A free PDF guide — no restrictions by the applicant’s citizenship
A guide to citizenship of Egypt by investment:terms, cost and risks
A practical guide to the four options. We work through the contribution to the treasury of $250 000, property of $300 000, a business of $350 000 and a deposit of $500 000, the family at no extra cost, the timing, the right to the E-2 visa to the United States and where this passport really does not take you.
- PDF in English
- Free of charge
- Verified on 09.08.2026
- Sent by email, WhatsApp or Telegram
Preliminary information is not a guarantee of approval. Whether the programme is available and the final cost are determined once the applicant has been checked.
01 / The essentials first
What you need to know before you consider Egypt
Egypt is the only citizenship-by-investment programme in Africa with a statutory basis. It is not taken for the strength of the passport: on visa-free travel it is weak. It is taken because it accepts everyone and does not grow more expensive with the size of the family.
- No restrictions by citizenship
Citizens of Russia, Belarus and any other country take part on the same terms. That is the main practical difference from the Caribbean programmes, which have not accepted such applications since 2023.
- The price does not grow with the family
One investment covers the applicant, the spouse and all children under 21, and the government fee of $10 000 is charged once per application. The programme has no separate due diligence or dependant fees.
- Four investment options
A contribution to the treasury of $250 000, property of $300 000, a business of $350 000 plus a non-refundable contribution of $100 000, and a deposit of $500 000. Three of them return the money invested — each with its own reservation.
- The passport is weak on travel
around 50 destinations; the Schengen area, the United Kingdom and the United States require a visa. If the task is visa-free Europe, Egypt does not solve it, and we say so before payment.
02 / A preliminary calculation
What the process may cost for your family
Set out the family — the calculation shows the structure of the payments for the option chosen. The amount will not change however many children under 21 you add. But every parent, brother, sister or child aged 21 and over is a separate application with its own investment, and the calculation shows that as an honest multiplication.
03 / The four options
The contribution to the treasury or property: what the difference is
The amounts are set by Prime Minister’s Decree 876/2023 under Law 190/2019 and checked on 9 August 2026. The table compares the two main options; the business and the deposit are covered in separate rows and in the calculation above.
The values were checked against the official material on 09.08.2026. Only the rows for which there is no official wording are marked separately.
| Criterion | A contribution to the treasuryThe investment is non-refundable | PropertyThe property stays an asset |
|---|---|---|
| What the investment is | A non-refundable contribution to the state treasury | The purchase of a property from the approved state pool — the property stays your asset |
| The amount of the investment | $250 000 | $300 000 |
| Total with the government fee | $260 000The government fee of $10 000 is charged once per application, not per person. | $310 000 |
| How much is spent for good | $260 000 — it is not returned whatever the outcome | $10 000: the property itself, worth $300 000, stays yours |
| The return of the investment | Not provided forAn early exit from the investment costs an extra $250 000. | After 5 years, by selling the property |
| The family in one application | The applicant, the spouse and children under 21 — at no extra cost; the amount does not changeParents, brothers, sisters and children aged 21 and over are not included under any circumstances — each needs a separate application with its own investment. | The applicant, the spouse and children under 21 — at no extra cost; the amount does not change |
| Due diligence fees | The programme provides for no separate due diligence or dependant fees | The programme provides for no separate due diligence or dependant fees |
| Restrictions by the applicant’s citizenship | None — citizens of any country take part, Russia and Belarus includedThat is the main practical difference from the Caribbean programmes, which have not accepted such applications since 2023. | None — citizens of any country take part, Russia and Belarus included |
| The residence requirement | None — you do not have to live in Egypt | None — you do not have to live in Egypt |
| The time to completeA BRIDGES estimate | 6-12 months: the preliminary check 24-48 hours, the approvals 3-6 monthsTo complete the investment you are allowed a year after approval; temporary residence is granted for that period. | 6-12 months; finding the property and closing the transaction add time |
| The other options of the programme | A bank deposit of $500 000 returned after 3 years | A business of $350 000 plus a non-refundable contribution of $100 000, with an exit after 5 years |
| What the passport gives | around 50 destinations; the Schengen area, the United Kingdom and the United States require a visaThe Egyptian passport is not about visa-free travel. It is taken for access to markets, for the right to the E-2 and for the absence of restrictions by citizenship. | around 50 destinations; the right to apply for the E-2 investor visa to the United States |
| Who it usually suitsA BRIDGES estimate | Those who want the simplest and quickest road, without a property or a business | Those ready to invest more so that the money stays an asset |
| The main risksA BRIDGES estimate | A change to the amounts by government decree; a refusal after the check | The same, plus the market risk of the property and the limited choice within the approved pool |
| What to confirm before filingRequires confirmation | That the amounts are current as at the date of filing and how the fee is paid | That the property is in the approved state pool, and the terms of the exit after 5 years |
