“We’ve become a passport factory”: Identity and reputation concerns in St. Lucia’s citizenship by investment program

Abstract

Citizenship-by-investment programs have spread to a number of countries over the past four decades, though several have since been suspended or shut down amid international pressure. How native-born citizens perceive this commodification of national identity, however, remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to explore how native-born St. Lucians perceive their country’s citizenship by investment program regarding national identity and international reputation. Four focus groups were conducted with 40 participants between January and September 2025. Critical realist thematic analysis revealed three interconnected themes: commodification and identity erosion, governance deficits and representational issues, and reputational damage threatening international standing. Participants described citizenship by investment as transforming belonging from meaningful cultural inheritance into a purchasable commodity that undermines St. Lucian identity. While acknowledging economic necessity and infrastructural improvements, participants emphasized lack of transparency, inadequate security vetting, unequal treatment favoring investors, and international stigmatization. Findings suggest commodification imposes significant social, cultural, and psychological costs that remain invisible in economic policy discourse. Development policies must account for cultural and social sustainability alongside economic outcomes, recognizing that wellbeing encompasses identity and belonging beyond what markets can provide.