Egyptian Citizenship by Investment (Granting Egyptian Nationality in Exchange for Investment)
Egypt grants full citizenship to foreign investors who make one of four qualifying economic contributions plus a USD 10,000 non-refundable state fee, all remitted in foreign currency from abroad. The naturalisation pathway sits on the 1975 Nationality Law as amended by Law No. 190 of 2019, with the current financial thresholds fixed by Prime Minister's Decree No. 876/2023 and applications adjudicated by a dedicated Cabinet unit hosted at GAFI; the Prime Minister personally signs each grant after security clearance. The lowest-cost route is a USD 250,000 non-refundable donation to the public treasury; other routes are USD 300,000 real estate, USD 350,000 in a business plus a USD 100,000 non-refundable payment, or a refundable USD 500,000 bank deposit. There is no minimum residence requirement, dual citizenship is permitted, and the investor's spouse and minor children up to age 21 are included. The trade-off for private clients is a regionally focused travel document (no Schengen, UK, US or Canada visa-free access) and a take-up to date measured in the dozens of approvals, so this is positioned as a fast, low-cost Plan-B and regional-presence citizenship rather than a mobility play.
Indicative figures — we confirm the exact, current terms with licensed local lawyers before you applyNon-refundable direct contribution of USD 250,000 to the Egyptian public treasury, paid in foreign currency transferred from abroad. This is the lowest-cost route and is separate from the USD 10,000 administrative fee.
Purchase of real estate worth at least USD 300,000, paid in foreign currency from abroad and held for 5 years before sale or transfer. Following the 2023 amendment to Art. 11, units may be bought from private Egyptian developers and not only state-owned entities; the unit is registered in the investor's name. Separate from the USD 10,000 fee.
Establish or participate in an investment project with a minimum USD 350,000 contribution, plus a separate non-refundable USD 100,000 paid as direct revenue in foreign currency to the public treasury (total USD 450,000 to qualify, excluding the USD 10,000 fee).
Refundable deposit of USD 500,000 via an official Egyptian government bank or the Central Bank of Egypt, returned in Egyptian pounds (EGP) after 3 years with no interest, so the applicant bears the FX and inflation risk on the refund. Separate from the USD 10,000 fee.
— no visa-free access to the Schengen Area, including France, Germany and Austria.
— no visa-free access to the United Kingdom.
— no visa-free access to the United States and no ESTA eligibility.
— no visa-free access to Canada, with US green-card holders excepted.
Approximately 49 destinations are accessible visa-free or visa-on-arrival as of January 2026. Strength is regional, covering much of Africa and parts of the Middle East and Asia; none of the major Western blocs (Schengen, UK, USA, Canada, Australia) are accessible visa-free. This is a Plan-B and regional-presence passport rather than a global-mobility document. Acquiring Egyptian citizenship is unaffected by the EU's CBI-related visa actions, which concern other programmes.
Most clients who consider Egypt want the same things: stronger mobility, a Plan B held in reserve, and optionality for the family. Egypt can grant a second passport — but it confers no right to live, work or settle in the European Union, and no path to an EU passport.
If a European foothold is any part of your objective, residence by investment achieves it directly — a euro-denominated home, legal residence in the EU, and, held over time, a lawful route to European citizenship. We map both, honestly, against what you are actually trying to achieve.
Law No. 26 of 1975 on Egyptian Nationality (Arts. 4, 6, 11), as amended by Law No. 190 of 2019 (which created the investment-naturalisation pathway) and the 2023 amendments to Arts. 6 and 11 (approved by the House of Representatives on 12 April 2023). Financial thresholds were set by Prime Minister's Decree No. 876 of 2 March 2023. · Administered by Citizenship Application Examination Unit (Nationality Grant Unit) affiliated with the Office of the Prime Minister (Cabinet), with its reception and administration hosted at the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI). The final grant is made by decision of the Prime Minister, following clearance by the security authorities on national-security grounds..
Documents marked “held by 8T20” are mirrored on our own servers from the official source, so the reference is always available.
Our own focus is European residence — but if Egypt citizenship is genuinely of interest, leave your details and we’ll speak personally, understand your objectives, and introduce you to vetted, admitted counsel who handle this programme. No obligation, held in confidence.
This briefing is general guidance, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Figures are indicative and verified to 2026; final positions, eligibility and timelines are confirmed in writing by licensed counsel on engagement. 8T20 Capital coordinates the engagement and facilitates applications through admitted local counsel; it is not a law firm. Final eligibility, thresholds and timelines are confirmed in writing by licensed counsel before any commitment.