Jordan’s CIP Approves Over 500 Investors: First Figures Revealed

Jordan's Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP) has granted citizenship to 531 foreign investors by the end of 2024, according to The Jordan Times. This marks the first release of information regarding the program's performance since 2020.

Between January 2021 and December 2024, Jordan approved an average of 81 investors per year, totalling 325 new citizens under the program during this period.

The Specialised Technical Committee within the Ministry of Investment is responsible for processing applications, reviewing submissions, and forwarding recommendations to a ministerial committee for final Cabinet approval.

CIP Investment Options & Policy Evolution

Since its launch in 2018, the program has undergone significant changes. Initially, investment thresholds ranged from $1 million for small and medium enterprise investments to $2 million for job-creating projects.

In 2020, Jordan reduced the minimum investment requirements by 25-50% across all options, lowering the entry point to $750,000 despite reporting an average investment of $6.9 million per applicant.

Current investment options include:

• $1 million treasury bond investment (held for six years)
• $1.5 million in Jordanian company shares (with a three-year holding period)
• $750,000 investment in projects outside Amman, creating 10 jobs for Jordanians
• $1 million investment in projects within Amman, creating 20 jobs

A 2020 report revealed that 97% of investors opted for business creation or expansion, highlighting a strong preference for direct capital control over passive investment options.

Investment Focus & Future Prospects

Industry experts believe that the majority of applicants are either retroactively qualified or have already laid the groundwork for meeting the CIP’s criteria through existing bond deposits or business expansions to fulfil the program’s requirements.

While Jordan's focus on economic growth and job creation has been commended, some analysts suggest the program could further enhance its competitiveness by connecting bonds to development projects, introducing tiered incentives, or creating funds with targeted objectives.