to the UK with the purpose of applying for asylum.

The letter also refers to «current concerns» regarding citizenship sales to people from regions where the UK applies visa requirements, as well as «inherited risks» connected to those who obtained citizenship over the past decade.

UK on-the-ground engagement and the transition period

Pierre confirmed that on March 11, representatives of the UK arrived in Castries for meetings with travel agencies and visa specialists. He said the visit aims to help stakeholders manage the transition to the new visa regime and to make legitimate travel easier.

A six-week transition window runs until April 16, 2026. During this period, Saint Lucians who have Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) issued before March 5 and who have booked travel in advance will still be able to enter the UK without a visa. The new rules do not apply to diplomats and government ministers arriving on official business.

Political debate: “country first”

During his address in the National Assembly, Hilaire criticised the opposition United Workers Party (UWP), accusing it of politicising the visa issue and spreading inaccurate information that could harm Saint Lucia’s international reputation.

He defended the CBI programme as a tool for national development, citing its contribution to infrastructure, healthcare, education and resilience in the face of climate challenges.

Pierre echoed a similar stance, telling journalists: «We do not control the UK government’s policy or the US government’s policy. Our job is to control what we can control.»

Saint Lucia became the second country in the Caribbean region to issue citizenship by investment and then lose visa-free access to the UK — after Dominica (July 2023). In addition, the United States has frozen the processing of immigration visas for all five Caribbean CBI countries and has reduced the validity of visas for Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda from 10 years to three months.

If you’re considering citizenship by investment as a way to build a stronger “second base” for travel and life, it’s crucial to rely on up-to-date information and official clarifications. When decisions about visa-free access are discussed, official guidance and program transparency become especially valuable. The Digital Nomad team will help you understand the process and requirements so you can make an informed choice — https://digital-nomad.gr/en/goldenvisa.

Our Telegram channel about various types of Greek residence permits, digital nomad programs, and the Greek Golden Visa: @digitalnomadgr