CBI
Guide
Sierra Leone Citizenship by Investment Program – apply with an official partner
ย Sierra Leone has recently launched a unique citizenship program in the African context, whereby investors who submit a donation to the government may obtain fast-track naturalization as citizens of the country. It is open to citizens of all countries and a substantially discounted option is available to individuals who can prove African genetic heritage through a DNA test submission. The Wandering Investor is an official partner of this program – learn more here about how to apply through us.
Documents required to apply for citizenship by investment in Sierra Leone
- Completed application form
- Copy of passport data page
- High-quality biometric passport photo
- Birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Proof of residential address
- DNA test results proving African ancestry from Living DNA (for Heritage Citizenship option applicants only)
Important Notes:
- There is no need to notarize or apostille any documentation. They simply need to be certified as true copies by a competent authority. There is a list of eligible professions who may perform the certification in the application form.ย ย
- Translations of documents to English should be certified as true translations by a translator.
- Everything can be submitted entirely remotely and you do not have to travel to Sierra Leone in order to receive your naturalization documents and passport.
- If you do visit the country and wish to obtain a local identification and residency card, you will be required to submit fingerprints that will be embedded in your biometric profile.
How much does the Sierra Leone CBI cost?
Option 1: Fast Track Citizenship
Fast Track Citizenship (90-day processing time)
- $140,000 USD plus $10,000 USD for each qualifying dependent
- Legal change of name: $10,000 USD
- Tax residency certificate issuance: $10,000 USD
Option 2: Heritage Citizenship
Heritage Citizenship (60-day processing time)
- $100,000 USD plus $10,000 USD for each qualifying dependent
- Legal change of name: $10,000 USD
- Tax residency certificate issuance: $10,000 USD
How many dependents can I add to my application?
You may add all of your children under 18, your spouse (and legal second spouse) as well as any dependent parents.
How to apply for the Sierra Leone citizenship by investment program?
- Gather all the relevant documentation listed above
- Certify the documents as true copies using an appropriate authority
- Sign the Confirmation of Enclosures to confirm the completeness of your application
- Submit all documentation via email
- Receive request for funds and escrow agreement
- Wait for due diligence and background checks to be completed by the processing authority
- Receive your passport, naturalization certificate and tax number by mail within 90 days of submission
How does the escrow agreement for the Sierra Leone CBI work?
You have three options when choosing your escrow agent:
- Hong Kong โ USD, source of funds required
- Sierra Leone – USD and crypto accepted, source of funds not required
- Client Attorney – USD and maybe USDT crypto accepted, source of funds may or may not be required. It depends on your lawyer.
The procedure is as follows:
- The client completes and signs the Application Form which contains all the operating service terms.
- The client then submits the signed form along with the supporting documents and indicates the preferred escrow option and the accompanying details
- The application center then prepares a request for funds addressed to the clientโs designated Escrow Funds Holder.
- The three-party escrow agreement is executed. The client then dispatches the funds to the Escrow Funds Holder who then certifies their arrival, and the application office then proceeds to procure the agreed immigration status.
- The application office then procures the naturalization certificate, which serves as the anchor document to solicit documents such as passports, ID cards and add-on services such as name changes. Upon issuance of the naturalization certificate, funds may be released from escrow.
In summary, your program fees are sent to the escrow agent while your application receives due diligence. Upon successful approval of your application and issuance of your naturalization certificate, the funds are released. In case of failed applications, 100% of the funds are returned from escrow.ย
What are the benefits of the Sierra Leone CBI program?
- Efficient processing time between 60-90 days
- No unreasonable bureaucratic hurdles or exhaustive documentation
- Visa-free access and simplified residency in the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) community
- Can apply and receive approval entirely remotely. There is no need to travel to Sierra Leone, or even visit an embassy
- Once a citizen, you can open non-CRS bank accounts in Sierra Leone – the program office can assist with this.
