Introduction
Real estate investment has become one of the routes permitted by the Egyptian legislature for granting nationality to foreign nationals, alongside investment in a project, a bank deposit, and direct contributions to the State Treasury.
The real estate route is distinguished by combining investment in an asset owned by the investor with the possibility of applying for Egyptian nationality. However, merely purchasing a high-value property is not sufficient in itself. The property itself, the method of payment, title and licensing documents, source of funds, and the required holding period are all subject to review.
The current minimum threshold for the real estate route is USD 300,000, with payment by installments permitted over a period not exceeding one year in accordance with the prescribed rules.
First: How Did the Real Estate Route to Nationality Develop?
The modern legislative basis for the citizenship by investment program began with the enactment of Law No. 140 of 2019, which authorized the Prime Minister—based on a recommendation from the Naturalization Applications Examination Unit—to grant nationality to a foreign national who purchases real estate, establishes an investment project, or deposits foreign currency amounts in accordance with the cases regulated by law and the implementing decisions.
Prime Ministerial Decree No. 3099 of 2019 was subsequently issued to regulate the investment programs, followed by Decree No. 647 of 2020 concerning the formation of the Naturalization Applications Examination Unit and the procedures for submitting applications.
In March 2023, Prime Ministerial Decree No. 876 of 2023 was issued, reducing the minimum threshold for the real estate route to USD 300,000. It also reduced the bank deposit to USD 500,000 for three years and set the investment-project route at USD 350,000, together with an additional non-refundable USD 100,000 contribution to the State Treasury.
The wording of the real estate route under the March 2023 Decree still referred to properties owned by the State or other public legal persons.
The most significant development then came with Law No. 28 of 2023, which deleted from Article 4 bis of the Nationality Law the phrase “owned by the State or other public legal persons.”
Prime Ministerial Decree No. 3562 of 2023 completed this amendment, so that the implementing wording became the purchase of real estate for an amount of not less than USD 300,000, without restricting the provision to State-owned property, while prescribing specific documents that must be submitted in relation to the property.
Accordingly, the opening of the route to privately owned properties is legislatively linked to the 2023 amendments, not to a separate amendment issued in October 2024.
Second: What Is the Minimum Real Estate Investment?
The real estate route requires the purchase of property with a value of not less than USD 300,000.
The amount must be paid in accordance with the rules prescribed for the program, either through a transfer from abroad in accordance with the rules of the Central Bank of Egypt, or from funds brought into Egypt through a customs port, duly declared to customs, and then deposited with a licensed bank.
Not every property valued at USD 300,000 should be regarded as automatically eligible. The current rules require specific documents concerning title, licensing, and the authority supervising the property.
Third: Can the Property Be Purchased from a Private Developer or Owner?
Following the amendment of the Nationality Law by Law No. 28 of 2023 and the issuance of Prime Ministerial Decree No. 3562 of 2023, the legal provision no longer restricts the real estate route to properties owned by the State or public legal persons.
However, this does not mean that every privately owned property or every real estate project is automatically eligible.
Decree No. 3562 of 2023 requires evidence that the property:
- Has a purchase agreement.
- Has a property license.
- Is registered with the Real Estate Registration Office, or is subject to the supervision of a State-owned authority having jurisdiction.
The laws regulating ownership of real estate by non-Egyptians and the rules applicable to areas of a special nature—including certain areas of the Sinai Peninsula—must also continue to be observed.
The property should therefore be legally reviewed before the agreement is signed or substantial amounts are transferred.
Fourth: Property-Related Documents
Prime Ministerial Decree No. 3562 of 2023 specifies the principal property documents that must be submitted under this route, namely:
- A copy of the property purchase agreement.
- A copy of the property license.
- A utility receipt, if available.
- Evidence that the prescribed amount has been deposited with a bank licensed by the Central Bank, whether through a transfer from abroad or after the funds entered through a customs port, were duly declared, and subsequently deposited.
- An undertaking not to dispose of the property for five years.
- Evidence that the property is registered with the Real Estate Registration Office or is subject to the supervision of a State-owned authority having jurisdiction.
These requirements demonstrate that property selection should not be based solely on price and location, but also on whether the property is capable of being accepted within the citizenship program.
Fifth: The Importance of Legal Due Diligence Before Purchasing the Property
Purchasing real estate for the purpose of applying for nationality requires broader legal due diligence than an ordinary real estate transaction.
Before payment, it is necessary to verify:
- The seller’s capacity and title or right to dispose of the property.
- The precise legal description of the property.
- The license issued for the property or project.
- Whether the property is registered or subject to a recognized authority having jurisdiction.
- The existence of any mortgages, attachments, or judicial disputes.
