Knowledge base · KN

Saint Kitts and Nevis

A two-island federation whose Nevis corporations, LLCs, international exempt trusts and multiform foundations serve holding, investment and family structures; tax residence by management and control, no economic substance law, and on neither the EU nor the FATF lists.

The entities described here are formed under the law of Nevis, one of the Federation’s two islands: the Nevis business corporation, the Nevis limited liability company, the Nevis international exempt trust and the multiform foundation. Each is formed and maintained through a registered agent licensed in Nevis and supervised by the Financial Services Regulatory Commission.

Tax follows management and control. Since 2021 a company managed and controlled in the Federation is resident there and taxed on its worldwide income, at 25% from 2024. Incorporation in Nevis alone does not make a company resident, and the former statutory exemption for Nevis corporations ended on 30 June 2021. There is no economic substance law.

Ownership information is held by each entity and its registered agent rather than in a central register. Since 2023 Nevis corporations keep a register of beneficial owners, and bearer shares have been abolished. The Federation is on neither the EU tax list nor the FATF lists, and it exchanges information under the Common Reporting Standard and a FATCA agreement.

General information, not advice. Facts are stated as of the date on each page. Law, lists and rates change; the professional who acts for the entity confirms what applies to it. Chrysos performs no regulated act and gives no legal or tax advice.

Facts as of 30 October 2026

Beneficial ownership

Who is a beneficial owner: The natural persons who ultimately own or control a corporation, on whose behalf a transaction is conducted, or who exercise ultimate effective control (Nevis Business Corporation Ordinance, s.2). The Ordinance sets no percentage threshold.
Register: No central register. Since Ordinance No. 2 of 2023 every Nevis corporation keeps a register of beneficial owners, with names and addresses, alongside its registers of shareholders and directors. The licensed registered agent obtains and keeps the identity of beneficial owners and shareholders and records changes, under the supervision of the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC).
Deadlines: Where copies of the registers are kept at the registered agent, changes are notified to the agent in writing within 15 days. Records held at the agent are kept for six years after dissolution.
Who can see it: Not public. Competent authorities obtain it through the licensed registered agent. Records must be readily accessible to the agent and the FSRC on request, and the FSRC examines agents on site.
Trusts and foundations: International exempt trusts are registered with the Registrar through a registered agent, which keeps information on settlor, trustees, protectors and beneficiaries. Multiform foundations are established by filing with the Registrar of Foundations through a registered agent and file an annual return.
Bearer shares and nominees: Bearer shares are prohibited by Ordinance No. 2 of 2023. Existing bearer shares had six months to convert and then became registered shares automatically; custodians surrendered the certificates with a statement of the beneficial owner. The beneficial-owner definition looks through a nominee to the natural person in control.
Penalties: Up to EC$10,000 for breaches of the register and bearer-share rules (Ordinance No. 2 of 2023).

Lists and exchange of information

EU tax list: In neither annex after the revision of 9 October 2026. The Federation was removed from the EU list on 18 February 2020 after completing its commitments.
FATF and CFATF: Not on the FATF grey or black lists after the June 2026 plenary. The CFATF mutual evaluation was published in January 2022; the fourth enhanced follow-up report of October 2025 upgraded Recommendations 4, 24, 36 and 39, leaving 35 of the 40 rated compliant or largely compliant. It remains in enhanced follow-up.
Exchange of information: Common Reporting Standard with first exchanges by 2018, under the multilateral competent authority agreement signed on 26 February 2016. A Model 1 FATCA agreement in force since 28 April 2016. Rated 'Largely Compliant' overall in the Global Forum's 2018 review of exchange on request.
Economic substance: No economic substance legislation. Tax residence follows central management and control.

4 forms

Legal entities

Company · NBCO

Nevis business corporation

Law: Nevis Business Corporation Ordinance, Cap. 7.01(N), amended in 2022, 2023 and 2025

The Nevis company. A separate legal person whose shareholders' liability is limited, acting through a registered agent licensed in Nevis, whose office is its registered office.

Members and officers: A board of at least one director. Corporations may be directors and officers, and the secretary may be a corporation or an individual. No residence or nationality requirements.
Share capital: Authorised capital in any recognised currency. Registered shares only since 2023.
Public register shows: The articles of incorporation filed with the Registrar of Corporations — name, purpose, registered agent and office, authorised shares, incorporators, and initial directors if named. Shareholders and beneficial owners are not filed with the Registrar.
Records and annual filings: Corporate and accounting records must be readily accessible to the registered agent and the FSRC; since 2025 the corporation also keeps up-to-date records of its name, legal status, registered office and agent, and bylaws. Annual renewal fee US$300. An annual simplified tax return (CIT-101) is filed electronically with the Inland Revenue Department.
Tax: Resident if managed and controlled in the Federation, and then taxed on worldwide income at 25% (from 1 January 2024); a non-resident company is taxed only on income of a permanent establishment there. Incorporation in Nevis alone does not make a company resident. Withholding of 15% on dividends, interest, royalties and technical fees paid to non-residents.

