BASSETERRE, St Kitts and Nevis — St Kitts and Nevis has begun accepting citizenship applications from the foreign born children and grandchildren of citizens.

The Ministry of National Security, Citizenship and Immigration began accepting applications on November 2, following the passage of the Saint Christopher and Nevis Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2026, by the National Assembly on October 23.

The changes create two new pathways for adults born on or after September 19, 1983.

One allows people with a grandparent who was born, registered or naturalised in St Kitts and Nevis before Independence to apply. The other covers applicants whose mother or father is a citizen, including a parent born in the Federation after 1983.

The government said the amendment addresses a gap in the law that had left some people born overseas unable to claim citizenship through their Kittitian or Nevisian parents or grandparents, particularly where a parent had not registered them as children.

Applicants must provide documents establishing their family connection, including birth certificates linking them to their parent or grandparent.

They will also need a valid passport, photographs and police certificates from countries in which they have lived.

All applications for registration as a citizen will be subject to a security review before a decision is made.

Applications can be submitted to the ministry’s Secretariat on Liverpool Row in Basseterre, the Federal Office in Charlestown, Nevis, or through any St Kitts and Nevis embassy, high commission or consulate overseas.

Overseas missions will forward applications to Basseterre for processing.

Alongside the opening of applications, the government has launched the Saint Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Handbook, a plain-language guide explaining the different routes to citizenship, eligibility requirements, supporting documents, fees and application procedures.

The handbook includes examples based on common family histories and explains the citizenship status of people who were British immediately before the Federation gained Independence in 1983.

That distinction is relevant to some older claims.

The handbook, application forms and new regulations are available online and in print at the Ministry of National Security and the Federal Office in Nevis.

The regulations also introduce updated application forms for other citizenship services, including naturalisation, renunciation and certificates confirming existing citizenship.

Fees for these applications have not changed.

Applications for certificates confirming that a person is already a citizen will not require a security review, as they do not involve the granting of new citizenship.

The spouses and minor children of citizens will continue to apply under the existing 2024 regulations.