Jordan Revamps CBI Program with New Investment Options

Jordan has updated its citizenship by investment (CIP) program, replacing the previous three-category system with eight new investment routes that prioritize business activity and local job creation.

Approved by the Cabinet on July 2, the new framework sets an annual cap of 500 approvals and introduces more practical options for a wider range of investors.

The most notable shift allows existing investors to apply retroactively based on current business performance and employment levels, a change that may benefit thousands of foreign entrepreneurs already operating in Jordan.

Key Highlights of the New Citizenship Framework

• Eight Investment Routes: These include equity investment, employment generation, logistics and pharma sector projects, and stock market investments with a three-year lock-in.

• Employment-Based Pathway: Citizenship is granted to applicants who hire 100–150 Jordanians depending on location, with no minimum capital required. Critics have flagged the need for stronger oversight to prevent superficial compliance.

• Real Estate Residency: A new path allows five-year residency (not citizenship) through property purchases from developers valued at 200,000 Jordanian dinars.

• Retroactive Eligibility: Foreign investors already operating in Jordan can now apply without injecting new capital, provided they meet job creation and compliance conditions.

• New Family Rules: Male children up to age 30 can now be included in applications for qualifying investments above two million dinars.

• Increased Oversight: The program will be jointly monitored by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Securities Commission, and other agencies. All applications require security clearance and financial checks. Citizenship can be revoked for non-compliance.

Since its launch in 2018, Jordan’s program has granted 561 citizenships, with another 30 added this year. The country now aims to stimulate genuine economic participation over financial inflows with no long-term local impact.