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19 March 2024

Invest in Hollywood movie, get citizenship to this country in the Americas

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By Majorie van Leijen

You invest in a Hollywood movie which is shot on the Caribbean island St Kitts and Nevis. In return, you gain citizenship on the island, which provides visa-free travel to 80 countries, including the Schengen zone.

It is not the most usual citizenship-by-investment programme, and will certainly get you more than a second passport. Red carpet events, behind-the-scenes access and being part of the same production that Russell Crowe or Kevin Costner is working on are some of the perks of this investment scheme.

St Kitts and Nevis recently launched a new investment option in its citizenship-by-investment programme, which it has been running since 1984. Other than the usual investment in the local real estate or sugar industry, applicants can support one of the five Hollywood movies to be shot on the island over the next five years, explained Armand Arton, president and CEO, Arton Capital.

“Up to 20 investment slots from the citizenship for investment programme have been allocated to help finance the five movie projects. The investor, in addition to citizenship on the island will be able to attend the red carpet premiere of the movie, whether in Europe or the US, meet the actors and watch the shooting of the film.”

The programme is spearheaded by Hollywood film producer Rudy Langlais and entrepreneur and activist Val Kempadoo—both Caribbean natives. Although St Kitts and Nevis is untapped soil when it comes to the movie industry, the five movies to be shot are no small productions and set to open the eyes of the world to the beauty of the island.

Kevin Costner will be producing the movie called Indian Warner, based on the true story of a British naval officer in the Caribbean in the 1970s during colonial rule. Russell Crowe will take up the role of a pirate sailing the Caribbean in the movie ‘Captain Blood’, while Beyonce and Rihanna are currently scouted to feature in the movie ‘Unburnable’.

‘Pirates of the Carribean’ was shot on the Carribean island Dominica, and there are several actors and producers who hail from this region and would like to see the Hollywood scene come to the Carribean, explained Arton. “This is not only a chance for the investor to gain citizenship, but also for the region to attract a lucrative business.”

For the investor, however, benefits range far beyond the success of the movie. After the required investment is made, a passport can be obtained within a relatively short period, usually three months. The investor gains citizenship for life, but is not required to live on the island, nor visit it at any time.

Until recently, St Kitts and Nevis presented one of the most attractive travel perks among its Carribbean counterparts, however, this has changed with the cancellation of visa-free travel to Canada.

From November 22, 2014, Canada informed the St Kitts and Nevis government that its citizens would no longer be able to cross their border unimpeded, and would now be required to apply for a visa through its High Commission in Trinidad.

St Kitts and Nevis offers several options towards citizenship for life, such as the minimum investment of $250,000 in the national sugar industry, or a minimum investment of $400,000 in the real estate market. It is the longest standing citizenship-by-investment programme in the region, and known to be among the most accessible.

The five movies that are part of the programme are the following:

·         Captain Blood, by TBC

·         Indian Warner, by Kevin Costner

·         Unburnable, by Kenny Leon

·         Nick Carter, by Andy Davis

·         Bob Marley, by Oliver Stone