The Embassy of Saint Lucia in the USA plays a key role not only in relations between the two countries. It promotes cooperation with international organizations located in Washington. It is enough to name a few of them, on which the economic development of the young state depends. These are the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Overview of the St. Lucia embassy in Washington, D.C
The Embassy represents the interests of the country at various forums and conferences. The diplomatic mission promotes the establishment and strengthening of ties with organizations of the United States of America that can help promote the national interests of Saint Lucia in the international arena. These include:
- Various business and academic communities;
- Local and global media;
- Civil societies;
- Political institutions.
The embassy of the country in the USA promotes the development and strengthening of relations between governments, parliaments, other state and local authorities. .
Consular services offered by the embassy
When in the territory of another country, the embassy is called upon to protect the state interests of its country there. Very often they have to provide consular services to fellow citizens. These include:
- Registration of passports. Embassies assist fellow citizens in renewing expired or restoring lost or damaged identity cards. The main diplomatic missions also provide services for issuing and renewing passports for minors.
- Notary services. Embassies notarize powers of attorney, wills and other documents;
- Assistance in emergency situations. In critical life situations, embassies provide assistance to citizens in evacuation.
Often, high-ranking diplomatic missions have to provide legal advice on resolving labor disputes and family conflicts.
Contact information and office hours
Where can I find the Embassy of Saint Lucia and how to contact it? The main diplomatic mission of the island nation in the United States is located at the following address:
1629 K Street, NW, Suite 1250 Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 364-6792
Fax: (202) 364-6723
Email: [email protected]
Working hours: from 9:00 to 17:00 from Monday to Friday. Reception hours for passport collection are by appointment only
Visa and passport services
Unlike many other countries that have visa-free agreements with the United States, citizens of Saint Lucia are required to apply for a visa to visit the country. The document is issued for 10 years, so the small hassle of obtaining it does not burden people wishing to visit the United States. With a visa, citizens of Saint Lucia can visit the country several times a year for tourism or business purposes. Let us remind you that the document is of a non-emigration nature and does not give the holder the right to settle in the United States.
The B2 visa is designed for recreational trips: visiting historical, cultural, natural attractions, meeting with friends and relatives. Many citizens of Saint Lucia try to combine business with pleasure by acquiring both visas.
How to apply for a visa
To obtain a permit, citizens of Saint Lucia can contact the US Embassy or Consulate. The issuance of a visa involves the following steps:
- Completing the DS-160 application;
- Interview with the consul;
- Providing personal documents;
- Explanation of the purpose of the trip.
Regardless of the number of trips to the United States, you do not need to worry about reapplying for a visa for 10 years. It should be noted that there are two separate fees — one for filing the application and one for receiving the document.
The consulates of Saint Lucia handle passport processing. There are several ways to become a citizen of Saint Lucia:
- By descent. Regardless of the place of birth of the child, they automatically receive citizenship of Saint Lucia if either the father or the mother is already a citizen.
- By marriage. If, at the time of marriage, one of the partners has citizenship, the other can also obtain a passport of the country.
- By residence. A person holding a passport of one of the Commonwealth of Nations countries, after seven years of residence in Saint Lucia, can apply for citizenship.
It is important to remember that a program participant does not have the right to first receive citizenship by investment and then share it with their relatives. Children or a spouse must participate in the program themselves and receive passports along with the applicant. If the investor first got married and then had children, they must receive citizenship on a general basis.
How does the “golden passport” program work?
Program participants have access to 4 investment methods:
- Contribution to the state fund. It supports the social sphere of the country. Saint Lucia is located in an area of frequent hurricanes. Investors’ money goes to the restoration of infrastructure facilities. A gratuitous contribution per person of at least $100,000. All close relatives can be included in the application. But you must pay for all program participants. This method of obtaining a Saint Lucia passport is considered the most optimal.
- Purchase of government bonds in the amount of $300,000 per family. A non-refundable fee of $50,000 is added to it. Bonds cannot be sold earlier than 5 years. Otherwise, citizenship will be cancelled. Interest on securities is not provided, but after five years they can be sold profitably.
- Purchase of real estate. The list of objects is compiled by the Government in advance. It primarily includes real estate related to tourism and the resort industry. Investments start from $200,000. Mandatory fees are added to them. Their size depends on the number of participants in the application. For example, for a full family with two children, the fee will be $55,000. The acquired property cannot be sold for 5 years. Moreover, every year you need to pay from 0.25 to 0.4% of its value to the tax authorities. Some expenses will go to the maintenance of the property so that after the required period, you can sell it profitably. Real estate can be rented out. This can be done personally or entrusted to a management company.
- Investments in the local economy. This method is too burdensome for program participants, so it is not popular. The program has been operating for quite a long time, but no one has yet wanted to invest the minimum investment of $3.5 million in a local business.
Citizenship of Saint Lucia can be obtained remotely, without visiting the country at all. Even if a person with a Saint Lucia passport never travels there, the document will not lose its legal force.
Advantages of a second passport
This document opens up great prospects for a new citizen of Saint Lucia. One can travel with it all over the world. Just imagine: a citizen of Saint Lucia has visa-free access to 140 countries. This list includes all EU countries. A second passport gives a citizen great financial opportunities. You will be provided with attractive conditions for doing business and low tax rates. You will have access to international banks. This Caribbean country is known for its peacefulness and low crime rate. You and your business will be completely safe. Your children will be able to study in good educational institutions. The family will have access to quality medical care. Your efforts will not be in vain. Everything that is acquired through honest work will be inherited by your descendants.
An Important Innovation in the Citizenship Law
June 26, 2024 will go down in the history of Saint Lucia as a date that unites several generations of people related to the country. On this day, parliamentarians supported an amendment to the Citizenship Law. According to it, a newborn abroad automatically becomes a citizen of Saint Lucia if his father, mother, grandmother or grandfather were citizens of the country at the time of his birth.
From now on, children and grandchildren of former migrants who have acquired families outside their homeland will be able to inherit citizenship by birthright. This will affect all second- and third-generation residents of Saint Lucia who emigrated from the country at one time. Together with their descendants, they will be able to make a feasible contribution to the development of the young state.
Other St. Lucia consulates in the USA
In addition to the main diplomatic mission located in Washington, there is a consulate of Saint Lucia in the United States.
The Consulate in New York plays an important role in strengthening ties between the two countries. The employees of the diplomatic mission provide a wide range of services to their citizens. Here are the most important of them:
- Passports and visas;
- Applications for citizens;
- Travel documents;
- Certificates of marital status;
- Birth and marriage certificates.
- For citizenship;
- For obtaining and changing NIC.
In addition, the consulate is engaged in consulting investors on the possibilities of investing money in the economy of Saint Lucia.