- What the investment is
- A non-refundable contribution to the state treasury
- The purchase of a property from the approved state pool — the property stays your asset
- The amount of the investment
- $250 000
- $300 000
- Total with the government fee
- $260 000
- $310 000
- How much is spent for good
- $260 000 — it is not returned whatever the outcome
- $10 000: the property itself, worth $300 000, stays yours
- The return of the investment
- Not provided for
- After 5 years, by selling the property
- The family in one application
- The applicant, the spouse and children under 21 — at no extra cost; the amount does not change
- The applicant, the spouse and children under 21 — at no extra cost; the amount does not change
- Due diligence fees
- The programme provides for no separate due diligence or dependant fees
- The programme provides for no separate due diligence or dependant fees
- Restrictions by the applicant’s citizenship
- None — citizens of any country take part, Russia and Belarus included
- None — citizens of any country take part, Russia and Belarus included
- The residence requirement
- None — you do not have to live in Egypt
- None — you do not have to live in Egypt
- The time to completeA BRIDGES estimate
- 6-12 months: the preliminary check 24-48 hours, the approvals 3-6 months
- 6-12 months; finding the property and closing the transaction add time
- The other options of the programme
- A bank deposit of $500 000 returned after 3 years
- A business of $350 000 plus a non-refundable contribution of $100 000, with an exit after 5 years
- What the passport gives
- around 50 destinations; the Schengen area, the United Kingdom and the United States require a visa
- around 50 destinations; the right to apply for the E-2 investor visa to the United States
- Who it usually suitsA BRIDGES estimate
- Those who want the simplest and quickest road, without a property or a business
- Those ready to invest more so that the money stays an asset
- The main risksA BRIDGES estimate
- A change to the amounts by government decree; a refusal after the check
- The same, plus the market risk of the property and the limited choice within the approved pool
- What to confirm before filingRequires confirmation
- That the amounts are current as at the date of filing and how the fee is paid
- That the property is in the approved state pool, and the terms of the exit after 5 years
The amounts are set by government decree and may be changed. Before the agreement is signed BRIDGES GLOBAL confirms the figures and that the terms are current.
04 / What the pack contains
What is inside the guide
A client pack goes out with the guide: the legal basis of the programme, the four options explained, the documents and how they are legalised to Egyptian requirements, the road map and a straight list of the visa-free destinations.
- Why people take EgyptWhich tasks the programme solves — and which it does not.
- An overview of the programmeThe legal basis, the four investment options and how participation works.
- The documentsWhat goes into the file and how it is legalised for the Egyptian authorities.
- The agreement and the paymentsThe payment schedule and what the agreement fixes before any money moves.
- The road mapThe stages and the timing: from the preliminary check to the passport.
- The additional costsTranslations, notarial certification, the apostille and the courier.
- Biometrics and the passportHow the document is issued and what is required of the applicant.
- The certificate of citizenshipWhich document confirms the status and what to do with it next.
- Visa-free destinationsWhere the passport takes you without a visa — and where it does not.
- Questions and answersThe questions people ask before the documents are filed.
05 / How the work runs
From the preliminary check to the passport
The whole road takes 6-12 months. The key feature of the procedure: the investment is made after approval, not on filing — until then you pay only the government fee and for preparing the documents.
- The preliminary check
It takes 24-48 hours. We check the applicant’s background and the family. The programme has no restrictions by citizenship, so at this stage we look at the source of funds and at criminal records, not at the passport.
- Choosing the investment option
We compare the four options: a contribution of $250 000, property of $300 000, a business of $350 000 plus a contribution of $100 000, and a deposit of $500 000. We separately cost the family: who is in the application and who needs one of their own.
- Preparing the file
We assemble the documents and the evidence of a lawful source of funds, and arrange translations into Arabic, notarial certification and the apostille.
- Filing and paying the government fee
The file goes to the competent authority and the government fee of $10 000 is paid — once per application.
- The checks and approvals
They take 3-6 months. The checks are carried out by the relevant departments; the timing depends on how complete the file is and how transparent the source of funds is.
- Approval and completing the investment
After approval you are allowed a year after approval; temporary residence is granted for that period. Only at this stage does the money go into the chosen investment.
- Citizenship and the passport
Citizenship and passports are issued for everyone included in the application. There is no need to live in the country and no need to renounce your previous citizenship.
07 / The check on the applicant
What has to be prepared for the check
The programme charges no separate due diligence fee, but there is a check, and its main question is one: where the money came from. Legalising the documents to Egyptian requirements is prepared separately. The first consultation takes place without handing over any documents.
- Personal and business background
The chronology of employment, senior positions, participation in companies and public activity.
- The source of funds
Where the particular money paying for the participation came from: the sale of a stake, dividends, salary, an inheritance. That is the programme’s main question.
