Mozambique will soon introduce a tiered investor-residency program to attract capital into tourism and other sectors, offering five-year residence visas for investments starting at $500,000 and 10-year permits for investments of $5 million or more, which would position it among the world’s most expensive golden visa programs.
President Daniel Chapo announced the measures at the inaugural Mozambique Tourism Summit in Vilanculos, which has recently been designated as the country’s tourism capital. Officials say the overhaul aims to reduce friction for cross-border investment and provide investors with longer planning horizons in the African nation.
The government aims to attract investments in key sectors, including tourism, infrastructure, agriculture, and renewable energy. It frames the decision as part of Mozambique’s effort to open up its borders to foreigners to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which launched in 2019 with the aim of eliminating 90% of trade tariffs among African countries.
The government announced that the application process will be largely digitized, stating that it is developing a dedicated digital application platform for investor visa applicants to reduce in-person processing and expedite approvals.
Mozambique generally requires 10 years of habitual residence for naturalization. Authorities have yet to say if this time line will apply to investor residents, or if they may qualify for a faster track.
How Mozambique’s Thresholds Compare
While the $5 million investment threshold is among the world’s highest, Mozambique’s $500,000 threshold sits in the mid-to-high range. In Africa, investors can obtain Egyptian citizenship for $250,000 and Sierra Leonean citizenship for $100,000. Closer to home, Botswana is planning a citizenship path for $75,000, while Namibia offers a residency visa tied to real estate valued at over $300,000.
Outside Africa, prominent golden visa markets often set lower thresholds: Greece requires €250,000 for property, the UAE roughly $135,000, depending on the category, and Turkey requires $400,000 for citizenship via property investment.
Officials said they will announce more details, such as the official launch date and processing metrics, in the coming weeks.
