Egypt citizenship by investment: a straightforward path to a second passport in six months

1. Visa-free access. Foreign investors with Egyptian citizenship can travel freely to 65 countries, for example, Hong Kong and Malaysia. Forty-six states offer visa-on-arrival, while Australia, Sri Lanka, and Seychelles require electronic authorisation in advance.

How to get dual citizenship by investment

2. Returnable investments. Program participants can reclaim their investments 5 years after receiving a passport by selling a business, closing a deposit in an Egyptian bank, or selling real estate.

The investor cannot reclaim the investment if they choose the option with a non‑refundable contribution to the state fund.

3. Tax benefits. To attract investors, Egypt has created nine free zones where you can launch a business and pay no corporate income tax.

4. Free healthcare and education. All healthcare and educational services are provided at no cost to Egyptian citizens. There are no education charges from the elementary level through the university.

5. No need to take a language proficiency exam. Investors do not need to take an exam on the language or history of Egypt. They also do not need to live in or come to the country to maintain their status.

The Egypt citizenship by investment programme is designed to encourage foreign investors to come and stay in the country.

Any foreigner, regardless of nationality, is allowed to participate in the citizenship program. However, the program department has the right to refuse if the investor fails to pass a Due Diligence check.

The main applicant. To be eligible to get Egypt citizenship by investment, an adult investor without criminal records fulfils both requirements:

• prove a legal source of income;

• to get a medical examination.

Additional applicants. Minor children below the age of 21 obtain citizenship at the same time as the main applicant. The spouse gets a passport two years later.

Direct Contribution of $250,000. The investor makes a charitable donation to the State’s Public Treasury. The optional contribution is non-refundable, but the investor can pay in instalments over one year.

Buying real estate with a minimum of $300,000. Investors are allowed to purchase housing, commercial real estate, and land plots. The real estate can be either already commissioned or under construction.

To participate in the program, only transactions involving state-owned properties are accepted.

Investment project with a minimum of $350,000. An investor starts a new company in Egypt or invests in an existing local business. The investor also needs to make a charitable donation of $100,000 to the government.

Interest-free deposit of $500,000 or more in a local bank for 3 years. The money can be deposited into an account at the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) through a wire transfer from abroad.

The deposit is refundable after three years in Egyptian pounds at the exchange rate announced by the CBE on the date of the refund.

Additional program costs. The investor is also required to pay a government fee of $10,000, regardless of the chosen investment option. This fee must be paid before applying.

Investment ownership term. If the investor sells real estate or declares the company bankrupt before the specified ownership period of 5 years, they may risk losing their citizenship. To retain the passport, the investor may make a non-refundable contribution to the program department’s account, starting from $250,000.

The required documents for Egypt citizenship include the following:

1. A copy of the main applicant’s international passport.

2. Birth certificate.

3. Four passport-size photographs.

4. Documents of relatives: marriage or birth certificates of children, as well as copies of passports of all additional applicants.

5. A certificate of no criminal record from the country of residence, which must be certified by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

6. A certificate of no criminal record from the Egyptian authorities.

7. A medical certificate from an Egyptian hospital.

The investor applies for the program in person in Cairo. Applications are accepted at the department’s headquarters at the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), as well as at the offices of immigration brokers.

Egypt allows citizens to hold dual citizenship, meaning those who wish to obtain it don’t need to renounce their first nationality.

Egypt’s citizenship by investment is also hereditary.

An Egyptian passport is valid for 7 years from the date of issue. Then, it needs to be renewed.

Investors should apply at the General Department of passports, immigration, and nationality.

1. Any foreigner, regardless of nationality, is allowed to participate in the citizenship program.

2. To obtain an Egyptian passport, investors can buy real estate, open a business in the country, make a deposit in a local bank, or make a non‑refundable contribution. The minimum investment is $250,000.

3. Additionally, investors pay a government fee of $10,000.

4. The investment transfer must be made from abroad; transferring money from an Egyptian account will not be possible.

5. The procedure for obtaining a passport for investment takes 6 to 12 months.