New Biometric Passport Programme to begin in St. Kitts and Nevis

St. Kitts and Nevis: The government of St. Kitts and Nevis has introduced a new National Biometric Enrolment and Passport Modernization Programme. It will officially begin on April 14, 2026. The announcement was shared by the Ministry of National Security, Citizenship and Immigration, along with the Citizenship Unit of St. Kitts and Nevis.

This programme aims to upgrade the passports and align them with the international biometric standards. This change will bring the country in line with global practices being followed by international countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union.

Passports that were issued prior to April 14, 2026, in St. Kitts and Nevis are only valid for use for a specified period of time. The passports can be used for international travel until July 31, 2027. After that period, all passports that are older will no longer be allowed in any international entry points. This means that people will be obliged to use the new biometric passport to be allowed to travel abroad.

Applicants eligible for enrollment

The rule mostly includes people who obtained citizenship via the Citizenship programme. 

• Mandatory

All CBI citizens 

All dependents (including children) 

• Optional (but encouraged)

Citizens born in the country 

Other non-CBI citizens

Enrolment Process

The government of St. Kitts and Nevis stated that only eligible individuals can apply through the government’s biometric system. Firstly, one needs to register themselves and apply through the government’s online biometric system. They must visit one of the designated biometric centers for the next procedure.

The process takes around 15 to 30 minutes. During the appointment, officials will take the applicant’s fingerprints, digital picture, and in some cases an iris scan. These actions are important to create safe and modern travel documents which also meet international standards.

Biometric registration is only present at designated locations including:-

• The Passport Office, Government Headquarters, Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis
• The St. Kitts and Nevis Consulate, Ottawa, Canada
• The St. Kitts and Nevis Consulate, London, United Kingdom
• The St. Kitts and Nevis Consulate, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
• The St. Kitts and Nevis Consulate, Taipei
• The Eastern Caribbean Consulate, Rabat, Morocco

To make it more convenient for the applicants, the government will establish more centers all over the world. Moreover, the authorities have shared that the process will only be applicable through official platforms and all the third-party services will not be allowed.

Fee structure and other key details

The programme fee is set at US$1,800 for children under 18 and US$2500 for adults. All the collected data will be stored in secure encrypted systems, which will be handled as per the international standards outlined by the International Civil Aviation Organization. 

This will improve the overall security of travel documents and will protect personal information. The programme will not affect a person’s citizenship, as it is only focused on modernising the passports to improve its global acceptance. 

The government has said that this update will make the St. Kitts and Nevis' passports more credible. Officials, including Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, have described the programme as a great step towards better security and global recognition. 

He said, “St. Kitts and Nevis does not follow the global standard—we set it. With this biometric passport modernisation programme, we are making an unequivocal statement to the international community: our passport is among the most secure, rigorously governed, and respected in the world.”

They also highlighted the need for people to complete biometric enrollment before the deadline in order to still use their passports for international travel without issues.

The Chairman of the Citizenship by Investment Unit, Calvin St. Juste said, "Our commitment to citizens is straightforward: we will provide every resource, every guidance, and every support mechanism needed to make this process as smooth and accessible as possible.”