- Whether foreign ownership of the property is legally permitted given its location and type.
- Whether the documents required by the Naturalization Applications Examination Unit can be submitted.
It is a mistake to transfer the full property value and only afterward begin asking whether the property is acceptable under the program.
Sixth: Can the USD 300,000 Amount Be Paid in Installments?
Yes. The current system permits payment of the amount required for the real estate route in installments over a period not exceeding one year.
However, nationality is not granted before the prescribed amount has been paid in full.
During the installment period, the naturalization applicant is granted temporary non-tourism residence.
If the applicant is unable to complete payment or withdraws the application, amounts previously paid are refunded in Egyptian pounds at the exchange rate announced by the Central Bank on the date of refund, provided that this rate does not exceed the rate announced on the date of payment, and without interest.
Installment payments are currently available for the property-purchase route and the USD 250,000 direct-contribution route, and are not a general rule applicable to all citizenship programs.
Seventh: Must a Personal U.S. Dollar Account Be Opened in Egypt?
The current legal provisions do not establish a general rule requiring every purchaser of property from a private developer to open a personal bank account in Egypt before making payment.
What is legally required is proof that the funds arrived through an accepted method and were deposited with a bank licensed by the Central Bank, in accordance with the route specified in the regulating decisions.
The nature of the transaction or the requirements of the bank or developer may make opening a bank account necessary, but this should not be presented as a general statutory requirement of the program unless required by the competent authority in the particular case.
Eighth: Is There a General Rule for Joint Ownership by Several Investors?
The current official provisions regulating the program do not establish a clear general rule stating that several independent applicants may purchase a single property and then count USD 300,000 for each applicant according to his or her share.
Accordingly, statements appearing in certain marketing materials concerning “joint ownership” should not be relied upon as though they constitute an established legal entitlement.
If the investment will be structured through co-ownership, a joint purchase, multiple properties, or another non-traditional ownership structure, it is preferable to obtain prior confirmation from the Naturalization Applications Examination Unit regarding acceptance of the structure before signing agreements and transferring funds.
Ninth: What Happens If the Property Is Sold Before Five Years Have Elapsed?
The program requires the investor to retain the property for five years from the date of acquisition.
However, the current provision does not state that selling the property before the end of the five-year period automatically results in withdrawal of nationality, nor do the current official rules impose a general penalty equal to 15% of the transaction value.
According to the official website of the Naturalization Applications Examination Unit, if the naturalized person disposes of the property before five years have elapsed, retaining Egyptian nationality requires the deposit of:
USD 250,000
with the Central Bank of Egypt, by bank transfer from abroad, as a direct contribution accruing to the State Treasury and not subject to refund.
This amount may be paid in installments over a period not exceeding one year.
Accordingly, the amount is not a “fine” in the punitive sense, but an alternative financial condition established by the system for retaining nationality where the property is disposed of early.
Tenth: Nationality Application Fee
Upon submission of the naturalization application, a fee of USD 10,000 or its equivalent is payable in accordance with the prescribed rules.
This fee is separate from the value of the real estate investment and is a non-refundable fee for examining the naturalization application.
A distinction must therefore be maintained between:
- Application fee: USD 10,000.
- Real estate investment value: at least USD 300,000.
- The USD 250,000 amount required to retain nationality in the event of early disposal of the property in the circumstances regulated by the program.
Eleventh: Personal Documents and Preliminary Procedures
The file is not limited to the property agreement and financial transfers. The Unit also requires a range of personal and security-related documents.
Depending on the applicant’s circumstances, the official procedures include documents such as:
- Foreign passport.
- Original birth certificate or an official extract thereof.
- Six recent personal photographs.
- A declaration of any other nationalities held by the applicant.
- Details of the spouse or spouses and children, their nationalities, and their documents.
- Criminal record from the country of origin.
- Egyptian criminal record.
- Movement certificates covering previous years in accordance with the Unit’s requirements.
- A medical examination certificate issued by a public hospital.
The naturalization applicant may request that the application and related decisions remain confidential in accordance with the published procedures.
Twelfth: Where Is the Nationality Application Submitted?
The application is submitted through the Naturalization Applications Examination Unit affiliated with the Council of Ministers.
The official website indicates that the applicant may attend in person at the Unit’s reception office located at the headquarters of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, first floor, 3 Salah Salem Road, Cairo, or proceed through immigration intermediary offices in accordance with the applicable system.
The reception office reviews the file and informs the applicant of any missing documents.
Thirteenth: Stages of Reviewing the Application
The nationality application passes through several principal stages:
- Submission of the application and documents and payment of the examination fee.
- Preliminary review of the file.
