Updated on December 5, 2024

Egypt citizenship by investment

Get a second passport as a backup plan and visa-free travels to 80+ countries

$250,000

Minimal investment

10+ months

Obtainment period

3 years

Investment return

In 2020, the government of Egypt launched a citizenship by investment program to attract foreign investments and stimulate the economy. The first citizenship applications under the program were accepted in 2021.

Foreigners pick one of four investment options to get Egyptian passports: make a non-refundable contribution, purchase property, invest in a business, or open a deposit in the Central Bank of Egypt.

The minimal required investment is $250,000. It takes 10+ months to obtain citizenship. Investors do not have to take exams on Arabic or Egypt history. In addition, there are no requirements to reside within the country to keep the passport.

Close family members can obtain citizenship along with the investor. The rule applies to spouses and children under 21.

Benefits of Egypt citizenship by investment

  • 1

    Creating a safe haven

    An investor and their family members gain the right to live in Egypt and enter the country anytime. The second passport will come in handy in case of unexpected events in the investor’s country of origin.

  • 2

    Е‑2 business visa to the USA

    Egyptian citizens can get E‑2 visas to the US, allowing them to live and work there. To obtain such a visa, an investor starts or buys a business in the US. There’s no official minimum threshold, but an investment of at least $100,000 is typically enough to apply for an E‑2 visa successfully.

  • 3

    Bank account in Egypt

    Investors with Egyptian passports can take advantage of the services of the local banks without any restrictions. Both national banks and branches of international banks operate in Egypt. For instance, there is a local branch of Deutsche Bank AG, the largest financial conglomerate in Germany.

    Citizens can open bank accounts in dollars, euros and other world currencies. Savings can be stored in the accounts at interest or used for international payments.

  • 4

    Tax burden reduce

    In Egypt, there are nine public free zones where entrepreneurs from all over the world can start their businesses. One of the benefits of the free zones is tax incentives: companies located there don’t pay corporate tax.

  • 5

    Visa-free travels

    The Egypt passport allows free entry to 82 countries. Among them, some states allow Egyptian citizens to obtain a visa on arrival, while Singapore issues electronic travel authorisations.

  • 6

    Fast track to second citizenship

    Investors are not required to reside in the country or take language exams. The processing of investors’ applications typically takes around 6 months.

  • 7

    Second citizenship for family members

    The investor can include their spouse and children under 21 in their citizenship application. Children acquire citizenship at the same time as the investor, while the spouse gets their passport two years later.

price

Guide to obtaining Egypt citizenship

  • Step by step procedure

  • Requirements for applicants

  • Required documents

  • Answers to frequently asked questions

Who can obtain Egypt citizenship

  • Investor

    • Over 18

    • No criminal record

    • No serious illnesses

  • Spouse

    In a registered marriage with the investor

  • Children under 21

    Unmarried

Investor’s expenses

Investors have four investment options to choose from, with a threshold of $250,000. Aside from the contribution, participants pay a state fee of $10,000 for the whole family.

A citizenship program participant transfers the investment from their foreign personal account, their sponsor’s account or a corporate account if they own a company.

1 option

Non-refundable contribution — $250,000+

Investors contribute to the State’s public treasury. This investment option does not imply profit or return; the contribution is non-refundable. It is possible to transfer the sum in parts within one year.

2 option

Real estate purchase — $300,000+

Investors can purchase a property licensed by the Government or listed on the real estate register, including residential and commercial properties and land plots. The property may already be put into operation or under construction.

This option allows a return on investment: participants can sell the property five years after obtaining citizenship.

3 option

Business investment — $350,000+

An investor can start their own business in Egypt or buy a local company. Investments in a business project can be used at the participant’s discretion 25 days after the money is transferred. This option allows a return on investment 5 years after obtaining citizenship.

Aside from the business investment, applicants also make a non-refundable contribution of $100,000 to the State’s public treasury.

4 option

Bank deposit — $500,000+

Investors open an interest-free deposit at the Central Bank of Egypt. This option requires the biggest investment sum, but the return on the investment will be available 3 years after obtaining citizenship.

Expenses for an investor and their family

The investment sum and other expenses do not depend on the number of people in the family.

Investment

Non-refundable contribution

$250,000

Real estate purchase

$300,000

Business investment

$350,000

Bank deposit

$500,000

State fee

Non-refundable contribution

$10,000

Real estate purchase

$10,000

Business investment

$10,000

Bank deposit

$10,000

Additional donation

Non-refundable contribution

Real estate purchase

Business investment

$100,000

Bank deposit

Translation and notarisation of documents

Non-refundable contribution

$1,000+

Real estate purchase

$1,000+

Business investment

$1,000+

Bank deposit

$1,000+

Individual cost calculation for obtaining Egypt citizenship by investment

Individual cost calculation for obtaining Egypt citizenship by investment

Get an individual calculation for your family with all associated costs and government fees

Real estate in Egypt to participate in the citizenship by investment program

https://immigrantinvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/5-67.jpg

location iconEgypt, New Cairo

$106,000 — $509,000

Apartments, villas, townhouses and commercial premises in New Cairo
square icon114 m² — 425 m²
bed icon3
bathroom icon2—4
https://immigrantinvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/14-1.jpg

location iconEgypt, El Alamein

$195,000 — $389,000

Apartments and villas near laguna el Alamein
square icon145 m² — 240 m²
bed icon2—5
bathroom icon2—5
https://immigrantinvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/5-2.jpg

location iconEgypt, New Cairo

$106,000 — $143,000

Stylish apartments with one-two bedrooms, New Cairo, Egypt
square icon132 m² — 156 m²
bed icon1—2
bathroom icon1—2

Step-by-step procedure for obtaining Egypt citizenship

1

1 day

Preliminary Due Diligence

Immigrant Invest conducts a preliminary background check on the investor to prepare for the main Due Diligence to obtain Egypt citizenship.

