Eswatini plans Investor Visa without selling citizenship

As of November 2026, Eswatini is planning permanent residence and a separate Investor Visa under a proposed Immigration Bill, without selling citizenship. Acting Home Affairs Minister Senator Pholile Dlamini Shakantu told the Citizenship Board in Mbabane on 4 November that the bill should be expedited to create clearer pathways for foreign investors and people with scarce skills, Eswatini Positive News reported from a ministry statement.

Under the proposal, qualifying foreign nationals could apply for permanent residence after meeting a prescribed investment threshold. A separate permanent residence-by-investment category, also called an Investor Visa, would offer another route for people who want a lasting economic presence in the Kingdom. The ministry has not published the minimum investment amount, qualifying sectors, application fees or a timetable for introducing the bill in parliament.

The reforms are meant to distinguish the right to live permanently in Eswatini from acquiring Eswatini citizenship. The Citizenship Board noted that some people who now apply for citizenship might be better served by a dedicated permanent-residence system that lets them keep their original nationality. Scarce and specialised skills would also be considered alongside investment.

The plan is not open for applications. An earlier Eswatini Observer report on 30 September said the Immigration Bill 2025 is intended to replace the Immigration Act of 1982 and includes residence-by-investment among other reforms. Until the bill is published and enacted, no Investor Visa exists.