St. Lucia Citizenship by Investment Program Re-Bans Iranians

Just five months ago, Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) welcomed back Iranians to its Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP). Yesterday, however, the Unit made clear, in a terse memorandum circulated to agents, that it has reversed its September 2022 policy and is once more excluding Iranians:

Having monitored the ongoing global challenges and as a follow-up to official Memorandums previously sent regarding the matter at the subject [sic], please note that the Saint Lucia Citizenship by Investment Unit shall not accept citizenship applications from nationals of the following three countries:

• • The Russian Federation
  • The Republic of Belarus, and
  • Iran

Russians and Belarusians have been on the list of banned nationalities since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and are now, among the Caribbean CIPS, only welcome to apply in Grenada. Following yesterday’s statement from Saint Lucia, Iranians are now ineligible for all but one Caribbean CIP; that of Dominica. While Grenada’s CIP does not ban any nationalities outright, service providers who cater to Iranian clients say that, in practice, they don’t accept Iranians.

Iran and North Korea now share the title of CBI’s Most Banned Nationality, each of them excluded (outright or conditionally) from six of the 11 currently operational CIPs. See detailed information in our Banned Nationalities section.

Nationality	Antigua & Barbuda	Cambodia	Dominica	Egypt	El Salvador	Grenada	Jordan	Nauru	St Kitts & Nevis	Saint Lucia	São Tomé and Príncipe	Turkey	Vanuatu
🇦🇫 Afghanistan	Ineligible*	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible*	Eligible	Ineligible*	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇦🇲 Armenia	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible
🇧🇾 Belarus	Ineligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Ineligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇨🇩 DR Congo	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇨🇺 Cuba	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇨🇾 Cyprus	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible
🇮🇱 Israel	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇮🇶 Iraq	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible*	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible*
🇮🇷 Iran	Ineligible*	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Ineligible*	Eligible	Ineligible	Ineligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible*
🇰🇵 North Korea	Ineligible*	Eligible	Ineligible*	Eligible	Ineligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Ineligible	Ineligible*
🇲🇲 Myanmar	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible*	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇷🇺 Russia	Ineligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Ineligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇸🇩 Sudan	Ineligible*	Eligible	Ineligible*	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible*	Eligible	Ineligible*	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇸🇴 Somalia	Ineligible*	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇸🇸 South Sudan	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇸🇾 Syria	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible*
🇻🇪 Venezuela	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible
🇾🇪 Yemen	Ineligible*	Eligible	Ineligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible*	Eligible	Ineligible*	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Eligible	Ineligible*