Only 74 persons received Vincentian citizenship in 2019
On Monday evening, St. Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves addressed what he stated was information from a potentially fake website. This information, carried by one radio station on Monday morning, claimed that he, as Prime Minister, granted citizenship to 352 foreign nationals in 2019.
The information first appeared on UnitedPac St. Lucia, stating: “Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, long known for his vocal condemnation of Caribbean citizenship-by-investment (CBI) programs, is now facing growing scrutiny after official figures revealed that 352 foreign nationals were quietly granted Vincentian citizenship in 2019 under his direct authority and without parliamentary oversight.
Gonsalves stated that he had a duty to the citizens to address the matter and strongly rebuffed the information with statistical data from the Office of Citizenship, which showed that only 74 persons received Vincentian citizenship in 2019. He added that from 2019 to July 2025, citizenship was granted to over 400 people.
In 2019, 74 individuals were granted citizenship: 54 through registration (those who had resided in the country for over seven years, obtained permanent residence, and subsequently qualified for citizenship) and 20 through marriage, totaling 74.
In 2020, 65 individuals were granted citizenship: 35 through marriage and 30 through registration, adhering to the aforementioned criteria for those residing in the country for over seven years. In 2021, 55 individuals were granted citizenship: 36 through marriage and 19 through registration by naturalisation. In 2022, a total of 48 individuals were granted citizenship: 26 through marriage and 22 by naturalisation. Then, in 2023, 38 were granted citizenship through marriage and 25 by naturalisation, totaling 63. Additionally, in 2023, the first cohort of first-generation citizens comprised three individuals: two Saint Lucians and one Trinidadian, all grandchildren of Vincentians.
In 2024, 17 individuals were granted citizenship through marriage and 46 through registration, totaling 63. These registrations were processed through naturalisation. Furthermore, 15 second-generation citizens were registered, including British, Guyanese, Trinidadian, and Canadian individuals, all grandchildren of Vincentians.
Gonsalves stated that the government had administratively introduced a requirement for citizenship by descent for first-generation individuals. Citizens are advised to obtain a citizenship certificate as proof of their first-generation status, distinguishing them from second-generation citizens; to date, six such certificates have been issued.
Up to the present time in 2025, 12 individuals have been granted citizenship through marriage and 23 through naturalisation (as of Monday). Additionally, seven first-generation citizens have obtained certificates, and 14 second-generation citizens have been registered.
Gonsalves noted, incidentally, that he recalled an inquiry from an honourable member of the opposition approximately ten years prior regarding citizenship numbers.