- Security and legal review: the Unit states that preliminary determination usually takes between three and six months from completion of the application, in light of national security considerations and the views of the competent security authorities.
- Preliminary approval: after which the applicant is granted temporary residence for six months to implement the investment program if it has not already been completed.
- Proof of completion of the property purchase and payment of the required amounts.
- Submission of the final recommendation to the Prime Minister.
The Unit indicates that the final decision is issued within a maximum period of three months from the date on which the investment program and the required data and documents have been fully completed.
The official platform also presents an indicative overall program timeframe of between 6 and 12 months, although this does not constitute a fixed guarantee for every application.
Fourteenth: Nationality Is Not Granted Automatically Merely by Purchasing the Property
It should be noted that purchasing the property and satisfying the minimum financial threshold do not mean that the applicant automatically becomes Egyptian.
The Nationality Law uses wording that authorizes the Prime Minister to grant nationality based on a recommendation from the Naturalization Applications Examination Unit and after the statutory and security requirements have been satisfied.
Accordingly, the file remains subject to review, including national security considerations, criminal record, authenticity of documents, source of funds, and implementation of the investment program.
Fifteenth: What About the Wife and Children?
A common mistake is to state that the wife and children all obtain nationality at the same time as the investor.
The minor children of a naturalized person are subject to Article 6 of the Nationality Law. Following its amendment by Law No. 28 of 2023, minor children acquire Egyptian nationality in principle, subject to an exception where their ordinary residence is abroad and they retain their original nationality under the law governing it.
However, the investor’s wife does not automatically acquire Egyptian nationality merely because her husband has been naturalized.
She may declare her desire to acquire Egyptian nationality, and her status is governed by the rules applicable to the wife of a person who has acquired nationality, which are linked to the continuation of the marriage for two years from the date of notification, with the Minister of Interior having the power to issue a reasoned decision depriving her of nationality during the statutory period.
The family file must therefore be examined independently, and not all family members should be described as “dependants who obtain nationality with the investor.”
Sixteenth: Frequently Asked Questions
Is the minimum threshold for the real estate route still USD 300,000?
Yes. The current minimum officially published threshold is USD 300,000.
Can the amount be paid in installments?
Yes, over a period not exceeding one year, and nationality is not granted before the prescribed amount has been paid in full.
Must the property be owned by the State?
No. Law No. 28 of 2023 removed this restriction, but the property must satisfy the ownership, licensing, registration, or supervision requirements established by the implementing rules.
Can any unit be purchased from any private developer?
Not in such absolute terms. The eligibility of the property and project must be verified, together with the existence of the required license, title, and supporting documents.
Is there an official rule allowing several investors to obtain nationality through a jointly owned property?
The current official provisions contain no clear general rule that can be relied upon in this respect. Any joint ownership structure should therefore be confirmed in advance.
When can the property be sold?
After five years have elapsed, the property may be disposed of without application of the deposit requirement associated with early disposal. Before the end of the five-year period, retaining nationality requires a non-refundable USD 250,000 deposit under the current system.
Is nationality guaranteed merely by purchasing the property?
No. The purchase is one of the program requirements, but granting nationality remains subject to review and issuance of the decision by the Prime Minister.
Does the wife obtain nationality together with the investor?
Not automatically. She has a separate legal route linked to notification of her desire and continuation of the marriage for the two-year period prescribed by law.
Advice from the Office of Dr. Mostafa El Rouby
As the Office of Dr. Mostafa El Rouby, we advise anyone wishing to select the real estate route to obtain nationality not to treat the property purchase as an ordinary investment transaction, because acceptance of the property within the program depends on specific legal documents and requirements.
- Conduct due diligence on the property before making any substantial payment: including title, licensing, registration, disputes, and restrictions on foreign ownership.
- Obtain clear confirmation that the property is eligible for the program if its legal status is non-traditional, it is under construction, or it is held in co-ownership.
- Follow the approved financial-transfer route and retain all banking and customs documentation.
- Do not rely solely on marketing materials concerning joint ownership or particular payment methods unless supported by official instructions.
- Review the purchase agreement so that it protects your position if the property cannot be approved or a legal issue arises that prevents completion of the citizenship program.
- Do not dispose of the property during the five-year period without examining the financial consequences prescribed for retaining nationality.
- Separate the investor’s file from the files of family members, because the wife and children are not governed by a single legal rule.
Prior legal due diligence concerning the property, source of funds, and contractual terms remains more important than the speed of completing the transaction, because discovering a defect in title or licensing after paying a substantial amount may disrupt both the investment and the nationality application at the same time.
Written and Prepared by Dr. Mostafa El Rouby