The Deputy Executive Director of Naturalization Applications Examination Unit of the Egyptian Cabinet Sherif Ajeeb, refuted claims about about Egyptian citizenship being granted in exchange for US$10,000.
In a phone interview with TV host Amr Adib on the “al-Hekaya” (The Story) show on MBC Masr on Sunday, Ajeeb explained: “The $10,000 is an administrative fee for submitting an application for citizenship, and this fee is non-refundable.”
Demand for Egyptian citizenship
“The Arab communities are most eager for Egyptian citizenship, and there are hundreds who have applied to obtain citizenship, and the matter is a dream for some,” he noted.
Checking applications
Ajeeb continued: “We send applications to obtain Egyptian citizenship to all relevant security authorities who examine and study, and this is the basic criterion for accepting or rejecting the application.”
Citizenship granting programs
Ajeeb explained the programs for obtaining Egyptian citizenship, which he noted have been granted to some people in the past period according to the investment programs presented after evaluating and amending them.
He said: “In March 2023, some amendments were issued in the established investment programs regarding ownership of real estate and funds in banks to grant Egyptian citizenship.”
“There is a demand from foreigners to obtain Egyptian citizenship by purchasing real estate, explaining that ownership of the property to obtain citizenship is estimated at a value of up to $300,000.”
He explained that the amount should be transferred from abroad, meaning once an applicant enters Egypt for the first time and a property is purchased from any real estate developer inside Egypt, they then obtain the Egyptian citizenship, and this is one of the existing programs for granting citizenship.
“There is another program to grant Egyptian citizenship by placing a deposit in the amount of $500,000, which is refunded after three years in Egyptian pounds, or by transferring $250,000 to the state’s treasury,” he added.
“Another program to obtain Egyptian citizenship is by establishing a new company or participating in an existing company with an amount of $450,000, of which $100,000 will be paid to the state treasury.”
