On 14 March 2020, the Government of Egypt published Parliament Law No. 190 regarding foreigners getting Egyptian citizenship through investment. Egypt’s programme allows wealthy people to obtain citizenship after investing
$250,000 USD or more in the nation. It takes an average of
six to nine months to obtain citizenship through investment in Egypt.
Egypt’s Citizenship by Investment offering is not well defined yet, which is a fundamental difference when comparing it with a well-established, and reliable CBI Programmes like that of Dominica that launched in 1993.
Until September 2018, foreign nationals wishing to naturalise were required to demonstrate ten years of legal residence in Egypt. This changed, however, when Egypt’s parliament passed a law allowing citizenship to be granted after a residence period of only five years for foreign nationals who first deposit about US$447,000 in one of Egypt’s state-owned banks.
One year later, the Egyptian Government took steps towards the launch of a formal citizenship by investment programme when it approved a draft decision setting requirements for the granting of citizenship to foreign investors.
Investment Options in Egypt
Four routes to citizenship were specified in Egypt. First, the acquisition of state-owned property with a minimum value of US$500,000. Second, the acquisition of a minimum 40 per cent stake in an investment project in which the total invested capital is US$400,000 or more. Third, a direct deposit of US$750,000 with the Central Bank of Egypt to be returned after five years at zero per cent interest. Finally, a non-refundable contribution of US$250,000 to the Central Bank of Egypt.
| Investment |
Investment Type |
Hold Period |
| US$500,000 |
Purchase of state-owned property |
– |
| US$160,000 |
40% stake in an investment project |
– |
| US$750,000 |
Deposit with the Central Bank |
Five years |
| US$250,000 |
Non-refundable contribution to the Central Bank |
– |
Though investment requirements are laid out, and a government entity has been established to process applications, Egypt still does not boast a fledged citizenship by investment programme.
Dominica or Egypt – which citizenship is easier to get?
Until Egypt’s new citizenship by investment offering is implemented in full, applicants will need to commit to five years of residence in Egypt prior to citizenship.
Citizenship by investment programmes distinguish themselves from others by:
• Processing applications at speed and efficiently
• Removing burdensome requirements, such as mandatory residence, travel, interview, or language requirements
• Performing extensive due diligence on applicants
• Establishing an entity that is fully dedicated to application processing
• Making use of designated, licensed agents to submit applications and provide guidance to applicants
The table below compares these aspects for Dominica and Egypt:
| Country |
Dominica |
Egypt |
| Travel requirement |
No |
Yes |
| Residence requirement |
No |
Five years |
| Interview requirement |
No |
No |
| Processing time |
Three months |
Six to nine months |
| Minimum investment |
$100,000 USD |
$250,000 USD |
| Processing entity |
Dominica Citizenship by Investment Unit |
Egyptian Citizenship by Investment Unit |
| Parents and siblings included? |
Yes |
No (spouse can gets citizenship after two years) |
The step-by-step process of Egyptian citizenship
• Choose an investment pathway – you can choose from a donation, bank deposit, property ownership, business establishment or join a current business
• Investment project planning – if you choose the business option, you need to study the Egyptian market and current businesses and projects
• Prepare documents – collect all the documents required based on the pathway selected (bank papers, passport, proof of payments, contracts, etc.)
• Application process – in this step, you will need to make the investment required: deposit capital, establish/join a business or buy property. You will also have to submit your application to the Unit
• Temp residency – foreigners can apply for a six-month residency permit until all the requirements are met
• Granting an Egyptian passport – Obtaining an Egyptian passport after due diligence takes around six months
Dominica secured the first spot in the best citizenship by investment rankings for 2021 along with St Kitts and Nevis. The two are followed by 
