Since the government’s amendment to the Citizenship Act in July 2024, which now allows second and third-generation Saint Lucians to apply for citizenship, applications have poured in from across the diaspora.

However, many eager applicants are discovering that proving their heritage is no easy feat.

“There is serious interest in it,” said Julian Dubois, Saint Lucia’s Ambassador for Diaspora Affairs.

“The challenge we have right now is from the civil status side; individuals being able to retrieve birth certificates and other civil status documents of their grandparents,” he explained.

For applicants, the process often hinges on documentation that may be decades old or missing altogether. “Retrieving both certificates and other civil status documents is proving to be a little challenge now. But we're working with the Civil Status Department to try and get some of this rectified or find ways of circumventing these challenges.”

The expanded law has sparked interest from a diverse range of Saint Lucian descendants, especially among those with athletic aspirations. Ambassador Dubois noted that Saint Lucia’s recent Olympic achievements have stirred national pride among young diaspora athletes.

“A lot of individuals into sports are expressing interest in representing our country. A family reached out to me from French Guiana. Two of her sons are very skilled in fencing, and she wanted them to represent Saint Lucia.”

But beyond eligibility, Dubois stressed the need for stronger on-island systems to support these ambitions.