Four routes set by Prime Minister's Decree No. 876 of 2023: (1) USD 250,000 non-refundable contribution to the state treasury; (2) USD 300,000 real estate purchase (held 5 years); (3) USD 350,000 project investment plus a USD 100,000 non-refundable treasury contribution; (4) USD 500,000 bank deposit, refunded after 3 years in Egyptian pounds at the prevailing rate without interest. A USD 10,000 administrative fee applies, transferred from abroad to the Central Bank of Egypt.
⏱️ Duration
Egyptian citizenship is granted for life by decision of the Prime Minister, and an Egyptian passport is then issued. There is no minimum-residence requirement and no renewal requirement for the citizenship itself.
👪 Dependants
Yes
Citizenship is granted to the investor together with their minor children (up to age 21) by the same Prime Minister's decision, covered by the single USD 10,000 administrative fee, with no additional investment required for the included children.
🛂 Citizenship Path
Yes — after 0 years
The programme grants full Egyptian citizenship directly upon completion of the qualifying investment, by decision of the Prime Minister — there is no prior residence period. Egypt recognises dual nationality.
Egypt's Citizenship by Investment programme grants full Egyptian citizenship to foreign nationals who make a qualifying financial contribution to the Egyptian state. The legal basis is Law No. 190 of 2019, which amended Article 4 of the Egyptian Nationality Law (Law No. 26 of 1975); the monetary thresholds and procedures are set by Cabinet decree, currently Prime Minister's Decree No. 876 of 2023 (amending Decree No. 3099 of 2019), with further Cabinet amendments in October 2024. The programme is administered through the Citizenship Application Examination Unit, housed at the headquarters of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) but reporting to the Prime Minister's Office; citizenship is granted by decision of the Prime Minister. Egypt recognises dual nationality and imposes no minimum physical-residence requirement.
Investment Options
Applicants must choose one of four qualifying routes:
Treasury contribution: USD 250,000 non-refundable contribution to the state treasury
Real estate: USD 300,000 property purchase, held for at least 5 years (since October 2024, purchases from private developers are permitted, as are joint purchases provided each participant's share exceeds USD 300,000; projects under construction must hold a valid building permit)
Project investment: USD 350,000 invested in a project plus a USD 100,000 non-refundable contribution to the treasury
Bank deposit: USD 500,000 deposited at the Central Bank of Egypt, refunded after 3 years in Egyptian pounds at the prevailing exchange rate without interest (currency depreciation risk falls on the applicant)
All qualifying funds must be transferred from abroad through Egyptian banking channels; existing domestic Egyptian funds do not qualify. The amounts may be paid in instalments within one year, but citizenship is granted only after full payment.
Requirements
Foreign national making one of the qualifying investments
Funds transferred from abroad through authorised Egyptian banking channels
Successful security/background due diligence by Egyptian authorities (in-person verification has been required since 2025)
No education, language, or professional qualification requirements
USD 10,000 administrative fee transferred from abroad to the Central Bank of Egypt (single fee covering the investor and included minor children)
Required Documents
Valid passport
Documentation of the qualifying investment (property purchase, project establishment, or deposit/contribution confirmation)
Proof of the transfer of funds from abroad through Egyptian banking channels
Supporting personal documents
For real estate purchased from private developers: a personal Egyptian bank account, and a building permit/property licence for projects under construction
Application Process
The applicant files at the Citizenship Application Examination Unit (reception office at GAFI headquarters) with the required documents. After security/due-diligence approval, the applicant is granted a six-month temporary (non-tourist) residence to enter Egypt and execute the chosen investment, and the USD 10,000 administrative fee is transferred from abroad to the Central Bank of Egypt. Once the investment is completed and verified, Egyptian citizenship is granted to the investor and their minor children (up to age 21) by decision of the Prime Minister, and the passport is issued. GAFI reports processing within approximately 3 to 6 months; end-to-end timelines including investment execution are commonly longer in practice.
Family Members
Citizenship is granted to the investor together with their minor children (up to age 21) by the same Prime Minister's decision, with no additional investment required for the included children. Transmission of nationality to other family members is governed by the general Nationality Law (as amended in 2023), separately from the investment thresholds.
Tax Implications
Egyptian tax residency is based on presence or maintaining a permanent home, not on holding citizenship. An individual is a tax resident if present in Egypt more than 183 days in a 12-month period or if they maintain a permanent home there, in which case progressive personal income tax applies (top bracket 27.5%). Holding citizenship without residing in Egypt does not by itself create Egyptian tax-resident status.
Holding Period
Real estate must be held for 5 years before sale; the bank deposit is returned after 3 years (in Egyptian pounds, without interest). The non-refundable treasury contributions — the USD 250,000 donation route and the USD 100,000 add-on under the project route — are not returned.