How to obtain Egyptian Citizenship?

Do you want to be Egyptian? In  this article, we will discuss all requirements to obtain Egyptian Citizenship

The requirements to obtain Egyptian citizenship:

• Egyptian Law 140 of 2019 sets out the controls for granting Egyptian citizenship to a foreigner. Five investment programs have been developed to facilitate obtaining Egyptian citizenship. A unit at the Cabinet, which shall be responsible for granting citizenship to foreigners, shall be established in the Council of Ministers. The Unit shall include representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Investment and International Cooperation and the concerned security authorities.
• The citizenship application shall be submitted at the Unit’s headquarters or on its website. However, the application shall be completed with the required information and documents, after paying a fee of $10,000 or its equivalent in EGP, to be paid by bank transfer from abroad.
• The Unit shall examine the application and decide on it in principle, within a maximum of three months from the date of its submission, taking into account national security considerations.
• In the event of the initial approval of the application by the Prime Minister, the citizenship applicant shall be granted the right to temporary residence in Egypt for 6 months, to complete the procedures, data, and documents necessary to issue a final decision regarding the application.
• The Unit shall complete the examination of the application and present its final recommendation in this regard in light of national security considerations to the Prime Minister for his final decision. All of this shall be conducted within a maximum of three months from the date of completing the aforementioned data and documents.

Programs stipulated in Law 140 of 2019 are as follows:

1. Direct income of $250,000.

• An amount of $ 250,000 shall be deposited, by a bank transfer from abroad as direct income (grant) to the State’s public treasury. The amount is non-refundable.

2. Purchasing a property from the State with a minimum of $500,000.

Purchasing property owned by the State or by other public legal persons with an amount of no less than $500,000 transferred from abroad. If the property is disposed of before the lapse of five years from the date of acquisition, to retain the Egyptian nationality, an amount of $250,000 shall be deposited to the CBE, by a bank transfer from abroad, as direct revenues to the state’s public treasury. This amount is non-refundable.

3. Establishment of an investment project with a minimum of $400,000.

• Establishing or participating in an investment project with no less than $400,000 transferred from abroad, with a contribution rate of no less than 40% of the project’s capital. If the investment project is liquidated or suspended, or the applicant disposes of it or their share before the lapse of five years from the date of the operation of the enterprise, to retain the Egyptian nationality, an amount of $250,000 shall be deposited to the CBE upon a bank transfer from abroad, being direct revenues to the State’s public treasury. This amount is non-refundable.

4. A cash deposit of one million dollars for three years.

• An amount of one million dollars shall be deposited by bank transfer from abroad, to a special account with the CBE. This amount shall be deemed as a deposit to be refunded after three years in EGP, at the exchange rate announced by the CBE on the date of redemption, not exceeding the price on the date of deposit, and without interest.

5. A cash deposit of $750,000 for five years.

• An amount of $750,000 shall be deposited by bank transfer from abroad, to a special account with the CBE. This amount shall be deemed as a deposit to be refunded in EGP, after five years, at the exchange rate announced by the CBE on the date of redemption, not exceeding the price on the date of deposit, and without interest.

Documents Required for obtaining Egyptian Citizenship:

1. The original application for obtaining Egyptian citizenship and additional information.
2. Copy of a transfer deed from abroad of administrative fees ($10,000 or its equivalent) to the CB, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, and the Nationality Applications Examination Unit.
3. A copy of the passport with the original nationality of the applicant.
4. A copy of the passport(s) of another nationality for the applicant (repeated as per the number).
5. The original birth certificate of the applicant or an official extract thereof.
6. A recent personal photo of the applicant.
7. A declaration by the applicant of other nationalities they hold.
8. A copy of the wife's passport with the original nationality.
9. A copy of the wife's passport(s) of another nationality (repeated as per the number).
10. A copy of the marriage contract.
11. A copy of the passport (or birth certificate or identity card) for minor children (repeated as per the number).
12. The original criminal status sheet from the Egyptian authorities.
13. An official certificate of the movements of the applicant issued by the country of origin.
14. The original official certificate of the movements of the applicant issued by the country of permanent residence five years before the date of the application.
15. The original of an official certificate issued by the applicant's home country proving that the applicant has not been convicted of a felony or a freedom-restricting penalty for a crime against honor, certified by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
16. If the investor owns shares (stocks) in any of the companies, please attach a copy of the commercial register or the companies’ journal, a copy of the company’s tax card, and copies of the investor’s ownership contracts for any property inside Egypt and copies of car licenses that he owns.
17. The original official certificate of the result of the medical examination of the applicant (provided during the residency period).
18. The original investment program completion document, to be submitted during the residency period.