Standfirst: The Federation introduces chip-enabled biometric passports, aligning with international standards used by the EU, US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
BASSETERRE, KN / ACCESS Newswire / May 14, 2026 / The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has launched the National Biometric Enrolment and Passport Modernisation Programme, a federal initiative that modernises the Federation’s travel document to internationally recognised biometric standards. The programme is led by the Ministry of National Security in partnership with theSt. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Unit.
Every citizen of the Federation is required to complete biometric enrolment by 31 July 2027. Appointments at Government-designated collection centres opened on 1 May 2026. From 1 August 2027, passports that have not been upgraded will be deactivated.
H.E. Calvin St. Juste, Chairman of the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Unit, said the programme reflects the Federation’s commitment to international standards. “This modernisation aligns our passports with those of major nations and strengthens the security of the travel document for every citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis. The Government has built the programme around accessibility, with collection centres opening worldwide, and around data protection, with full Government control of all biometric information.”
The new biometric passport is chip-enabled and incorporates fingerprint, facial recognition, and digital signature data. The appointment takes 15 to 30 minutes, and the Government has confirmed that biometric data is captured once and remains valid for the lifetime of the document, removing the need for re-enrolment at renewal.
Phase 1 collection locations include the Citizenship Unit office in St. Kitts and authorised service providers in key cities worldwide, including in Asia and the UAE. Phase 2 locations across the consular network will be announced in the coming weeks.
Programme fees are USD 2,500 for the first adult, USD 2,000 for a second adult in the same family, and USD 1,300 for children under 16. All fees are inclusive of biometric enrolment and the passport upgrade. The programme does not affect the rights, status, or standing of any citizen.
All biometric data is transmitted directly to secure systems owned and controlled by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, with handling aligned to international standards including those derived from the EU General Data Protection Regulation.
Enrolment must be facilitated by an Authorised Agent. Citizens are advised to contact the Authorised Agent who handled their original application.
For further information, citizens can contact the St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Unit at biometrics@sknciu.com.
Media Details
St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Unit
+1 (869) 466-3658
communications@skn-ciu.com
SOURCE: St. Kitts and Nevis Citizenship Unit
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