Saint Lucia Digital Nomad Visa - Don't Just Visit, Live It

The British Overseas Territory of Saint Lucia is a Caribbean island located south of the French Island Of Martinique and northwest of Barbados. Saint Lucia has a population of 183,000 people, and the island is known as the most beautiful to visit in the Caribbean. It is the UNESCO world heritage Pitons that are standing out, these are two volcanic plugs that contribute to the island's beauty. Combine this with white and black sand beach and dense jungles and you can see why it is the number one choice.

Like many other islands in the Caribbean, Saint Lucia is heavily dependent on tourism. Where other islands created a digital nomad visa, Saint Lucia created at the start of 2021 the Live It program which allowed tourists an extended stay of 6 weeks and work remotely. This program has now been extended allowing visitors to embrace the island with a 12-month multiple entry visa.

This extension approved in August 2020 shot completely under the radar at Nomad Girl. There has not been a coordinated marketing effort as was seen in Barbados and Bermuda when they launched their digital nomad visas.

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What Are the Requirements For the Saint Lucia Digital Nomad Visa?

There is not a great deal of information available on the requirements as there is no website with all the info. Basically, you will have to do the following:

Fill out this form
Email it to: VISAOFFICE@POLICE.GOVT.LC

You will have to fill it out 2 weeks before coming to Saint Lucia. Once approved you will have to pay $75 at the airport when you arrive. Make sure to bring the approval letter.

What are The Income Requirements For The Saint Lucia Digital Nomad Visa?

There are no minimum income requirements. When it comes to the cost of living Saint Lucia is one of the cheaper islands in the Caribbean with costs slightly lower than in the United States. The application form does ask what amount of money you will bring to Saint Lucia, what levels are accepted or not accepted is not clear.

What are the Covid-19 Rules with regards to Saint Lucia?

You do not have to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter Saint Lucia. You will be forced to stay in a Covid-19 certified accommodation and can participate in certified activities. Fully vaccinated tourists do not have to quarantine. All travellers over 18 vaccinated and non-vaccinated must complete an online travel registration form and all travellers over 5 years must take a PCR test 5 days before arrival in Saint Lucia. You can find more information here: www.stlucia.org/en/covid-19/

What Are the Fees for The Saint Lucia Digital Nomad Visa?

The fee is $75 for the multiple entry Non-Immigrant Visa.

How Long Will It Take to Get the Saint Lucia Digital Nomad Visa?

The application form will take about 5 days to process.

How Long Can I Stay With The Saint Lucia Digital Nomad Visa?

You can stay for 12 months and do remote work. It is a multiple entry visa.

Are There Any Tax Benefits with the Saint Lucia Digital Nomad Visa?

You will not be a tax resident of Saint Lucia and therefore not pay any income taxes.

What is Life Like As A Digital Nomad In Saint Lucia?

Fixed internet speeds are decent in st Lucia when you are in the cities. As an example, you can get a 75 Mbps download package which has a monthly cost of US$60. Mobile phone wise a 4G 10Gb allowance 30-day prepaid package is 35 USD. Both prices quoted are with Flow. For those that like coworking spaces Saint Lucia has none at the moment.

In Saint Lucia there are four cities that expats in St Lucia like to live in, these are the capital Castries (20,000), Marigot Bay located 6 km south of Castries, Rodney Bay, and the former French capital Soufriere (8,000).

As the island is 42 km in length there is plenty to see and do. The central part of the island is home to various forest reserves that protect the natural plant and animal life of Saint Lucia. Edmund Forest Reserve is one of the most popular of all these. Here you can hike to waterfalls and rushing streams and reach some of the best views on the island.

In the south, there are plenty of beaches and most colonial remnants from its French and British past, this is also where you find the airport. On the west side, there is Soufriere, which is popular with cruise ships and is located very close to the Pitons.

North Saint Lucia is the most popular with visitors, here everything is just a few minutes away. There is Pigeon Island National Park, a favourite of nature lovers. Here you can find hiking opportunities, as well as places for swimming, kayaking, and snorkelling. There are also some old fort ruins dating back to the 1700s. The Atlantic coast of the north is popular with surfers. Finally, there is Rodney Bay, which has some of the top Saint Lucia beaches as well as popular nightlife spots.

French, native and African cultures have fused together to create some amazing food, including some special St. Lucian dishes that you just can't find anywhere else. Try Bouyon which is a hearty stew based on chunks of sweet potato, pumpkin or yam, as well as ham hocks or slices of pork. A street food favourite is Accra, this is made from salted codfish that is packed into a ball and then seasoned heavily before being deep-fried.

Other Caribbean Islands with Digital Nomad Visas

Saint Lucia is not alone with a Digital Nomad visa. It all started with Barbados and a few other islands followed quickly with their Digital Nomad visas. Most Caribbean islands are heavily dependent on tourism and saw a new niche market appear by offering Digital Nomads extended long-term visas and the possibility to do work remotely.

These are the other Caribbean destinations offering remote work visas: