Jordan's move to revamp its Citizenship By Investment programme has opened up more pathways for foreign investors to obtain a passport, but it is unlikely to make an economic impact in the short term, analysts say.
Amman will grant Jordanian nationality to foreign investors through additional routes including pouring capital in local companies' shares, establishing new projects in important sectors or purchasing equity in existing projects, according to Petra news agency.
The Cabinet last week approved an updated framework for granting citizenship and residency to investors that is aimed at attracting more foreign capital, creating new jobs and contributing to the Jordanian economy.
“While we appreciate the Jordanian government's efforts to develop the private sector, we believe the new citizenship policy will have limited economic impact in the near term,” Tianchen Peng, economist at Oxford Economics, told The National.
“The investment thresholds across all three routes – along with additional requirements like maintaining high employment levels – are prohibitively high.”
Jordan has granted citizenship to 561 investors since 2018, with Syrian and Iraqi investors topping the list, according to Jordan's investment minister Mothanna Gharaibeh.
However, Mr Peng said combined with Jordan's existing social welfare system and escalating tension in the region, “the policy may lack sufficient appeal to attract eligible investors, particularly those based outside the region”.
Jordan's economy is projected to expand by 2.6 per cent this year before accelerating further to 2.9 per cent in 2026, according to the International Monetary Fund's recently published Regional Economic Outlook.
Both projections were lower than previous forecasts, mirroring a broader downwards trend because of US tariffs uncertainty.
The Washington-based fund last month approved about $700 million to Jordan to address its long-term vulnerabilities in the water and electricity sectors and address public health emergencies.
The Jordanian passport has relatively better strength in the Middle East compared to various countries in the region, according to the Henley Passport Index.
It ranks 88th on the latest index, with visa-free access to 51 countries, according to the Henley Passport Index 2025 Global Ranking.
By contrast, Syria ranks 102nd, Iraq 101st, Yemen 100th and Libya in the 99th position. The UAE is 8th and Saudi Arabia is 59th. This is out of a ranking of 103, where some countries are in tie positions.
With stricter immigration rules in some protectionist economies, investors are casting a wider net for citizenship opportunities.
Pathways to citizenship
Under the revised criteria, Jordan will grant citizenship to foreign investors who inject at least one million Jordanian Dinars ($1.4 million) in new capital by buying shares in Jordanian companies.
A maximum of 20 per cent of the investment can be concentrated in a single company, and the investor must retain the shares and any related proceeds for three years, according to Petra.
Citizenship can also be granted to investors who set up new projects in vital sectors with a paid-in capital of at least 700,000 dinars in Amman or 500,000 dinars outside the capital, provided the projects create 20 jobs for Jordanians in the capital or 10 jobs outside it.
Another route is purchasing equity in existing projects with a capital injection of at least one million dinars and new fixed assets worth at least 500,000 dinars. Investors must submit a feasibility study and audited financial reports, create 20 new jobs and hold the new shares for three years to qualify.
Existing investors may qualify if their average equity share in fixed assets over the past three years totals at least 700,000 dinars in Amman or 350,000 dinars outside the capital.
First-degree family members of the investor, who are inheriting or receiving shares, may also qualify for citizenship. This is provided the original investor’s stake remains unchanged for three years.
Citizenship can also be granted to investors in the pharmaceutical warehousing, medical equipment and large-scale food logistics sectors, with minimum capital of 3 million dinars and 20 Jordanian pharmacists employed in Amman or 10 outside the capital over three years.
Another route is employing 150 Jordanians in Amman or 100 in other governorates for at least one year before application, with employment levels sustained for two consecutive years after receiving citizenship, Petra said.
A cap of 500 investors per year will be applied, subject to security clearance and financial due diligence, the state news agency said.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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The biog
Name: Greg Heinricks
From: Alberta, western Canada
Record fish: 56kg sailfish
Member of: International Game Fish Association
Company: Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters
Classification from Tour de France after Stage 17
1. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 73:27:26"
2. Rigoberto Uran (Colombia / Cannondale-Drapac) 27"
3. Romain Bardet (France / AG2R La Mondiale)
4. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana Pro Team) 53"
5. Mikel Landa (Spain / Team Sky) 1:24"
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Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
CONCRETE COWBOY
Directed by: Ricky Staub
Starring: Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome
3.5/5 stars
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