Sierra Leone’s GO-FOR-GOLD citizenship program has announced substantial changes following a six-month pilot that naturalized 13 families, according to an update from the program’s Master Agent, Hong Kong Visa Centre Limited and TG 2050 LTD.
The changes introduce what the Master Agent describes as the investment migration industry’s most inclusive family structure, allowing applicants to include extended relatives and business partners in a single application
Applicants can now include multiple spouses, siblings under 30, spouses of siblings, adult children, and even last remaining relatives to their citizenship applications under a new “Special Dependants” category, the Master Agent’s announcement reveals.
A separate “+1 Business Partner” pathway lets co-investors join applications without proving any prior business relationship. Business partners cannot add any of their dependents to the application.
Program architect Stephen Barnes says these additions represent a departure from the nuclear family model that dominates most citizenship by investment programs, accommodating what he describes as the extended family structures common in the global South and other regions.
The announcement outlines three dependent categories beyond the main applicant:
Fee Structure:
- Main Applicant: $140,000
- Normal Dependents (spouses, children under 18, parents, grandparents): $10,000 each
- Special Dependants (adult children, siblings under 30, spouses of siblings, last remaining relatives): $20,000 each
- +1 Business Partner: $30,000
- Alternative structure: Two business partners at $85,000 each
Due Diligence Fees:
- Families of up to five people: $5,000
- Families of six to 10: $10,000
- Each additional person beyond 10: $900
Jeremy Savory, CEO at Savory & Partners, notes that the pricing structure creates new market opportunities. He argues that “Sierra Leone’s new dependent criteria brings the cost down to five figures per applicant, and there’s a market for that.”
Dr. Moses Tiffa Baio, Chief Immigration Officer, confirmed the program operates under Section 27A of the Sierra Leone Citizenship Act 1973, which grants the President discretionary authority to confer citizenship.
According to Dr. Baio, the framework “remains the operative legal basis for all current grants of citizenship” and “ensures that every approval today is fully compliant within the scope of existing law.”
The government memo describes the initiative as operating under a “Citizenship by Exception” framework pending statutory amendments that will formalize the Special Naturalization pathway.
Forthcoming legislation will introduce amendments to the Citizenship Act 1973 and the Citizenship (Special Naturalization) Regulation 2025, which the announcement says will codify offshore processing, automatic residency waivers, and authority for the Chief Immigration Officer to issue interim documentation before presidential certification.
Practical Application Scenarios
The update explains that the fee structure accommodates complex family arrangements common across different cultures. Two examples illustrate the flexibility:
Multi-generational family: A main applicant with two spouses, two minor children, one adult child, one last remaining relative, and one business partner would pay:
- Main applicant: $140,000
- Two spouses: $20,000
- Two minor children: $20,000
- One adult child: $20,000
- One last remaining relative: $20,000
- One business partner: $30,000
- Due diligence (eight people): $10,000
- Total: $260,000
Sibling Group Application: A main applicant with three siblings, each married with one child, would pay:
- Main applicant: $140,000
- Three siblings: $60,000
- Three siblings’ spouses: $60,000
- Three siblings’ children: $60,000
- Due diligence (10 people): $10,000
- Total: $330,000
According to the announcement, every approved applicant receives an incorporated Sierra Leone company and corporate bank account with either Sierra Leone Commercial Bank or Access Bank. Both activate immediately upon receiving a Letter of Approval from the Chief Immigration Officer, creating what Barnes calls “an immediate economic footprint” for new citizens.
Barnes states say Harod Associates Ltd, a UK-based investigative firm, now performs due diligence. The update cites the firm’s completion of over 2,000 citizenship by investment (CBI) cases across 100-plus countries, a 15% high-risk detection rate, and Investment Migration Council (IMC)-accredited investigators.
Processing Timeline:
- Due diligence clearance: Approximately two weeks
- Letter of Approval: 30 to 60 days
- Passport and naturalization certificate: 60 to 90 days
Barnes revealed that applications move entirely online through an AI-powered portal that handles document certification, oath administration, and case management via Zoom. According to the update, the President signs naturalization certificates in batches.
He positions the expanded structure as culturally necessary for attracting investment from regions where nuclear families don’t dominate. According to Barnes, “the Global South seeks access to Africa through frameworks that are safe, inclusive, and culturally aligned” because “the extended family, the clan, is recognized as a source of strength, stability, and enterprise.”
He frames the policy as economically strategic rather than merely transactional. He argues Sierra Leone is “creating the social foundation for sustained inward investment” by targeting 4,000 families for Special Naturalization over five years as part of President Bio’s goal to achieve middle-income status by 2039.
Savory sees the program within a broader continental shift. He describes the continent as “transforming from primarily a source market into a growing immigration destination,” noting that Africa now offers three CBI programs with Botswana expected to launch a fourth.
He observes that “after the Caribbean price war, we now have an African price war targeting a different price segment,” adding that “the ball is in Botswana’s court.”
He believes market appetite exists for citizenship by exception (CBE) and CBI frameworks, pointing to “strong demand for São Tomé since its launch” and notes “the market is warming to CBE options.”
He characterizes these programs as having “the inherent Africa risk priced into the product, making them attractive to investors who understand and accept that risk profile.”
Rafael Cintron, CEO at Wealthy Expat, expects the model to influence other jurisdictions. He believes “this structure will incentivize other countries to adopt similar frameworks, allowing business partners and even employees to be included in applications.”
He anticipates additional African countries will launch programs, citing Namibia, Eswatini, and Kenya as potential entrants. Cintron expresses optimism about “Africa’s investment migration future,” particularly if Mauritius introduces “a golden visa with low physical presence requirements.”
The update states all funds will sit in escrow until due diligence clears and approval letters are issued. It also states that applicants can offset program fees through gold bullion purchases of up to 20 kilograms over five years at a 2% discount to market rates, reinforcing what the Barnes describes as the gold-backed foundation of the initiative.
IMI has not independently verified these updates with official Sierra Leone government sources and is reporting based on information provided by the program’s Master Agent.
The claims and program details outlined above reflect the Master Agent’s representations and have not been confirmed through official government documentation at the time of publication.
Disclaimer: The information in this article regarding program updates, fee structures, processing timelines, and application procedures is based on materials provided by the program’s Master Agent, Hong Kong Visa Centre Limited and TG 2050 LTD. Investment Migration Insider (IMI) has not independently verified these claims with official Sierra Leone government sources or reviewed official government documentation confirming these program changes. Readers should conduct their own due diligence and seek independent verification before making any investment or citizenship application decisions. The only official government documentation IMI has reviewed is the statement from Chief Immigration Officer Dr. Moses Tiffa Baio regarding the program’s legal basis under Section 27A of the Sierra Leone Citizenship Act 1973. IMI makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by the Master Agent.
