Established in 2020, the Egyptian citizenship by investment program enables foreign investors to make a financial contribution into the country to gain eligibility for Egyptian citizenship. The Government has established a specialised citizenship by investment unit to oversee the program, which is designed to attract foreign direct investment.
US$250,000
Yes
6 – 12 months
None
There are several key advantages for those applying to the Egypt citizenship by investment programme, including:
Egypt’s Citizenship by Investment programme provides an efficient route to Egyptian citizenship by making a financial contribution into the country, offering a host of advantages for international investors.
General requirements:
| Citizenship by investment in Egypt is available through four options: | ||
| 01 | Direct revenue – Donation | |
| Direct revenues of US$250,000 Deposit an amount of US$250,000 via a bank transfer from abroad as direct revenue (grant) that goes to the state’s general treasury and is not refundable. The amount may be paid in instalments over a period not exceeding one year, and in the event of failure to pay or withdrawal of the request, what was previously paid in Egyptian pounds will be refunded at the exchange rate announced by the Central Bank on the date of redemption, and not to exceed the price on the date of payment, without interest. |
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| 02 | Real estate investment |
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| Purchase a property or land for a minimum of US$300,000 Purchasing a property for an amount of no less than US$300,000 transferred from abroad. One or more properties or land may be acquired, and projects may be under construction or already completed. After five years, investors may sell the property. If the property is disposed of before five years have passed from the date of its acquisition, in order to retain Egyptian citizenship, an amount of US$250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand US dollars) is required to be deposited in the Central Bank via a bank transfer from abroad, as direct revenues that go to the state’s general treasury and will not be refunded. The amount may be paid in instalments over a period not exceeding one year, and in the event of failure to pay or withdrawal of the request, what was previously paid in Egyptian pounds will be refunded at the exchange rate announced by the Central Bank on the date of redemption, and not to exceed the price on the date of payment, without interest. |
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| 03 | Investment in a company or project |
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| Establishing an investment project with a minimum of US$450,000 Establishing or participating in an investment project with a minimum investment of US$350,000 transferred from abroad, and a non-refundable amount of US$100,000 (one hundred thousand US dollars) deposited as direct revenues to the state’s treasury, in accordance with the rules and procedures stipulated in the Investment Law promulgated by Law No. 72 of 2017. An investor may choose to establish a new company in Egypt or invest in a previously established company in Egypt. There is no minimum or maximum stake that the investor must hold in the company. The project must be maintained for at least five years and the invested funds may be used within the company during this time period. In the event of the investment project being liquidated or stopped, or the naturalised person disposing of it or his share before five years have passed from the date of its operation, to retain Egyptian citizenship, a non-refundable amount of US$250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand US dollars) is required to be deposited in the Central Bank via a bank transfer from abroad, as direct revenues that go to the state’s general treasury. |
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| 04 | Cash investment – Bank Deposit |
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| A cash deposit of US$500,000 for three years Deposit an amount of US$500,000 via a bank transfer from abroad into a special account at the Central Bank of Egypt. The deposit will be refundable after three years in the local currency (Egyptian pounds) at the exchange rate announced by the Central Bank on the date of redemption without interest. |
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| Additional Fees: | ||
| Government Fees: | US$10,000 | |
| CSGP Professional fees * All programmes can be funded using investments transferred from abroad, or from funds that are sourced from abroad, as long as the funds have passed through an official security customs checkpoint and were received by the client after they obtain their case file number from the government, for their application. |
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Step 1: Application pre-approval by CS Global Partners: We will look through your application to check everything is in order and confirm it meets the requisite conditions, giving it the best possible chance of being accepted.
Step 2: Application submission: Application is submitted once pre-approval is complete.
Step 3: Payment of unit service fees: Paying a fee of $US10,000 or its equivalent.
Step 4: The application will be examined and decided upon initially no later than three months from the date of its submission.
Step 5: Initial approval: Receive the right to temporarily reside in Egypt for a period of six months to complete the documents and submit evidence officially confirming the purchase of the property, approval of investment project and payment of the obligations required.
Step 6: Final Decision: Issuing of the final decision no later than three months from the date of completing the data and documents.
The processing time for the residence application takes 6 to 12 months.
Investors may apply for an Egyptian passport once receiving their naturalisation certificate in person at the passport office or consulate in their home country.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applicants for citizenship should be at least 18 years of age, of good character, without a criminal record, and be able and willing to make the required contribution or investment.
Which family members can I include in my application?
Any official spouse of the main applicant (up to four spouses) and dependants below the age of 21 can be included in the application.
The main applicant and minor children below the age of 21 obtain the citizenship at the same time and the spouse(s) will obtain their citizenship 2 years after the main applicant.
Parents and/or siblings may not be included in the application.
If the son(s) of the main applicant obtain the citizenship, will they have to enlist in the Egyptian military?
The son can defer the enlistment, no military service for the sons.
How long does the application take to process?
On average the whole process should take from 6 to 9 months.
What is the processing time of the application for an investor who already has residency in Egypt for more than 3 years or 5 years?
Applicants who have residency in Egypt will get a faster reply than the average waiting time for an applicant from abroad.
Can the investment be paid through instalments?
Yes, all of the programs allow for the amount to be paid in instalments and must be paid in full within one year of the applicant receiving their approval from the government.
Is it possible to obtain citizenship before completing the payment of the applicant’s chosen program?
No, the applicant will only obtain their citizenship once their investment is paid in full.
In the case of a refusal, will the total payment for the investment program be refunded?
Yes, the total payment will be refunded, except for the government fees of $US10,000.
