According to Relocation, Sierra Leone has expanded its citizenship program for foreign investors by adding two new options: expedited citizenship for $1 million and naturalization through residency in the country with investments starting at $90,000.
According to information from the Go-FOR-GOLD Sierra Leone program, the first new option provides for expedited citizenship upon payment of $1 million.
This option is aimed at high-net-worth applicants who need the fastest possible citizenship process. The program requires verification of the source of funds and the applicant’s good character.
The second route is significantly cheaper but requires the investor to have a genuine connection to the country. To participate, applicants must invest at least $90,000 in an approved business or enterprise in Sierra Leone.
Afterward, the applicant must reside in the country for at least 90 days per year for five years. Once these conditions are met, the applicant becomes eligible to apply for citizenship through naturalization.
Thus, the minimum physical presence requirement over five years is 450 days.
These new options complement Sierra Leone’s existing investment citizenship program, launched under the Go-FOR-GOLD brand.
The basic investment track requires a non-refundable contribution of $140,000 for the principal applicant. An additional fee is required to include a spouse in the application, and separate fees apply for other dependents.
One of the program’s unique features is the ability for participants in the main investment track to obtain citizenship without having to reside permanently in Sierra Leone.
The country’s government positions Go-FOR-GOLD not only as a mechanism for attracting foreign investors but also as a tool for financing environmental and economic projects.
Sierra Leone has become one of the new entrants to the rapidly growing market for citizenship-by-investment programs. Such programs are most common in the Caribbean, where they are in place in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Lucia.
Official source: Go-FOR-GOLD Sierra Leone — the official citizenship program.
