The Class I Entry Permit is Eswatini's residence permit for persons of independent means. Part of a ten-class entry permit system established under the Immigration Act of 1982, it is the only class designed specifically for individuals who will not work and who derive their income from external or passive sources. The permit targets retirees, pensioners, and those with investment income who wish to reside in Eswatini without participating in the local labour market.
The permit is issued at the discretion of the Chief Immigration Officer for periods ranging from 1 month to a maximum of 5 years. Permits may be renewed for additional periods, with the same fee schedule applying to renewals. Approval lapses if the requisite fee is not paid within 90 days.
Application fees are scaled by duration: E50 for 1-11 months, E100 for 1 year, E200 for 2 years, E300 for 3 years, E400 for 4 years, and E500 for 5 years.
Dependants (spouse, parent, or guardian) of the permit holder may be issued dependant passes at a fee of E10 each. The permit holder must demonstrate sufficient income to maintain the dependant, with the income threshold increasing from E5,000 to E7,000 per annum. A dependant's pass becomes invalid if the dependant is no longer dependent upon the permit holder or engages in any employment.
Eswatini operates a source-based income tax system: tax is levied only on income derived from a source within (or deemed to be within) the country, regardless of the recipient's residence. Foreign-source passive income such as overseas pensions and investment returns is therefore generally outside the Eswatini tax net. Individual rates are progressive, from 20% up to E100,000 to 33% above E200,000, with an annual rebate of E8,200 (E10,900 for persons over 60).
Applications are submitted to the Chief Immigration Officer using Form 3 and can be filed at the Ministry of Home Affairs headquarters in Mbabane or through Eswatini diplomatic missions abroad. The application must be accompanied by the prescribed fee and supporting documentation, and is reviewed by a committee on the basis of merit and stipulated requirements.
If the permit is issued before the applicant enters the country, the holder's passport must be endorsed by an immigration officer within seven days of arrival. Processing time is not specified in legislation but is generally reported to take 7-30 working days.
Permit holders must not accept paid employment of any kind. Engaging in any employment, occupation, trade, business, or profession without written approval from the Chief Immigration Officer invalidates the permit.
The Class I permit is itself a residence permit. Foreign nationals who have resided continuously for at least 5 years and contributed to the country's development may apply for citizenship by naturalisation under the Swaziland Citizenship Act of 1992.