Diamond Slump: Botswana Sells $75,000 "Golden Passports"
January 07, 26
(IDEX Online) - Botswana is selling "golden passports" for $75,000-plus to plug a financial hole left by plunging diamond revenues.
The Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program targets high-net-worth individuals from India, the US, South Africa, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe.
Investors benefit from dual citizenship, visa-free access to over 90 destinations, with no residency or language requirements.
Botswana's CBI program undercuts that of Sao Tome and Principe, the tiny central African island, that is currently the cheapest, charging $90,000.
The minimum contribution in Botswana is between $75,000 and $90,000, as a non-refundable sovereign fund donation. Spouses and children under-18 cost an additional $10,000 each.
President Duma Boko has hailed the move as a step to attract global capital and talent for long-term stability, with Botswana as one of Africa's most stable democracies.
Applications are scheduled for early in Q1 2026. So far it says it has received 464 expressions of interest.
Botswana relies on diamonds for around a third of its GDP, but revenues have dropped 30 per cent since 2022.