- The source of wealth
How the capital was built over a career — a wider picture than the origin of a single amount.
- The absence of a criminal record
Certificates from the countries of citizenship and of long-term residence for the period required.
- Current and previous citizenships
Every passport and residence permit, including those obtained under other countries’ investment programmes.
- Banking relationships
The banks used, the history of the relationship, letters and statements for the period required.
- Corporate structures
Shareholdings, beneficial ownership, trusts, foundations and holding companies.
- Sanctions and PEP factors
A check against the sanctions lists and the status of a politically exposed person — for you and for connected persons.
- Marriage and birth documents
The marriage certificate and the birth certificates: they determine who goes into the application at no extra cost.
- Legalising the documents
Translations into Arabic, notarial certification and the apostille — to Egyptian requirements, not to general ones.
- The payment route
Exactly how the money will reach Egypt: the sending bank, the route and the supporting documents for every transfer.
- Explaining large transactions
Explanations for unusual credits and transfers over the period under review.
A complete set of documents does not mean automatic approval. The final decision is taken by the competent departments after their own check.
08 / Important before you decide
What an Egyptian passport does not solve by itself
For each point we give a link to the primary source where one exists. This is the part people usually learn about after paying.
The mobility of the passportThis is not about visa-free travel
The Egyptian passport opens around 50 destinations; the Schengen area, the United Kingdom and the United States require a visa. If the task is visa-free travel around Europe, Egypt does not solve it, and we say so before payment rather than after. It is taken for other things: no restrictions by the applicant’s citizenship, the right to apply for the E-2 investor visa to the United States, access to African markets and a low threshold for a family.
Who cannot be included in the applicationParents, brothers, sisters and children aged 21 and over
The programme includes only the applicant, the spouse under a registered marriage and unmarried children under 21. Parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters are not included under any circumstances. Each of them needs a separate application of their own with its own investment — in the calculation that multiplies the amount. If the task is to bring the older generation along, it is fairer to look at Nauru or São Tomé.
The return of the depositIn Egyptian pounds and without interest
The deposit of $500 000 is returned after 3 years, but in Egyptian pounds and with no interest. The currency risk sits entirely with the applicant: the pound has been devalued more than once in recent years, and in dollar terms the return may be appreciably less than the amount placed. We are bound to say that plainly — which is why the deposit rarely turns out to be the best option, formally «refundable» though it is.
An early exit from the investmentAn extra payment of $250 000
Property and a business are held for 5 years. An early exit is not prohibited, but it costs an extra $250 000 — effectively the price of leaving the programme early. The horizon has to be planned from the outset.
The E-2 visa to the United StatesThe right to apply is not the visa itself
An investment treaty is in force between Egypt and the United States, so Egyptian citizens may apply for the E-2 investor visa. But the passport does not issue the visa: the E-2 is applied for separately, requires a substantial investment in a real operating enterprise in the United States, is extended for as long as the business runs and does not lead to a green card automatically. The decision is taken by the US consulate.
Source: USCIS, E-2 Treaty InvestorsThe amounts are set by the governmentThe decree may be changed
The amounts in force are set by Prime Minister’s Decree 876/2023 under Law 190/2019. The government may change them by a new decree, and such changes have happened before. We confirm that the amounts are current as at the date of filing.
Tax residencyThe rate is progressive, up to 25%
Egypt is not a low-tax jurisdiction: income tax is progressive, up to 25%. At the same time citizenship by itself does not make the applicant a tax resident of Egypt and does not end obligations in other countries. Residency is determined by the law of the particular countries and by the facts.
The timing6-12 months is practice, not a standard
The preliminary check takes 24-48 hours, the checks and approvals after the file is filed take 3-6 months, and the whole road takes 6-12 months. There is no standard obliging the departments to keep to a period: how complete the file is and how transparent the source of funds is affect the timing most of all.
A refusal by the state authorityIt is possible after the check
A complete file does not mean automatic approval. That is exactly why the investment is completed after approval rather than on filing: until then only the government fee and the preparation of the documents are paid for.
09 / The project team
Who will run the process
Every project has a named person responsible, who coordinates the documents, the legalisation, the dealings with the Egyptian partners and the communication with the client.
The editorial record
The material was prepared and checked by
- First published
- 9 August 2026
- Last updated
- 9 August 2026
- The financial terms checked
- 9 August 2026
- The family and the filing procedure checked
- 9 August 2026
- The right to the E-2 visa checked
- 9 August 2026
The official sources
- Law 190/2019 and Prime Minister’s Decree 876/2023The Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt · checked 09.08.2026The legal basis of the programme: citizenship is granted to a foreigner who meets one of the investment conditions set out, and the amounts are fixed by decree of the Prime Minister. The amounts in force: a non-refundable contribution to the treasury of $250 000, property of $300 000, a business of $350 000 plus a non-refundable contribution of $100 000, and a bank deposit of $500 000. The government fee of $10 000 is charged once per application.
