Lebanon Advances Plans for a New Golden Residency Program

Lebanon has taken its first legislative step toward introducing a Golden Residency program aimed at attracting foreign investment and overseas Lebanese.

The proposal is not yet law. It must still be approved by Parliament and followed by implementing regulations before it can take effect.

What Has Been Proposed?

Under the draft bill, eligible applicants would need to invest at least US$500,000 in Lebanon.

The investment must:

• Be made in one of three approved sectors
• Be transferred from outside Lebanon
• Pass anti-money laundering (AML) checks

The three qualifying sectors have not yet been announced. Real estate investments would also remain subject to Lebanon's existing foreign ownership laws.

Who Can Apply?

The proposal is aimed at:

• Foreign nationals
• Lebanese citizens living abroad seeking tax residency

Eligible family members could also be included, with an annual fee of at least US$50,000 per family member.

Why Does It Matter?

If approved, Lebanon would join a growing number of countries using investment-linked residency to attract foreign capital.

However, several industry experts have questioned whether the proposed US$500,000 investment threshold, combined with Lebanon's current economic and financial challenges, will be competitive enough to attract international investors.

What Comes Next?

The proposal has cleared the Parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee.

It must now:

• Be approved by the full Parliament
• Receive implementing regulations before becoming law

Until then, the proposed Golden Residency program remains under review.