Botswana’s forthcoming citizenship by investment program logged 464 registrations of interest across 77 countries through its portal during its first week, according to data from Arton Capital, the firm the government contracted to develop the program.
The program has a contribution floor between $75,000 and $90,000, according to the official registration portal.
Armand Arton, CEO of Arton Capital, explains that the variation reflects “family size in terms of contribution.” Due diligence fees will run approximately $5,000 per adult applicant, following industry standards. Government fees remain under finalization but are expected to range between $2,000 and $5,000 depending on family size and other factors.
Single applicants face total costs below $100,000, Arton notes, while families “definitely will be just above $100,000, but not reaching $120,000.” Additional details on agent remuneration and fees will be set in forthcoming regulations that parliament must pass in November.
The figures represent early expressions of interest rather than formal applications. The program remains in its pre-launch phase, with actual applications not expected to open until early 2026.
India and the United States led interest registrations with 47 and 46 prospective applicants, respectively. South Africa registered 39, Pakistan 36, Nigeria 30, and Zimbabwe 29. Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany rounded out the top 10 source countries.
Nearly half of those registering interest (47%) indicated plans to apply with family members, while 37% intend to apply individually. Another 14% remain undecided, and 2% registered as intermediaries representing clients.
Self-reported net worth data indicate that 70% of registrants claimed assets valued below $1 million, 24% reported a net worth between $1 million and $10 million, and 6% stated assets exceeding $10 million.
These figures represent unverified declarations on registration forms rather than screened financial profiles.
By current residence, the United States accounted for 29 registrants, Botswana 27, and the United Arab Emirates 17. South Africa, Nigeria, Canada, and the United Kingdom each recorded between nine and 15 registrations.
These registrations are more akin to expressions of interest and are not fully fledged applications. The program will open for applications in early 2026, according to the official website.
Arton says Parliament plans to pass new citizenship legislation in November that will introduce the program framework, establish the regulatory agency, and allow dual citizenship for the first time.
Arton anticipates that “following that should be the creation of the unit, hiring of the team, and all the technology integration necessary to start in January or February, the first application to be processed.”
