Some countries allow foreigners to obtain citizenship according to some specific criteria. The Egyptian government has issued several decisions regarding granting citizenship to foreigners after fulfilling some conditions. No doubt that this citizenship is beneficial for foreigners and is also beneficial in increasing investments in Egypt. Therefore, the demand for the naturalization of Iraqis in Egypt has considerably increased.
To facilitate obtaining citizenship, an office was established to receive those wishing to obtain Egyptian citizenship. This office is affiliated with the Council of Ministers and is located in the main administrative building of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (3 Salah Salem Street – Fairgrounds – Cairo) for ease of communication and submission of applications.
How to Obtain the Egyptian Citizenship
There are some specific cases in which it is possible to obtain Egyptian citizenship, as follows:
- To purchase real estate from the state with a minimum of 500 thousand dollars. Real estate is land, a building, an apartment or factory land owned by the state or other public legal persons. The amount of the real estate shall be not less than 500 thousand US dollars to be transferred from abroad. The payment shall be transferred per the applicable rules of the Central Bank. If the buyer of the real estate wants to sell it before the lapse of five years from the date of obtaining it, he is required, in order to retain the Egyptian nationality, to deposit an amount of 250 thousand US dollars in the Central Bank. This amount shall be paid through a bank transfer from abroad, as direct revenues to the state’s public treasury, and it is not refunded.
- To establish an investment project with a minimum of $400,000: Establishing or participating in an investment project with an amount of at least $400,000 transferred from abroad, with a participation rate of no less than 40% of the project’s capital. In the event of the investment project being liquidated, suspended or disposed of before the lapse of five years from the date of its operation, then in order to retain the Egyptian nationality, a deposit of 250 thousand US dollars in the Central Bank. This amount shall be paid through a bank transfer from abroad, as direct revenues to the state’s public treasury, and it is not refunded.
- To deposit an amount of $250,000 under a bank transfer from abroad as direct income (grant) that goes to the state’s public treasury, and is not refunded.
- To deposit a cash deposit of one million dollars for a period of three years under a bank transfer from abroad in the consolidated treasury account at the Central Bank. This deposit can be redeemed after the lapse of three years in Egyptian pounds at the exchange rate announced by the Central Bank on the date of redemption, and not exceeding the price on the deposit date without interests.
- To deposit a cash deposit of $750,000 for a period of 5 years under a bank transfer from abroad in the central bank’s unified treasury account. This deposit can be redeemed after five years in Egyptian pounds at the exchange rate announced by the Central Bank on the date of redemption, and not exceeding the price on the date of deposit and without interests.
Non-investment Cases to Obtain Egyptian Citizenship
- Residency in Egypt for at least 10 years, provided that this residency shall be permanent with the intention of continuing life in Egypt. During the ten-year period, the citizenship applicant has the right to travel for treatment, tourism, or work outside Egypt. The period of travel will be calculated from the time of the residency period.
- A woman married to an Egyptian: Egyptian law grants a non-Egyptian wife married to an Egyptian the right to obtain Egyptian nationality while retaining her original nationality. This wife can obtain Egyptian citizenship after submitting an application stating her desire to obtain the citizenship, the husband’s approval of her desire and the submission of the required documents with verification that the marital relationship between them continues for a period of two years. When the foreign wife obtains the Egyptian nationality, she does not lose it if her marriage to the Egyptian ends unless she regains her foreign nationality or marries a foreigner and obtains his nationality.
- Children of an Egyptian mother: Nationality is granted to children of an Egyptian mother, regardless of the father’s nationality.
Buying a Property in Egypt to Obtain Citizenship
This method is one of the common ways to obtain Egyptian citizenship. One of its most important features is that it can be as an investment and not only for housing and the returns on investment benefit the naturalized man. This investment also helps to revitalize the national economy, and it is better to buy land, a building, an apartment or factory land, provided that it be owned by the state or other public legal persons and for an amount of not less than 500 thousand US dollars.
Investing in the Purchased Real Estate
The citizenship applicant can benefit from the purchased real estate and can rent it to a company, shop or clinic. But if he does not want that, he can sell it or make good use of it personally.
Steps for an Iraqi to Obtain Egyptian Citizenship and the Required Papers
The first steps to obtaining citizenship begin after fulfilling any of the conditions by submitting the application to the headquarters of the administration with the completion of the required documents, which are:
- The original application for obtaining Egyptian citizenship and additional information.
- The original birth certificate of the naturalization applicant or an official extract thereof.
- 4 original recent personal photos of the naturalization applicant.
- The original criminal status sheet from the Egyptian authorities.
- The original official certificate of the movements of the naturalization applicant issued by his country of origin.
- An original official certificate of the movements of the naturalization applicant issued by the country of permanent residence for a period of five years prior to the date of the application.
- The original official certificate of the result of signing the medical examination for the naturalization applicant (to be submitted during the residency period).
- The original official certificate issued by the applicant’s home country proving that he has never been convicted of a felony or a freedom-restricting penalty for a crime against honor, certified by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- The original investment program fulfillment document (to be submitted during the residency period).
- Copies of his ownership contracts for any real estate inside Egypt and copies of car licenses that he personally owns. In the event that the investor owns shares in any of the companies, please attach a copy of the commercial register or the companies’ newspaper and a copy of the company’s tax card.
- A copy of a document of transfer from abroad for the administrative fees (10 thousand US dollars or what is equivalent) to the Central Bank of Egypt at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers at the Nationality Application Examination Unit.
- A copy of the passport of the original nationality of the naturalization applicant and a copy of the passport or passports of another nationality for the naturalization applicant (repeated according to the number) with an acknowledgement from the naturalization applicant of other nationalities that he holds.
- A passport copy of the wife’s original nationality and a copy of the wife’s passport(s) of another nationality (repeated according to the number).
- A marriage contract copy.
- A passport copy (or birth certificate or identity card) for minor children (repeated according to the number).
The Compound Guide is the Best Way to Buy a Real estate
To help you choose the right type of real estate, search in the compound directory (commercial, medical and administrative compounds and malls) on Aqarmap to choose what suits you best from offices, apartments, villas, offices and shops in the most prestigious places in Egypt (the Administrative Capital, Fifth Settlement, Sheikh Zayed and October).
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