- Investment and application fees can be payable in cryptocurrency
- Ability to add dependents and citizenship can be passed down to your posterity
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
ECOWAS consists of 15 member states: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Official partner of the Sierra Leone Citizenship by Investment Program
Discuss your application with us
FAQ
Can I include my dependent siblings on my application?
No, only dependent parents and children under the age of 18 are eligible.
How do I prove my relationship to my dependent parents?
You must provide the birth and marriage certificates of you and/or your spouse indicating the relationship.
What is the process for changing my name as part of the application?
The name change procedure is as follows:
You first obtain your naturalization certificate through the Fast Track or Heritage naturalization pathways. This can be used to change your name by Deed Poll (at a Notary or Commissioner of Oaths). An announcement of the name change is published in the national gazette after which a new name certificate is issued, and the national registry is updated. You can then pursue issuance of a new passport reflecting the name change, and update your name on your tax number, national ID, etc.
The name change process takes approximately two weeks and can be done 100% remotely.
How much African heritage do I need? Do all countries in Africa count?
Any continental African heritage going back up to 5 generations that is demonstrated in your DNA test.
Can my passport be issued remotely?
Yes.
Is the passport biometric?
Yes, but you only need to provide a high-quality biometric passport photo.
Does Sierra Leone share their biometric data internationally?
No.
Can I remotely obtain a driver license upon receiving my citizenship?
Unfortunately, to obtain a driver license and National ID you need to provide biometric fingerprinting in country in Sierra Leone. The program office can assist when needed.
Am I required to obtain a National ID card?
No. There is no firm legal requirement to obtain a national ID until you decide to reside in Sierra Leone.
How is the place of birth recorded in the Sierra Leone passport?
The place of birth information will be mirrored from the passport you use to apply.
Are there any official nationality-based restrictions for this program?
North Korean nationals are excluded from applying.
Can I apply with another country's passport also acquired through citizenship by investment?
Yes.
What additional fees might I be responsible for?
Depending on the escrow service you select, a $2000 escrow fee may apply.
Can the client use an escrow service if they go the 'client lawyer' pathway? Or does it have to be a lawyer?
If a client has counsel of his own that wishes to pay or use as his escrow agent, the credentials of said escrow agent are important. To qualify as an escrow funds holder, the escrow agent must be:
- Known to client and charge fees directly to client
- Regulated by a professional body
- Able to satisfy the AML/CTF requirements of the banking jurisdiction where funds are escrowed.
Are there any additional fees for paying with crypto?
Paying by USDT (preferred) incurs no additional charges. If paying by BTC, there will be a requirement to compensate for any shortfall in USD equivalence by the time the naturalization certificate is issued.
If I naturalize as a Sierra Leonean today, can my children born in the future naturalize themselves as citizens?
The 2021 Sierra Leone Citizenship Amendment Act removed race restrictions on Sierra Leonean citizenship. There used to be a โNegro African descent requirement,โ but that has now been removed from the law. This means children can now inherit the citizenship even if one or more parents are not of negro African descent. Mother and father are treated equally, and the citizenship can pass from either parent to children. Consequently, any child born abroad to a Sierra Leonean mother or father, regardless of race, can apply for citizenship by descent. Foreigners, even those not of African descent, can naturalize as citizens through marriage, investment or residency.
Despite the legal entitlements to citizenship for descendants, we cannot speak to how easily the naturalization process would be for them.
What are the conditions for tax residency through this program?
There are no physical presence requirements. You must simply spend $10k to receive a tax certificate. The use of this certificate is limited and would depend on your personal circumstances, and it would not necessarily free you from tax obligations in other countries. It may be helpful if you are highly nomadic and require a tax residency certificate.
What are the KYC and Source of Funds requirements?
You only need to provide source of funds if you choose to use the Hong Kong escrow option.
Are naturalized citizens' names published or available as public record?
No. Presently, only birth certificates can be searched publicly and CBI applicants will not have those registered in Sierra Leone. Eventually there will be a register of naturalized citizens, but for the moment it does not exist in the law.