- The BRIDGES GLOBAL personal quotation for EgyptBRIDGES GLOBAL · checked 09.08.2026The calculation for each of the four options, the composition of the application and what the amount does not include: translations, notarial certification, the apostille and the courier.
- Treaty Countries — the list of countries for the E-1 and E-2 visasU.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs · checked 09.08.2026Egypt is on the list of countries with an investment treaty with the United States, so Egyptian citizens may apply for the E-2 investor visa. The visa itself is applied for separately and with no guarantee of issue.
- E-2 Treaty Investors — the requirements for an investorU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services · checked 09.08.2026The investment has to be substantial, real and in an operating enterprise; the visa does not give a green card and is extended for as long as the business continues.
10 / Question and answer
Common questions about citizenship of Egypt
Why does the price not grow with the family?
That is how the programme works. One investment covers the main applicant, the spouse and all children under 21, and the government fee of $10 000 is charged once per application rather than per person. The programme has no separate due diligence or dependant fees. For a family of four the contribution to the treasury works out at $65 000 per person, and for a family of ten at $26 000.
What investment options are there?
Four. A non-refundable contribution to the treasury of $250 000 — the simplest road. Property of $300 000 from the approved state pool, sold after 5 years. A business of $350 000 plus a non-refundable contribution of $100 000, with an exit after 5 years. A bank deposit of $500 000 returned after 3 years. A government fee of $10 000 is added to every option.
Who may be included in the application?
The spouse under a registered marriage and unmarried children under 21. Parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters are not included under any circumstances — nor are children over 21. Each of them needs a separate application of their own with its own investment.
Is the deposit really returned?
Yes, after 3 years — but in Egyptian pounds and without interest. The currency risk sits entirely with you: the pound has been devalued more than once in recent years, so in dollar terms the amount returned may be appreciably less than the amount placed. Formally the option is refundable; in practice it is the riskiest of the four.
Are there restrictions by the applicant’s citizenship?
No. Citizens of Russia, Belarus, Iran and any other country take part on the same terms. The requirements are the same for everyone: being of age, no criminal record and a documented lawful source of funds. That is the main practical difference from the Caribbean programmes, which have not accepted applications from citizens of Russia and Belarus since 2023.
What does the Egyptian passport give?
Visa-free access to around 50 destinations — the Schengen area, the United Kingdom and the United States require a visa. The right to apply for the E-2 investor visa to the United States. Access to the large African markets. Egypt has been a member of BRICS since 2024. Dual citizenship is allowed and there is no need to live in the country. If the task is visa-free Europe, this passport does not solve it.
How long does the process take?
6-12 months. The preliminary check takes 24-48 hours, then the file is filed and the government fee paid, the checks and approvals take 3-6 months, and then come approval and completing the investment. To complete the investment you are allowed a year after approval; temporary residence is granted for that period.
When is the investment made?
After approval, not on filing. Until then only the government fee and the preparation of the documents are paid for. A year is allowed to complete the investment, and temporary residence is granted for that period.
What happens if I exit the investment early?
Property and a business are held for 5 years. An early exit is not prohibited but requires an extra payment of $250 000 — effectively the price of leaving early. We discuss the planning horizon before the option is chosen.
Do I have to live in Egypt and speak Arabic?
No. The programme has no residence requirement and no language exam, and there is no need to renounce your previous citizenship. Dual citizenship is allowed by Egyptian law — what it entails under the law of your own country, including any duty to notify, is checked separately.
What is not included in the calculation?
The BRIDGES GLOBAL fee, translating and notarising the documents (from $1 000), translations into Arabic, the apostille, certificates, bank charges and courier delivery. The contribution to the treasury and the government fee are not returned whatever the outcome.
Is the citizenship passed to children?
Yes, the citizenship is inherited: a child born after the status is obtained is registered by descent, without a new investment. The passport itself is a document with an expiry date and is replaced when it runs out.
Which documents evidence the source of funds?
The set depends on where the capital came from. Usually it is the contracts and documents for the sale of a stake or an asset, dividend resolutions and statements, income certificates and tax returns, documents on an inheritance or a gift, and bank statements for the period required with explanations of large transactions. The payment route is prepared separately: exactly how the money will reach Egypt. The first consultation takes place without handing over any documents.
Free · a practical PDF
Get the guide to citizenship of Egypt
Inside: a comparison of the four options, the structure of the payments from $260 000, who may be in the family and who may not, legalising the documents, the road map and the questions to settle before the process begins.
- A consultant sends the guide by the channel you choose — with notes on your situation
- The data was checked against Decree 876/2023 and the BRIDGES quotation on 09.08.2026
- Your contact details are not passed to third parties