Certified Compliance Anti Money Laundering Officers carry out the inspection. Preliminary Due Diligence helps reduce the risk of application rejection to 1%. The process is entirely confidential; the investor must provide only a passport copy.

Take a quick test and find out the obstacles in obtaining second citizenship.

Evaluate chances
2

2+ weeks

Document preparation and application

Immigrant Invest lawyers provide the investor with a list of documents required for application:

  • passport copies of all family members applying for citizenship;

  • birth certificates of all family members;

  • four passport photos;

  • a receipt of payment of the $10,000 government fee;

  • a certificate of no criminal record from the country of residence, attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt;

  • a certificate of no criminal record from Egyptian authorities if the investor has visited Egypt before;

  • a medical examination report from a hospital in Egypt;

  • an official certificate of the applicant’s movements during the past 5 years, issued by their country of origin and attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt.

The investor provides the originals for the Immigrant Invest lawyers to translate, notarise them, and then apply on the participant’s behalf on the program’s website.

3

State fee payment

The investor pays a $10,000 state fee or equivalent in another currency. The transaction must be done from abroad to the Egyptian Cabinet account at the Central Bank of Egypt.

4

6+ months

First Due Diligence

Investor’s documents are reviewed in two stages. During the first 6 months, the applicant is being checked against the databases of the Egyptian security authorities.

Investors can obtain citizenship faster and skip some of the next steps if they transfer the full investment amount before the background check.

5

Getting a temporary residence permit

After the first Due Diligence, the applicant receives a 6-month residence permit. During that time, the participant is expected to travel to Egypt and make the investment.

6

Up to 6 months

Second Due Diligence

After fulfilling the investment condition, the program’s department resumes Due Diligence. If the candidate is approved, the department recommends the investor to the Prime Minister of Egypt, who signs the naturalisation documents.

7

Citizenship obtainment

The investor receives the naturalisation certificate and their passport.

Case studies

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Frequently asked questions

  • Is it possible to obtain citizenship in Egypt by real estate investment?

    Yes, one of the options of the Egypt citizenship by investment program is real estate purchase. The minimal investment sum for this option is $300,000.

    Investors can obtain residential or commercial properties, as well as land plots. Investing both in properties in operation or the construction stage is possible.

  • What is the validity period of an Egyptian passport?

    The citizenship status is granted to investors for life. However, the validity period of an Egyptian passport is 7 years; it has to be renewed. To renew a passport, its holder applies to the General Department of Passports, Immigration and Nationality.

  • Does Egypt allow dual nationality?

    Citizens of Egypt are allowed to have multiple citizenship. Investors can retain their first passports unless their countries of origin require otherwise.

  • What countries are visa-free with an Egypt passport?

    The Egyptian passport holder can travel visa-free to 65 countries. Among popular destinations are Hong Kong, Seychelles, and Macao.

  • What are the benefits of Egyptian citizenship?

    Among the benefits of citizenship in Egypt are the ability to create a safe haven for the investor and their family, the opportunity to optimise taxes, and the option to open accounts at local branches of international banks.

  • How much does it cost to become a citizen of Egypt?

    The investment requirement for citizenship in Egypt ranges from $250,000 to $500,000, depending on the chosen option to invest. The most affordable one is to make a non-refundable contribution to the State’s public treasury.

  • How can I move to Egypt permanently?

    One of the options is to obtain Egypt citizenship by investment. It requires a minimal contribution of $250,000 to the State public treasury.

    Other options include obtaining residency in the country for work or study.

  • Can a foreigner buy a house in Egypt?

    Yes. Real estate purchase is one of the options in Egypt’s citizenship by investment program. If a foreigner plans to buy a $300,000-worth property, they can join the program and get an Egyptian passport.

  • Is it easy to get citizenship in Egypt?

    Obtaining citizenship in Egypt by investment requires an investment of at least $250,000, which is significantly less than in other countries in the region.

    Like similar programs, the Egypt citizenship by investment initiative implies a strict background check for all applicants.

  • How long does it take to get Egyptian citizenship?

    It takes 10+ months to obtain citizenship in Egypt by investment.

  • Why do investors trust us?

    Immigrant Invest is a licensed agent for multiple CBI programs. This means that the company has passed multiple thorough checks and obtained certificates and licences from governments of countries offering citizenship by investment.

80+ visa-free countries with an Egyptian passport

Asia

Bhutan

Cambodia

Indonesia

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Malaysia

Maldives

Myanmar (Burma)

Nepal

Pakistan

Singapore

Sri Lanka

Tajikistan

Timor-Leste

Uzbekistan

Vietnam

Africa

Benin

Botswana

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cameroon

Cape Verde

Comoros

Congo - Kinshasa

Côte d’Ivoire

Djibouti

Equatorial Guinea

Ethiopia

Gabon

Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Kenya

Lesotho

Madagascar

Malawi

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mozambique

Nigeria

Rwanda

São Tomé & Príncipe

Senegal

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Somalia

South Africa

South Sudan

Tanzania

Togo

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Middle East

Armenia

Bahrain

Iran

Jordan

Lebanon

Oman

Yemen

Oceania

Australia

Marshall Islands

Micronesia

Palau

Samoa

Tuvalu

North America

Antigua & Barbuda

Bahamas

Barbados

Dominica

Haiti

St. Kitts & Nevis

St. Vincent & Grenadines

South America

Bolivia

Colombia

Ecuador

Nicaragua

Suriname

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We will develop an individual solution, select a country and status that will solve your problems, and accompany the entire process.

Zlata Erlach
Zlata Erlach

Head of the Austrian office

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