How owners use it

Holding company
Investment and asset-holding vehicle
Trading company managed outside the Federation
Corporate trustee or underlying company in a Nevis trust or foundation structure

What comes with it

Where the board meets and decides sets tax residence; banks ask for evidence of where the company is managed and controlled and for the CIT-101 filing
The former statutory tax exemption ended on 30 June 2021, or earlier for corporations that took on new assets or new business after the 2019 amendment; corporations formed from 1 January 2019 never had it
The registers kept by the corporation and the copies at the registered agent must agree, with changes notified within 15 days
Banks ask for a certificate of good standing, a registered-agent certificate of incumbency and CRS and FATCA self-certification

LLC · NLLC

Nevis limited liability company

Law: Nevis Limited Liability Company Ordinance, Cap. 7.04(N), amended in 2022, 2023 and 2025

A separate legal entity liable for its own debts, with members' liability limited. Managed by its members or by managers; the operating agreement is optional and is not filed.

Members and managers: At least one member; member-managed or manager-managed. Corporations may be members and managers, and no officers are required. A Nevis registered agent is mandatory, and failure to keep one can lead to dissolution.
Capital: No initial capital is required, and no membership interest need be issued to start operations.
Public register shows: The articles of organisation filed with the Registrar of Companies — name, duration, registered agent and office, management type, purposes and organisers.
Records and annual filings: Since 2023 the LLC keeps its articles, any written operating agreement, registers of members and managers, minutes and filings; changes are notified to the registered agent within 15 days where a copy is held there. Annual renewal fee US$300. An annual CIT-101 return goes to the Inland Revenue Department.
Tax: The same management-and-control test as for corporations, with 25% tax if resident.

How owners use it

Investment and real-estate holding
International financing arrangements
Investment vehicle beneath an international trust

What comes with it

A member's creditor is limited to a charging order over distributions, which expires after three years, and must first post a bond set by the High Court; these statutory rules do not displace beneficial-ownership duties or fraudulent-transfer law
Banks ask for the operating agreement, the member and manager registers and a beneficial-ownership declaration, though none is filed publicly

Trust

Nevis international exempt trust

Law: Nevis International Exempt Trust Ordinance, Cap. 7.03(N), amended in 2009 and 2015

A trust whose settlor and beneficiaries are not resident in the Federation and which holds no land there, registered in Nevis through a registered agent.

Trustees: At least one trustee, which may be a Nevis corporation or a trust company doing business in Nevis.
Registration: Registered with the Registrar through a registered agent; registration and annual renewal cost US$300 each. The agent keeps information on settlor, trustees, protectors and beneficiaries.
Statutory features: Forced-heirship rules of the settlor's home law do not invalidate the trust, and there is no rule against perpetuities. Non-criminal proceedings are heard in private.
Creditor claims: Foreign judgments are not enforced, so a claim is brought anew in the Federation. The creditor must prove fraudulent intent beyond reasonable doubt and post a bond of EC$270,000 before proceedings against trust property.

How owners use it

Estate and succession planning for a family resident outside the Federation
Holding a Nevis LLC or corporation as the underlying investment company

What comes with it

The creditor-protection rules do not stop tax information exchange under the CRS or information-exchange agreements, and do not protect transfers made to defraud existing creditors
Banks ask for the trust deed, the identities of settlor, trustees, protector and beneficiaries, and the source of the settled wealth

Foundation

Nevis multiform foundation

Law: Multiform Foundations Ordinance, Cap. 7.08 (2004); Multiform Foundations Regulations 2005, amended 2014 and 2023

A foundation whose constitution states its multiform — to be treated as a trust, a company, a partnership or an ordinary foundation — which may change during its life.

Officers: A Nevis registered agent and registered office, a management board and a secretary; a supervisory board is optional. Established by a memorandum of establishment filed with the Registrar of Foundations.
Public register shows: The memorandum particulars — name, registered office, initial subscription, registered agent, first boards, secretary and initial multiform. The memorandum states whether the bylaws are open to public inspection.
Annual return: Filed with the annual fee of US$300 before each anniversary of registration. Late filing costs US$115 within six months, or US$250 a year after that.
Tax residence: Where the foundation is a tax-resident foundation, its memorandum includes an undertaking to notify the Minister if it ceases to be one.

How owners use it

Estate planning
Charitable purposes
Financing and special investment holding
Moving a foundation or trust to Nevis by continuance, transformation, conversion or merger

What comes with it

Because the multiform can change, banks ask for the current statement of multiform with the memorandum and bylaws
The identities of founder, board members and beneficiaries and the source of wealth form part of the file

Sources

Facts as of 30 October 2026

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