Citizenship & Investment Law
Jordanian Citizenship and Five‑Year Residency by Investment — Regulatory Summary
This summary outlines the conditions and procedures adopted by the Jordanian authorities for granting citizenship or five‑year residency to investors under Cabinet and Prime Ministerial directives. It describes the main investment routes, financial and employment thresholds, procedural safeguards and required documentation.
Updated: 24 March 2026
Prepared and reviewed by: Ashraf Al-Khawaja
Scope of the Program and Eligible Sectors
The rules cover specified economic sectors intended to bolster productive and service activities: industry, agriculture (plant and animal) with modern technologies, tourism (per ISIC4, excluding ordinary restaurants/cafés), ICT, education, health and media (including film production). Later Cabinet decisions added specific commercial sectors—pharmaceutical warehouses, car agencies, food logistics, maritime transport, housing for companies and tourist restaurants—with distinct investment and job requirements for each.
Investment Paths to Citizenship or Residency and Key Financial/Timing Limits
The directives set several routes: (1) deposit or purchase of treasury bonds equivalent to USD 1,000,000 (a three‑year non‑interest deposit or six‑year bond investment with disposal restrictions), (2) acquisition of shares/stakes in SMEs for at least USD 1,500,000 with a three‑year lock‑up, (3) establishing a new project—minimum paid capital of USD 1,000,000 inside Amman with 20 Jordanian jobs, or USD 750,000 outside Amman with 10 jobs, (4) recognition of existing investments based on average fixed tangible assets and job creation over the past three years, and (5) five‑year residency through real estate purchase of at least JOD 200,000 and retention for five years. Several paths impose lock‑up periods and specific filing timeframes.
Documentation, Administrative Steps and Security Controls
Each route requires a core document package: passport copies, personal data forms for all listed family members, a “Jisr” card for West Bank/Gaza residents where applicable, proof of marital or single status and parental dependency where required, plus commercial registers, audited financial statements or title deeds depending on the investment. Applications are reviewed by a technical committee, subjected to security clearances, and proceed via Ministry of Investment recommendations to the Cabinet. Practical steps may include registering liens, deeds of assignment or depositing funds with the Central Bank or securities regulators according to the chosen path.
Operational Criteria, Employment Conditions and Consequences of Non‑Compliance
The measures tie nationality/residency grants to both investment size and Jordanian employment numbers (e.g. 20 jobs inside Amman or 10 outside for project routes, with higher thresholds in certain sectors). A specific route allows citizenship where an investor employs 150 Jordanians in Amman or 100 elsewhere, with Social Security registration and a two‑year post‑grant retention requirement. Procedural limits include a prohibition on obtaining citizenship via shares purchased from someone who previously secured citizenship through those same stakes; breaches may lead to withdrawal of citizenship or cancellation of residency.
Practical Considerations and Points Requiring Further Verification
Implementing these rules demands prior coordination with banks, the Companies Control Department, the technical committee and the Ministry of Investment, and ensuring security clearances before final approval. Operational details—such as the method for averaging assets, acceptable proof of capital deployment in a new company, mechanisms for lodging liens on shares, and the effective dates of directives—may require close legal and administrative verification and can be subject to change. Engagement of a licensed lawyer is advisable to prepare the file and manage procedural requirements.
Legal notice
This content is for general educational purposes and is based on the original source linked on the page. It does not replace the applicable legal texts or the advice of a licensed lawyer; verification of the relevant Cabinet decisions, official directives and any amendments or effective dates is required before taking any action.
Sources and references
Verify the official text and latest amendments before relying on this material professionally.