CBI Programme faces increased scrutiny from European Union

WASHINGTON, DC – PRIME Minister Dr. Terrance Drew's recent announcement of a new residency requirement for applicants under the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme, along with the establishment of a regulatory body, comes at a time of heightened scrutiny from the European Union.

The move follows a decision by the European Parliament and the European Council to introduce a new mechanism that could lead to the suspension of short-term visa-free travel to the EU. The decision was made during negotiations between the two EU bodies, which seek to address growing concerns related to visa waiver programmes, including human rights violations and security threats.

The EU has now adopted new baseline principles that could affect countries within the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) operating CBI programmes.

According to a statement from the European Parliament: "In future, violations of the United Nations Charter, severe breaches of international human rights or humanitarian law, and not complying with international court decisions will be valid grounds for suspending visa-freedom. This helps align the grounds for suspension with the grounds for granting the visa waiver in the first place, and can create a deterrent effect.”

The agreement also introduces additional criteria for suspension, including so-called hybrid threats, such as the state-sponsored instrumentalisation of migrants to destabilise or undermine society, and investor citizenship schemes—commonly referred to as "golden passports"—which have been flagged as security risks.

Furthermore, the EU now considers a country’s misalignment with its visa policies, potentially making it a transit route for illegal migration into the EU, as a legitimate reason to revoke visa-free travel. Existing conditions—such as a lack of cooperation on the return of irregular migrants—remain in place.

The legislative changes also establish quantitative thresholds to help trigger a suspension. These include:

A 30% increase in unauthorized stays or asylum applications from a country with a historically low recognition rate.

A 20% threshold for defining a "low recognition rate" for asylum seekers.

Currently, nationals from 61 countries enjoy short-term visa-free travel to the Schengen Area, allowing stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This includes citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis, whose status could be at risk if the new EU rules are enforced.