Retiring in Saint Kitts and Nevis as a French Citizen: Stay, Taxation and Healthcare

France Diplomatie (the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs travel advice service) indicates that a valid passport is essential and that an electronic travel authorisation, compulsory since 26/05/2025 for arrivals by air or stays with an overnight, allows you to stay for up to 90 days. An extension is requested from the Ministry of Security. For a move, the country’s immigration authorities specify the residence procedures: France Diplomatie does not detail them and no source read publishes a retiree visa, a financial condition or a list of documents. Before selling a property in France, it is prudent to ask these authorities in writing, to gather proof of income (pension statements), proof of accommodation, health insurance valid for the planned length of stay and a valid passport.

A trial stay of a few weeks, within the 90 days, lets you compare the two islands, access to care and the pace of life before committing. The French embassy in Saint Lucia (+1 758 455 60 60 during working hours) and the French consular agency in Basseterre register French nationals who are on the register of French nationals living abroad. The guide to living in Saint Kitts and Nevis details entry, safety and housing.

The Assurance retraite (the French pension insurance) pays the French pension in more than 180 countries, into an account in France or abroad; a change of address and bank details is reported to the regional fund. Each year, a life certificate must be completed by an authorised local authority and returned in time to keep the payment. The ASPA (solidarity allowance for older people) and the supplementary disability allowance require residence in France: they stop on departure and can be applied for again on return. See the guide to receiving your pension abroad.

A retiree whose tax residence is outside France bears neither CSG, nor CRDS, nor CASA on their pension. A health contribution is however withheld when they remain attached to a French scheme: as a general rule 3.2% on the basic pension, 4.2% on the supplementary pension and 7.1% on self-employed workers’ pensions (CLEISS, the French centre for international social security links). The guide to quarters worked abroad explains the principle.

The Inland Revenue Department states that personal income tax was abolished in 1980; its list of double taxation treaties includes Canada, Denmark, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, San Marino, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, with no mention of France. No tax treaty between France and Saint Kitts and Nevis could therefore be confirmed in the sources read. Without a treaty, the domestic rules of each state apply: a French-source pension remains in principle subject to French tax under the non-resident regime, with withholding tax of 0%, 12% or 20% by band, revised each year, after a 10% allowance (impots.gouv.fr). The 0% and 12% bands are final, and the 20% withholding is set against income tax.

On the local side, a resident’s situation is confirmed with the Inland Revenue Department, which administers the country’s taxes. The personal situation (tax residence, other income, assets in France) falls to the tax office for non-resident individuals, which settles cases of double taxation before tax residence is fixed.

The form S1 and the European health insurance card are valid only in the European Union, the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Saint Kitts and Nevis does not appear in the CLEISS list of social security agreements: according to the Assurance Maladie (the French public health insurance), healthcare costs are no longer covered by France after departure. Three routes are open:

• Local public sector: two reference hospitals, the Joseph N. France Hospital in Basseterre and the Alexandra Hospital on Nevis; France Diplomatie judges the equipment of local hospitals very inadequate, recommends evacuation to Guadeloupe after a serious accident and points out that several hospitals require payment in advance. The access conditions for a foreign resident should be confirmed with the Ministry of Health.
• CFE, retirees’ offer: quarterly contribution published on cfe.fr, for holders of a pension from the French basic scheme, with no medical questionnaire; the waiting period is nil if membership takes place before departure or within three months of settling. It covers care received abroad only: care in France comes under the French basic scheme (CPAM, the local health insurance fund, of Seine-et-Marne). The family policy covers abroad minor children and a retired spouse; an adult spouse meets the same pension and no-professional-activity conditions as the main member. Reimbursement depends on the country of care and the type of care, as a rate or flat fee applied to the actual expense.
• International insurance: direct access to the private sector and evacuation; age, medical history and limits are decisive, as France Diplomatie recommends evacuation to Guadeloupe after a serious accident.

For stays in France, a general scheme pensioner who can show at least 15 years of contributions to a French scheme may be covered after registering with the Cnarefe; their spouse is covered only if an agreement provides for it, otherwise they join the CFE and take out a private policy (Assurance Maladie). See the guide to a retiree’s health insurance abroad, the page on healthcare reimbursement in Saint Kitts and Nevis and the comparison of the CFE and private insurance.

No local administration consulted publishes a typical retiree budget. The public benchmark is the currency, the Eastern Caribbean dollar pegged to the US dollar at 2.70: the pension is received in euros and the “Economic indicators” block gives the day’s rate. Build a prudent budget from quotes for rent, energy, food and health insurance, with a margin for exchange rates.

France Diplomatie places the whole country under heightened vigilance, recommends not staying alone in an isolated place, keeping a discreet manner and checking the security of accommodation. The wet season runs from June to the end of November and violent hurricanes can strike the archipelago: solid housing outside a flood zone, and a policy covering the home, are common-sense choices for long-term residence.

Before leaving, tell your health insurance fund and your pension fund of your change of residence: a residence transfer form is available on ameli.fr. Then check access to care and the likely out-of-pocket cost, and choose cover that includes medical costs and medical repatriation. Gather the documents useful for residence, appoint a contact in France for administrative procedures and open an ameli account, which can be used from abroad. Also plan a digital copy of the passport, prescriptions, insurance certificates and pension statements, as well as the annual return date of the life certificate. Think about what comes next: a return to France is prepared by keeping your rights, and the CFE applies no waiting period on return for the retirees’ offer. A retiree who wishes to compare their options can use Expavy’s online diagnostic.

Two areas concentrate services and care. On Saint Christopher, Basseterre brings together the government, the French consular agency and the Joseph N. France Hospital, which serves as the reference for care. On Nevis, the Alexandra Hospital, near Charlestown, offers everyday landmarks. For a retiree, proximity to a health facility, easy access to the airport in case of evacuation and the presence of services count for more than the view: visit several areas outside the wet season, rent for a few months first and find out about the purchase procedure for a foreigner before any commitment. See also the Saint Kitts and Nevis country page.