The high price of Jordanian economic citizenship is complemented by benefits, such as the right to live and work in
Jordan. Unlike Jordanian-born nationals however, Jordanian economic citizens have limited political rights. For 10 years from citizenship, they cannot:
• hold a political or diplomatic position
• run for public office
• become part of the State Council and, for 5 years from citizenship, they cannot:
• become part of a municipal council
• become part of a village council
Global Mobility
Other benefits that are felt more broadly by citizens of
St Kitts and Nevis than they are by citizens of
Jordan include visa-free travel and the protection of the Commonwealth of Nations. These two benefits are summarised in the table below:
| |
Jordan |
St Kitts and Nevis |
| Visa-Free or Visa-on-Arrival Destinations |
61 |
157 |
| Membership of Commonwealth of Nations |
No |
Yes |
Application Process
The next consideration is how easy it is to become a citizen of Jordan. In some respects, Jordan is similar to St Kitts and Nevis in that it does not require the applicant to attend an interview, pass a language test, evidence minimum physical presence, or travel to Jordan.
Unlike St Kitts and Nevis however, Jordan does not have a dedicated Citizenship by Investment Unit (or similar entity), and there is no website fully dedicated to economic citizenship and the application process. There is also no widely available guidance on programme requirements, a processing booklet, or government circular detailing the required documentation and necessary forms.
Family Friendliness
Difficulties also arise with respect to the availability of citizenship for the applicant’s family. In Jordan, qualifying dependants only include the applicant’s spouse, daughters (if unmarried, widowed, or divorced), sons (if under the age of 18), and parents (if the applicant is their only supporter).
By comparison, St Kitts and Nevis makes second citizenship available to far more family members. No distinction is drawn between sons and daughters, who, up to the age of 30, can apply so long as they are in a dependency relationship with the main applicant or the main applicant’s spouse.
There are no restrictions on underage children, and no age limits for children 18 or over who are physically or mentally challenged. Parents, grandparents, and the spouses of qualifying parents and grandparents – can all also be added, with some limitations detailed in the table below. St Kitts and Nevis allow siblings to be included in the application.
| |
St Kitts and Nevis |
| Parents |
Parents of the main applicant or the main applicant’s spouse aged 55 or over, living with and fully supported by the main applicant |
| Grandparents |
Grandparents of the main applicant or the main applicant’s spouse aged 65 or over, living with and fully supported by the main applicant |
| Spouses of Qualifying Parents or Grandparents |
N/A |
| Siblings |
Siblings of the main applicant or the main applicant’s spouse, aged 30 or under, unmarried, childless, and dependent on the main applicant for financial support |
Due Diligence Process
Finally, it is important for prospective economic citizens to be aware of the due diligence processes adopted by Jordan. At present, there is no indication that Jordan engages a third party, expert due diligence firm to complete due diligence on applicants. Internal databases and EU databases are both checked. Additionally, whilst an applicant must provide a criminal record check, it is unclear whether that evidence must be obtained from more than one jurisdiction.
In St Kitts and Nevis, all the following checks are performed:
• KYC checks by authorised persons/agents
• Internal review by the Citizenship by Investment Unit
• Checks with the Joint Regional Communications Centre (utilising data from partner governments and Interpol)
• Checks by independent, expert due diligence firms (including on-the-ground checks)
Additionally, criminal records are required from multiple jurisdictions, including those of citizenship and residence. These more stringent checks ensure the reputation of an investor’s programme of choice remain intact, assuring applicants are investing in high-quality citizenship.
St Kitts and Nevis was the winner for 2021 along with Dominica. 
St Kitts and Nevis takes 48th place globally, and Jordan lands at 89. 
